Recreation Activities for Use in Day Services
This article introduces recreation activities for day service centers.
There are plenty of activities where everyone can get their brains working, team up and compete, and share the thrill and excitement with all participants!
If you’re wondering, “What should we do today?” take a look.
These activities are actually used in care settings, so older adults can enjoy them with peace of mind.
Most of them are simple and require little preparation time.
Have fun and get lively together!
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Enjoy safely even during the COVID-19 pandemic: Seated activities
- Games and recreational activities enjoyable in a wheelchair
- [For Seniors] Have Fun! A Collection of Group Game Recreation Ideas
- [For Seniors] Recommended Handmade Activities! Simple Ideas
- Recreation Activities Effective for Long-Term Care Prevention for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Guaranteed to Be a Hit! Popular Day Service Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Enjoyment at Day Care: A Roundup of Games and Recreational Activities
- Enjoyable at day care! Tabletop games and recreation
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- [Evolving Daycare Services] A summary of engaging recreational initiatives that excite older adults
- [For Seniors] Today’s Recommended Activity: Fun and Engaging
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Day Service: A Collection of Fun Event Ideas
Recreation Activities for Use in Day Services (21–30)
Shiritori
Shiritori, a word game many of us have played since childhood, is also a recommended recreation for people with dementia.
One of its strengths is how easy it is—no materials or preparation required.
It’s handy for filling small pockets of time, like on the bus when going out to the suburbs.
Another plus is that you can adjust the difficulty to match the person’s cognitive level.
You can customize freely with rules like “three-letter words only” or “food items only.” You could also set a goal, such as “finish after connecting 50 words.”
Rock-Paper-Scissors Ball Passing Game
Here’s a team-vs-team, high-energy Rock-Paper-Scissors Ball Relay game.
First, divide into teams.
Arrange chairs in a single row for each team, facing each other, and have everyone sit.
Next, the two players at the front each hold a ball and play rock-paper-scissors.
The winner passes their ball to the next teammate, and this repeats down the line.
The team that gets their ball back to the front first wins.
It’s exciting because you can clearly see which side is in the lead, and it’s great for engaging both the mind and body at the same time.
Recreation Activities for Use in Day Services (31–40)
Fluffy ball
Let’s have fun with a game where you compete for points using balloons.
Inflate a balloon and tie a string to it with a weight attached to the end.
Before you start, write point values on the floor.
Aim for the spaces with the written points and throw the balloon.
The person who scores the most points wins.
The trick seems to be to swing the weight firmly as you throw the balloon.
Throwing the balloon can also be an effective workout for the upper body and arms.
Since balloons aren’t very heavy, there’s little risk of injury if they’re dropped, which is nice.
Apple Wrapping Game
Let me introduce the Apple Wind-Up Game, which is fun whether you participate or just watch.
First, roll up newspaper or flyers to make a stick.
Next, crumple paper into a ball, then cover it with red and green paper to make apples.
Cut cardboard into a square, attach construction paper, and add tape to make a tray.
Wrap tape around the newspaper stick, and you’re ready.
Place the apples on the tray and use your wrist to wind them up without dropping them.
It gets really exciting because you have to be careful not only about speed but also about keeping the apples from falling.
Give it a try!
karaoke
Karaoke is something you can enjoy even in a short bit of free time, and it’s great for relieving stress.
There’s a unique pleasure in singing at the top of your lungs that nothing else can replace.
Solo karaoke is fun, but getting lively with a group also sounds exciting.
Another way to enjoy karaoke is to use a machine with a scoring feature.
It will surely motivate you to go to karaoke.
Plus, since it analyzes your singing voice, it’s perfect for anyone who wants to improve.
Kick Darts
This is a game where you sit in a chair and kick a beanbag into the air, aiming to land it on a high-scoring area of the dartboard in front of you.
It helps develop the leg strength needed to send the beanbag to a distant dartboard and the ability to control force to reach the target spot.
The farther the dartboard is, the more power is required, so have participants try at distances suited to their stamina and muscle strength.
If you run it as a face-to-face match, players will likely focus even more as they try to beat their opponent.
Cap Transfer Game
Using everyday materials—an empty egg carton, clothespins, and plastic bottle caps—this is an easy, tabletop cap-transfer game.
Use the clothespins to carefully pick up the bottle caps and place them into the egg carton.
It’s simple, but because it requires fine motor skills, some people may find it a bit challenging.
Moving your fingertips helps stimulate the brain, so give it a try!
