[For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
We’d like to introduce autumn-themed activities and recreation games for seniors.
Autumn brings pleasant weather that makes you want to go out.
It’s great if you can just decide, “Alright, let’s go!” and head out, but some people find it difficult to go out as they’d like.
So in this article, we’ll introduce enjoyable recreation games you can play indoors.
There are plenty of crafts and team-competition games that are useful in settings like day service centers, so please make good use of them.
Let’s play and feel the autumn season!
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- September Health Topic: Introducing Recreational Activities That Capture the Feeling of Autumn’s Arrival
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- [October Health Topic] Introducing Recreational Activities for Seniors!
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[For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games (41–50)
Halloween pumpkin lampshade
How about making a Halloween-perfect lampshade that’s easy to craft while seated and also stimulates the brain? First, place an inflated balloon on top of a paper cup and secure it with masking tape.
Then, using glue thinned with water, paste orange tissue paper—the same color as a Halloween pumpkin—over the balloon until you can no longer see the balloon’s color.
Once covered, attach the facial features and paste about three more sheets of tissue paper over them.
Let it dry for at least a day.
When it’s dry, pop the balloon and carefully remove it without tearing the tissue paper.
Finally, place a small light—like the kind you can get at a dollar store—inside, and you’re done!
For Seniors: Fun Autumn Activities. Recreation Games (51–60)
Autumn message card
When writing messages to family and friends, why not prepare a seasonal message card? This is an autumn-themed card that combines paper cutouts with paper painted using watercolors.
It’s also great for fine motor skills, so consider creating designs with autumn motifs like maple leaves and acorns, and give it a try.
Autumn hand play
When you think of autumn children’s songs, doesn’t “Donguri Korokoro” come to mind? Let’s try a hand play activity to go with this classic autumn tune! Since it only uses upper-body movements, you can do it while seated.
That said, there are plenty of actions that move your arms from the shoulders, so it can also serve as a stretch.
Another plus is that it lends itself to various fun arrangements.
paper cup ghost
Why not make a “paper cup ghost” for an autumn recreation activity using familiar materials like paper cups and plastic bags? It’s a very simple craft that creates a cute little ghost! Drawing directly with oil-based colored pens, or sticking on stickers and paper, also provides fine-motor training, making it a recommended activity for older adults.
Just poke a hole in a paper cup, insert a straw, and tape it to a plastic bag to complete it.
Store the plastic bag folded inside the paper cup, then blow into the straw so the bag inflates and the ghost pops out! Blowing into the straw is said to help activate lung capacity, so why not give it a try?
Autumn leaf viewing on a whiteboard
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Makkana Aki – Takashi Shimizu / Suginami Children’s Choir
This is a recreational activity where you pre-draw illustrations of mountains and trees on a whiteboard, and participants use pom-poms or finger stamps to add fall colors to create foliage.
By providing decorations in autumn shades like orange, yellow, and red and letting participants freely add color, they can enjoy the feeling of going out to view the autumn leaves.
As they use their hands, natural interaction emerges as they compare and chat about each other’s works.
After completion, older adults can look at and discuss the pieces together, which also livens things up.
It’s a recommended recreation that visually evokes autumn and stimulates creativity and sensitivity.
Restricted Shiritori: Autumn Foods
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♫ Original song – TBJ / Care • Rehabilitation • Nursing – TBJ / Care • Rehabilitation • Nursing
This is a word chain game that becomes brain training by intentionally setting constraints.
On a whiteboard, write “Starts with 〇 and ends with 〇,” then play shiritori using autumn foods that meet those conditions.
For example, with a word that starts with “sa” and ends with “n,” you could use “sanma” (Pacific saury).
The quiz master sets the conditions, and everyone thinks of words that fit.
By writing answers in sequence in a grid, it’s visually easy to follow, and the overall flow is clear, which helps build excitement.
Making the theme autumn foods lets you enjoy a seasonal feel while playing, and it also encourages broader conversation.
As autumn-specific foods keep coming up, participants can share memories and stories as well.
Word association game: What comes to mind when you think of September?
@thinkbodyjapan Word association game on the whiteboard!CaregivingNursing care facilityCaregiver#Caregiver'sDailyLifeRecreation
♫ Original song – TBJ / Care • Rehabilitation • Nursing – TBJ / Care • Rehabilitation • Nursing
Here is an idea for a fall-themed quiz that also serves as brain training.
Ask participants, “What comes to mind when you think of September?” and write their answers on a whiteboard.
Based on the words that come up, expand into a word-association game using the initial letters or themes.
For example, if someone says “tsukimi” (moon viewing), you can think of foods that start with “tsu,” and so on.
As people associate words, seasonal topics naturally arise, helping stimulate memory, vocabulary, and creativity.
Adding a time limit or team competition boosts the game aspect and encourages smiles and conversation.
By starting with familiar topics, it lowers the barrier to participation and makes an excellent fall recreation activity that can also serve as a conversation starter for older adults.