[For Seniors] Enjoyment at Day Care: A Roundup of Games and Recreational Activities
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] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [For Seniors] Today’s Recommended Activity: Fun and Engaging
- [Elderly Day Service] Let’s all have fun! Games and recreational activities
- [For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory
- [For Seniors] Have Fun! A Collection of Group Game Recreation Ideas
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [For Seniors] Easy to try. Fun, crowd-pleasing recreation
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
For Seniors: Enjoy Daycare. A Compilation of Games and Recreational Activities (291–300)
rod soccer
“Stick Soccer” is a game everyone can enjoy while seated.
It’s gaining popularity as a lifelong, universal sport that anyone can try—even those with disabilities! Another appeal is how easy it is to play: all you need is a stick made by rolling up newspaper and a vinyl ball.
Multiple players sit facing each other, and with simple rules, they bat the ball toward their team’s goal to score points.
It involves moving your hands and arms and requires concentration, which helps stimulate the brain.
Let’s add this game to your recreation activities and have a great time—it can even become a source of purpose and motivation!
Song Exercise Festival
Enjoy it even while seated! Here are ideas for a sing-and-exercise routine to the song “Matsuri.” When you think of summer festivals or evening cool-down festivals, many people imagine Bon Odori, right? This time, let’s move our bodies to the famous song “Matsuri” by the legendary Saburo Kitajima.
The video introduces ideas for movements you can do while sitting! Even subtle motions will loosen up your body if you do them properly—no doubt about it! Sing, dance, and make fun memories.
Bowling with milk cartons
Bowling with milk cartons is a recreation activity anyone can enjoy.
Since both the pins and the ball are made from milk cartons, preparation is simple.
You can kick the ball with your foot, so it’s great for participating while seated.
Adjusting your strength and aim helps build concentration.
It’s a fun group activity that can also improve cognitive function and motor skills.
Why not try it during day care time? You’re sure to see some wonderful smiles.
ball toss (traditional Japanese beanbag/ball-throwing game)
Tamaire, the ball-toss game often seen at school sports festivals.
Some older adults may have taken part in sports days and played tamaire in the past.
Here’s a perfect tamaire activity for a warm April day to get the body moving.
Because it’s a familiar game, it can help older adults refresh their mood and relieve stress.
Have participants sit in chairs and place a basket in the center.
Prepare red, white, and other colored balls, and have the participants throw them into the basket.
The person who gets the most balls in the basket wins.
Throwing with the arms and shoulders also provides upper-body exercise.
Paper Cup Whack-a-Mole
Here’s an idea for a paper cup whack-a-mole game that everyone can enjoy together.
First, prepare several paper cups and some chopsticks.
Choose one paper cup and attach a chopstick to the bottom to make a hammer.
Then draw moles on the bottoms of the other paper cups to complete the set.
Stack the mole cups onto the hammer cup one after another.
The satisfying pop when they fit together can be quite addictive.
You can also have fun customizing it by drawing illustrations other than moles.
Brain-training finger play
Here’s a no-prep recreation activity: a finger-play brain exercise.
It’s simple to do! First, hold your hands up with your palms facing you and make fists.
Open only the thumb on your right hand and only the pinky on your left hand.
Next, switch: open the pinky on your right hand and the thumb on your left hand.
Keep repeating this.
It sounds easy, but it’s surprisingly hard.
Try doing it to a rhythm—one, two, one, two—and you might find yourself laughing at how tricky it is.
But don’t worry.
The goal isn’t to do it perfectly; performing two different movements at the same time stimulates your brain, so just trying it provides a brain-training effect.
With practice, you’ll get the hang of it and feel a sense of achievement.
Give it a try!
[For Seniors] Enjoy Daycare: A Compilation of Games and Recreational Activities (301–310)
Foot Ball Toss
This activity involves using your feet to put balls into a cardboard box with holes.
Creating a boundary with hula hoops to prevent the balls from scattering is a great idea, too.
There aren’t many recreational activities that help strengthen the legs, but this one has simple rules and seems easy to implement.