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 at Daycare: Compilation of Games and Recreational Activities (261–270)

Let’s look for some fish and try catching them!

Enjoying a fishing game — Final day of the Tamagawa Gakuen Day Service Summer Festival

Let's look for some fish and try catching them!

The fish-finding game played as a recreation activity for older adults is always a big hit.

It’s easy to enjoy not only for those who love fishing, but also for complete beginners.

The game involves placing various fish on a table and catching them with a rod.

A staff member calls out the name of a fish on the table, and the older adults look for it.

Because it requires split-second decisions, it helps develop their powers of observation.

Through this game, older adults can learn fish names, and it also serves as brain training, so it’s highly recommended.

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fishing

Fishing with paper cups! Strengthen hand movements and stimulate the brain!

fishing

While enjoying a game of “fishing,” let’s train the brain as well as the hands and arms.

It’s a great game for busy staff, and you can prepare it easily with paper cups, newspaper, and disposable chopsticks.

Draw fish, octopuses, and other sea creatures on several paper cups—the more cups you have, the more fun it becomes.

Steps like tearing newspaper and making a fishing rod with chopsticks use your fingertips, right? Since many nerves connected to the brain are concentrated in the hands, they’re sometimes called the “second brain.” Using your hands and fingers stimulates and activates the brain.

Reeling in catches also provides exercise for the hands and arms.

Be sure to try fishing with your non-dominant hand as well!

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“Hello, Little Turtle” hand game

If by any chance, Kameyo (web version)

“Hello, Little Turtle” hand game

A hand and finger play that you can enjoy to the tune of “Moshi Moshi Kame yo, Kame-san yo” is introduced.

In this finger play, when you raise the right thumb, you raise the left pinky; if the right hand shows the pinky, the left hand shows the thumb.

It’s a hand play where you alternately open and close the hands left-right.

Doing it face-to-face with a partner also encourages interaction.

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Beanbag Toss Game

Ochiai, Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City — Nagomi-no-Sato Day Service Center — Reliable medical collaboration — Beanbag tossing game

Beanbag Toss Game

With a time limit set, the “Ojami Toss Game” challenges players to drive a beach ball into the opponent’s territory.

“Ojami” refers to beanbags used for traditional juggling.

Beanbags are familiar items for many older adults, and their moderate weight and pleasant texture make them a perfect match for this game.

The key is adjusting how hard you toss the beanbags to strike the beach ball and push it into the opponent’s side.

This game can help improve hand and arm strength as well as cognitive function in older adults, so why not actively incorporate this easy-to-play activity?

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Shiritori Cards

[Restriction] We can’t end the Extreme Shiritori Party until the entire deck is gone.

Shiritori Cards

We’ll play a shiritori game using cards with various words written on them, connecting words one after another.

It’s easier to read the words in hiragana, but writing them in kanji also adds the element of recalling their readings.

Start with a simple shiritori to get going, and once everyone gets used to it, it’s recommended to add conditions to the words.

By adding variations—such as searching for words with a specified number of characters—the game becomes more complex and really trains thinking skills.

If you proceed as a team and cooperate, you can also incorporate a communication element, which is highly recommended.

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