[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] DIY Game Ideas You Can Enjoy (131–140)
Hishimochi Tower Game
Here’s a perfect game for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day): the Hishi Mochi Tower Game.
It’s an easy, sit-at-the-table activity, so it’s recommended for seniors.
Cut thick paper in “pink,” “white,” and “green” into strips and form rectangles.
You can also repurpose empty milk cartons.
Once they’re ready, stack them like a tower, alternating colors.
If your hishi-mochi tower falls, you lose.
By the way, the colors of hishi mochi are said to symbolize: pink for peach blossoms, white for snow, and green for fresh greenery.
It might be nice to stack them in that order, too.
Since preparation is simple, give it a try for Hinamatsuri!
Cup-in game
A simple game you can play with just paper cups and ping-pong balls: the Cup-In Game.
Line up paper cups on a table and secure them with tape.
Then toss ping-pong balls into the cups—it’s a very simple game, but that’s exactly why it gets exciting! You can compete to see how many you can get in within a set time, or make it a team match and tally the totals.
Clear cups make it obvious and easy to see, which I think makes it more fun.
You can throw any way you like, so try experimenting to find the most effective technique!
paper sumo
Paper sumo, a game long enjoyed where you tap the ring to make wrestlers fight, is an easy, handmade pastime.
Draw wrestlers, fold each one in half vertically, stand them in a ring made from cardboard or similar material, and tap around it to play.
As in real sumo, the loser is the one who falls over or goes out of the ring.
A tournament format will make it even more exciting.
When competition is on the line, some people might show a different side of themselves! To keep the conditions fair, prepare wrestlers using the same type and size of paper.
In conclusion
We introduced some recreational games you can make and enjoy by hand. From activities you can enjoy alone to ones for large groups and team competitions, there were plenty of ideas that seem fun for big groups. Some can also help with dementia prevention and improving physical functions, so be sure to give them a try!