[For Seniors] Highlights of Fun Events at Day-Service Centers

Bamboo Shoot Digging Game

Recreation for seniors: Easy one-handed activity! Bamboo shoot digging

Bamboo shoots are one of the tastes of spring.

Some older adults may even have gone out to dig for them.

Here’s a bamboo shoot digging game that’s perfect for spring.

All you need are two things: newspaper and paper cups! Roll up the newspaper to make a stick, then attach a paper cup to one end.

Place more paper cups on the table to represent bamboo shoots, and you’re ready to go.

Drawing pictures or adding illustrations to the cups will make it feel even more authentic.

If you cover the “bamboo shoots” with the stick’s cup and lift, they come up surprisingly easily.

Set rules like “the first to collect five wins” to make it exciting.

It’s also a fun way to exercise the arms, elbows, and shoulders, so it’s recommended for senior facilities as well.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kojifumi

Report a problem

Bingo game

Kofu City day service Respect-for-the-Aged celebration: prizes for the bingo game

At events, the classic bingo game is a staple.

For occasions like seniors’ gatherings, try making it extra special with a slightly more luxurious selection of prizes! After all, the prospect of winning something is exciting at any age—not just for kids, but for adults too.

You don’t have to use store-bought bingo cards; handmade ones can be just as fun, and you can make them larger and easier to read.

Searching for the numbers is a mental exercise and works well as brain training.

Everyone will get enthusiastic—maybe you’ll even find yourself calling out numbers louder than usual!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

utatane

Report a problem

magic hand grab

Let's have fun with a grabber and paper cups! It's brain activation time!

Here’s a “magic hand grab” activity that you can arrange in many different ways.

In this version, you use a grabber tool to collect paper cups lined up on a table.

Because it engages both the head and the hands, it can help stimulate the brain.

Another key point is that you can enjoy this activity in connection with the seasons.

For example, in spring you could draw cherry blossoms on the cups, and in summer you could draw seashells.

Doing so can make it easier to regain a sense of time.

There seem to be many possible variations.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

yamamoto

Report a problem

Whac-A-Mole game

Handmade Whack-a-Mole #shorts

Even moles that usually live underground pop their heads out in spring.

When you think of spring, some people might even say “moles,” right? How about a game of Whac-A-Mole as a recreation activity to enjoy in March? It’s easy to make your own Whac-A-Mole using paper cups and disposable chopsticks.

Let’s draw moles on the paper cups.

If older adults each draw their favorite face, you’ll end up with a lot of unique, characterful moles! Make the hammer by fixing a disposable chopstick to a paper cup.

When the countdown starts, try whacking the moles with your hammer! It’s bound to turn into an exciting and fun showdown!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

moko

Report a problem

school

Dementia care at a new day service ‘school’

Here is an introduction to dementia care through “learning.” There is a psychotherapy for dementia called reminiscence therapy.

Looking back on one’s life and recalling the past by looking at photos is said to stimulate brain activity.

Here, under the theme of an “Adult School,” the room is set up like a classroom with a blackboard and a timetable, and actual math and Japanese language lessons are conducted.

Everyone, drawing on the skills they mastered long ago, attends the lessons seriously, and one “student” commented, “I’m not senile yet—doing this gives me confidence.” Taking classes helps enhance older adults’ motivation to live.

Treasure Hunt Game

Recreation for seniors: Newspaper activities and an easy one-handed treasure hunt

It’s a game where you search for a ball hidden inside a cardboard box filled with crumpled newspaper, pushing the paper aside as you go.

By focusing on the sensation of touching the ball and grabbing it, you train not only your vision but also your hand coordination and concentration.

Since you need to thoroughly explore the entire box to find the ball, it’s also a good opportunity to move your arms actively.

If you increase the variety of “treasures,” players may pay more attention to what their hands are touching.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Ball Grabbing Game

[Mini Game] Ball Grabbing Game ♟️ #dayservice #recreation #elderly #nursingcare #rehabilitation #sportsrecreation #shorts

Let’s play a game where you grab balls using newspaper.

All the tools used in the game are made from newspaper.

Make the balls by crumpling newspaper into a sphere, and make the grabbing sticks out of newspaper as well.

You can create everything you need for the game using everyday materials.

Place several balls inside a circle, grab them with the stick, and put them into a basket.

If you set a time limit, the game gets more exciting.

Forming teams and competing for the best time will make it even more fun.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem