Lovely senior life

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

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

We’ve put together a collection of games and recreational activities that can be enjoyed at day care.

We introduce plenty of options, including simple games you can play while seated, brain-training games, and activities that help with hand and finger rehabilitation—so please use them as a reference.

Some activities require props, but they’re simple to make using recycled materials or items from 100-yen shops, making them easy for older adults to recreate.

Give them a try with everyone during recreation time or in small breaks.

[For Seniors] Enjoying Daycare: A Collection of Games and Recreational Activities (131–140)

Beanbag Block

Senior recreation: Seria—Foot exercise with 100-yen shop goods, beanbag blocks #RecreationForSeniors #Seria #Fun #Interesting

Beanbag Block

Let’s train our legs while having fun with a beanbag game.

Pair up and sit facing each other.

One person throws a beanbag so that it reaches the other person’s feet.

The other person blocks the incoming beanbag with their feet.

Each chair has a designated territory around it, and the person who gets more beanbags into the opponent’s territory wins.

Because you use your feet to block the beanbags, you can train your legs while seated.

Successfully blocking will make older adults feel happy, too.

It also creates opportunities to chat with those around you, which can lead to more social interaction.

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Otedama Hoi

Senior Recreation: Seria 100-Yen Shop Goods – Guaranteed Laughs! Sit-Down Friendly “Beanbag Toss” | #RecreationForSeniors #Seria #Towel

Otedama Hoi

Here’s a simple recreation activity using a large bath towel and beanbags.

Two people sit facing each other on chairs and each holds an end of the bath towel.

Place several beanbags in the center of the towel.

Working together, the two people shake the towel to build momentum and toss the beanbags toward a target.

It gets exciting when many beanbags land in the target.

Another key point of this activity is cooperation between the two participants.

Older adults can naturally create opportunities for interaction by calling out to each other and working together.

Through this recreation, it’s likely to bring more smiles to older adults.

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Beach ball soccer basket toss

[Senior Recreation] Beach Ball Soccer Basket Using Feet

Beach ball soccer basket toss

This is a game where players use their feet to kick a beach ball and try to get it into a basket placed in the center, making control of leg strength crucial.

Because it’s played while seated, players are also tested on how well they can pass the ball to the person next to them and judge how far their own feet can reach.

The larger the circle and the farther the basket, the more power is required, so encourage players to adjust appropriately and move their legs firmly.

To help develop more delicate control of force, it’s also recommended to adjust the size of the ball and the basket.

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Shoot with the ball

#SimpleGame #Recreation #DayService #SeniorRecreation #ElderlyCare #Idea #Activity #Game

Shoot with the ball

This is a game where you kick a ball so it reaches the person sitting across from you, helping you build leg strength.

But it’s not just about kicking hard—you also have to send the ball through a hoop set up in the middle, so your directional control is tested too.

Not only how far you extend your leg, but also which part of your foot you use to kick will change the force applied to the ball and how easy it is to handle.

The farther apart you sit and the more hoops you add, the harder the control becomes, so start simple and gradually increase the difficulty.

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Milk Carton Soccer

Recreation for seniors—fun and exciting even for wheelchair users! Milk carton soccer and golf

Milk Carton Soccer

It’s a game where you kick a ball made by rolling up a milk carton and try to get it into a hoop placed at a distance.

It combines elements of golf and soccer, and because the ball is light, your power application and directional control are really put to the test.

The farther the hoop is, the more strength and advanced control you’ll need, so it’s best to start at a short distance and gradually move it farther away.

Rather than just swinging your leg with maximum force, it may be more important to find a way of kicking that transfers your power effectively.

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