[For Seniors] Enjoyment at Day Care: A Roundup of Games and Recreational Activities

Color Card Matching Game

[Day Service Activity] Color Card Matching Game!

The “Color Card Matching Game,” which is also effective for preventing dementia.

Place color cards face down on the table, have participants flip them over, find the specified colors, and stack them in order.

You can change the combination of specified colors each time! It’s a very mentally engaging game because players must first find the designated colors and then stack the found colors in the correct sequence.

If the rules are hard to understand, it may be helpful for staff to stay nearby and assist until participants get used to it.

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miyabi

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Clap-along brain training

[Carefully Selected] No More Confusion About Brain Training! 5 Hand-Clap Brain Training Exercises [Senior Fitness]

It’s a game where you keep the beat with handclaps while adding other movements, training your decision-making as you move your body.

Start by inserting simple hand gestures between claps—like raising your thumb or pinky—and then, as you get used to it, gradually expand into movements that involve your whole body.

As these movements combine and become more complex, there’s more to think about, which enhances the brain-training effect.

If you focus too much on the sequence of movements, your motions can become stiff, so it’s also recommended to include some stepping and consciously loosen up your body.

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kappamaki

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Apple Song Exercise

Seated rhythmic exercises for seniors: Do exercises while singing “Apple Song”

While singing “The Apple Song” (Ringo no Uta), which is remembered as the first hit song after the war, this activity involves moving the body slowly.

The song has a uniquely calm atmosphere, so it gives the impression that you can move at an unhurried pace.

The movements mainly focus on the upper body, but by adding steps and singing, you can also stimulate brain activity.

Even if you’ve heard the song before, you might not remember the lyrics perfectly, so in that case, following along with the lyrics also adds a focus and concentration element.

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kappamaki

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Newspaper-pulling-with-your-feet game

Three pull-out games using your feet that seniors can play while seated #recreation_for_seniors #seated_activities #newspaper

Here’s a game that gets you moving your feet while having fun and training at the same time.

Have older adults sit in a chair and pull a sheet of newspaper with their feet.

They can pull it with one foot or with both feet together.

You can also have two older adults sit facing each other at a distance and compete—it should be fun.

Besides providing leg exercise, it’s likely to increase interaction among older adults and bring more smiles.

It can also help with a change of pace and stress relief.

Please give it a try.

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Nakajima Junko

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Pikagoro

Senior recreation—guaranteed big laughs! Pikagoro lets you enjoy fun brain training. #RecreationForSeniors #BrainTraining #Easy #Fun #Entertaining

As we age, it’s said that handling multiple tasks at the same time becomes more difficult.

Using both the mind and body has brain-training benefits, and if you move your body while thinking, you can expect even greater brain activation.

This time, I’ll introduce the Pika-Goro game.

Have the older adults sit facing each other, each holding two sticks.

The caller says “pika-pika” or “goro-goro.” On the cue “dokan,” the older adults should both grip the sticks and raise them.

Once everyone gets used to it, calling out “pika-pika” or “goro-goro” several times and then feinting can make it even more exciting.