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] Enjoy Day Care: A Compilation of Games and Recreational Activities (211–220)

Brain training erasing letters on a whiteboard

Recreation for seniors: COVID-era activities, easy on a whiteboard, brain training! Letter Erasing

Brain training erasing letters on a whiteboard

It’s a game where the 50 Japanese syllables are written on a whiteboard, and you make words using those characters.

Each character you use is erased from the board, and the goal is to create as many words as possible.

The key point is that you can’t use the same character again, so be mindful of which characters you should leave for later as you play.

If you start without thinking, you’ll tend to use the easy characters early on, so it’s recommended to deliberately come up with words that use the more difficult characters first.

Rather than just going with whatever words come to mind, it might be better to plan with the endgame in mind as you proceed.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Brain-training recreation with a ball

[Elderly Recreation] Brain Training and Activities You Can Do in a Circle [Preventive Care]

Brain-training recreation with a ball

It’s a game where everyone sits on chairs to form a circle and passes balls to the next person.

The balls differ in color and shape, and only the specified ball is passed along.

The tricky parts are judging whether you’re holding the specified ball and being able to stop the previously specified ball.

The speed at which the balls are passed is also important—when it increases, people feel rushed, and the brain-training element of identifying the balls becomes even stronger.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Recreation that stimulates cognitive function using a ball

[Elderly Recreation] [Day Service Rec] A recreation that stimulates cognitive functions using only a ball

Recreation that stimulates cognitive function using a ball

Recreation using balls is recommended for dementia prevention because it activates both mental and physical functions.

This time, we’re focusing on ball-based recreation that is particularly effective for dementia.

Participants sit in a circle and pass the ball to the person next to them, changing directions—clockwise or counterclockwise—and adjusting according to the ball’s size.

By doing this, older adults have to think as they play, which helps strengthen both mind and body.

Additionally, switching to the opposite direction provides beneficial stimulation to the brain.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Roll the ball game

Ball Rolling and Winding Contest #Recreation #DayService #Ball #Easy #Balm #Elderly #Laughter #Fun

Roll the ball game

The Roll-the-Ball Game is a simple, tabletop recreation you can enjoy easily.

You place a frame on the desk, put a ball inside it, and pull the ball using a string.

It’s played one-on-one, and because you can do it while seated, it’s easy on the body.

As you pull the ball, you wind the string around and around, which can help develop fine motor skills.

It’s also a bit thrilling, since you’re disqualified if the ball leaves the frame.

The key is to pull the ball without letting it slip out of the frame.

Thinking about how to pull the ball effectively can also help improve both mental and physical functions.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

ball rec

Senior Brain-Training Exercises: Ball-Based Recreation for Preventive Care

ball rec

Recreational activities that use soft, lightweight balls are recommended for older adults.

Throwing and catching the ball engages various physical and sensory abilities such as muscle strength, grip strength, and dynamic visual acuity.

Simply touching a ball that can roll or be squeezed is also enjoyable for its tactile feel.

This is said to have beneficial effects on the brain as well.

There are ball-based activities that can be done while seated in a chair, making them accessible to many seniors.

Have the participants sit in a circle and pass the ball forward and backward.

If someone can stand steadily, have them walk to the side and hand the ball to the person next to them.

This helps improve core balance.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem