[For Seniors] Handmade Game Ideas You Can Enjoy
Games and recreational activities are essential in senior facilities like day-care centers.
In this article, we introduce handmade games you can enjoy.
Some are made using recycled materials like milk cartons and newspapers, while others use items you can get at 100-yen shops, such as paper cups and disposable chopsticks.
All of them involve thinking, competing, and playing, so they serve as brain training—and best of all, they foster communication.
In team competitions, everyone might get fired up, focus on the game, and end up in a frenzy!
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[For Seniors] Handmade Game Ideas You Can Enjoy (71–80)
A puzzle where you fit counters (ohajiki) into a frame
Group recreation where everyone gets lively together is fun, but taking time to think carefully and enjoy things at your own pace is important too.
This time, we’re introducing a finger dexterity puzzle using ohajiki (small glass game pieces).
Preparation is very simple: get some paper and ohajiki.
Draw circles on the paper about the same size as the ohajiki, and place the pieces around them.
Using your index finger, try to push the ohajiki into the circles.
You can change how it feels a lot by drawing circles slightly larger or smaller than the ohajiki and making a rule that they only count if they fit exactly, or by trying fingers other than the index finger.
Because it also engages spatial awareness, it serves as brain training.
It’s also recommended as a recreation activity in senior care facilities.
Daruma-otoshi
Here’s a craft project that brings out both nostalgia and playfulness: a DIY version of Daruma Otoshi.
Cut colored tape to fit the size of bottle caps and stick it onto three caps.
Stack two of them and freely draw the Daruma’s face and body.
Use the remaining cap as the base, and play by knocking the stacked parts down.
Because it uses few tools and can be completed quickly, it’s recommended even for seniors who aren’t used to crafts.
There are many steps that involve fine motor movements, like drawing and choosing colors, making it helpful for hand rehabilitation.
The finished pieces look adorable just lined up for display, and one of the charms is the warm, handmade feel.
yo-yo
Making a yo-yo with plastic bottle caps is a craft that older adults can easily enjoy.
Use an awl to make holes in the centers of two caps, then insert a screw and fasten them together.
Thread a string through the center and tie it securely, and pack clay into the empty space inside the caps to add weight.
Finish by wrapping the whole thing with colored tape for reinforcement, and it’s done.
Activities that use the fingertips help improve concentration and stimulate brain function.
Another appeal is that you can customize the look to create your own unique piece.
Since you can actually play with it after it’s finished, it’s an idea that remains fun even after the making is complete.
Handmade Othello
Othello, as everyone knows.
This time, we’ll show you how to make a handmade version using plastic bottle caps.
Gather lots of caps in two colors and some cardboard.
Tape two caps of different colors back-to-back.
Draw a grid on the cardboard.
Then you can play just like traditional Othello.
The handmade pieces are easier to pick up, so even those who find fine finger movements difficult can enjoy the game.
Be sure to make it and give it a try!
[For Seniors] Handmade Game Ideas You Can Enjoy (81–90)
Möbius tie
We want seniors to enjoy doing rehabilitation, right? So here’s a fun finger-movement training using chenille stems (pipe cleaners).
Thread the pipe cleaners through a pegboard with evenly spaced holes in advance.
Then have the seniors twist the pipe cleaners using their fingertips.
Twist each pair of pipe cleaners five times.
People tend to feel the effort level when twisting between 5 and 20 pairs.
It’s effective for training finger dexterity and wrist movement.
Pipe cleaners and pegboards are sold at 100-yen shops’ craft sections, so preparation should be easy.
Please use this as a reference and give it a try!
Recipe card
This is a card game where you pick two words from the lined-up cards and combine them to complete the name of a dish.
The key is how many dish names you can recall from memory based on the letters in front of you.
It’s also recommended to shuffle in a dummy card that forms a complete dish name on its own—it can mislead players, spark ideas, or serve as a hint for a similar dish.
It should be fun not only to come up with correct dish names, but also to invent plausible-sounding ones that don’t actually exist.
A simple activity using ohajiki (small traditional Japanese game pieces)
Some older adults may have played ohajiki when they were young or with their children.
Here are some simple recreational activities you can do with ohajiki.
Beyond lining them up on a table or floor and flicking one with your finger to hit another, there are many ways to play.
For example, you can play a curling-like game by flicking ohajiki onto a sheet with a circle and point values, or stack the pieces upward.
With a bit of creativity, it seems there are plenty of ways to enjoy ohajiki.
In addition to using your fingertips, these games can help improve concentration and promote communication.