Recommended recreational activities to help seniors enjoy their time in care facilities

Soran-bushi exercise

[Preventive Care] Super Fun Exercise Singing & Dancing the Soran Bushi! (Brain Training/Easy/Funny)

Let’s take part in the exercise while seated! Here are some ideas for a Soran-bushi exercise.

Warm-ups are important at the start of a sports day, right? How about trying a Soran-bushi routine to support your body, mind, and mental sharpness—and to help prevent injuries? The video features a “modern-style Soran-bushi.” Raise everyone’s spirits by singing together as one and dancing while focusing on the key points! Be sure to give it a try.

Borrowed Item Race

Day Service Gyoda: Ai no Koubouan — What’s the theme for the borrowing race?

Let’s take on the challenge with excitement! Here are some ideas for a “borrowing race.” Many of you may already know this as one of the most exciting events at a sports day.

This time, let’s try a thrilling borrowing race.

Set a table 10 meters from the starting line.

Place various items on the table along with lots that have the item names written on them, and you’re all set! Participants move from the starting line to the table, draw a lot, and search for the corresponding item.

Once they have the item in hand, they return to the starting line to finish!

Tossing balls into a small hole

Day service, recreation, ball toss, elderly, caregiving, sports day, indoor games

Let’s try a ball-toss game using a cardboard box and colored balls! Here’s an idea where you aim and throw into small holes.

Normally, in a ball-toss game, you throw small balls into a tall basket and compete on how many you can get in.

This time, we’ll use a flat cardboard box and challenge ourselves to throw balls into small holes instead.

It’s a great way to build concentration and control.

If you don’t have colored balls, you can substitute with beanbags or balls made by crumpling up newspaper.

Balloon attraction

Day: Serious Sports Festival 2022, Part 2

This event is perfect as a sports day recreation for seniors that can be enjoyed easily while seated.

Place a ring on the floor or on a table and set a balloon in the center.

Attach a long string to the balloon, and participants reel in the string to pull the balloon toward themselves.

It’s very safe and allows anyone to take part without strain, which is part of its appeal.

The excitement builds as the balloon gets closer.

The person who catches the balloon first wins, and making it a team competition creates a sense of unity in the venue.

It’s also recommended to try using red and white balloons for the respective teams.

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mutō

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Passing balloons with handheld fans

Red Team vs Blue Team! A Thrilling Balloon-Passing Game [Day Service Sports Day]

Team competitions are exciting precisely because everyone participates, win or lose.

So this time, we’re introducing “Balloon Pass,” a game perfect for large groups.

All you need is a single balloon—just that.

Have each team sit in a single horizontal row of chairs.

At the starting signal, the person on the end passes the balloon to the next person, and the first team to get it to the last person wins.

There are many variations: pass with a fan instead of by hand, increase the number of balloons and compete on how many you can pass, or have the last person pop the balloon.

It’s a game anyone can enjoy in a variety of ways.

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kojifumi

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Keep tossing the beanbags!

Beanbag play—keep tossing them!

Let’s take on the challenge of not knocking over the unsteady, wobbly piece of thick paper! We’ll introduce a game idea that uses beanbags you toss one after another.

Beanbags are familiar items to people in Japan, right? How about trying a game where you play using beanbags—tossing them one after another? Participants form a circle, and in the center you place a piece of thick paper or cardboard on top of a stand—then you’re ready to go! Players take turns throwing beanbags at the thick paper, aiming to land them on top.

It’s a thrilling game where the person who causes the thick paper to fall off the stand loses!

Baton relay

Spring Sports Day II: “Baton Relay”

Competitive events are a big draw at sports festivals, but activities that everyone completes together are also popular.

The baton relay introduced here is one where older adults cooperate by threading a baton onto a string and passing it along.

Split into two teams, participants enjoy seeing how many times each team can pass the baton.

Through the act of passing it back and forth, a sense of unity develops and communication skills deepen.

Moreover, the feeling of accomplishment from successfully passing the baton leads to positive experiences and can help elevate mood.

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Nanaka

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