Recreation Activities for Use in Day Services

Grand Escape Magic

[Great Escape Magic] Easy magic anyone can do with cardboard! Seniors burst out laughing! Perfect for festivals, Christmas, and Respect-for-the-Aged Day events

When it comes to magic, the main event has to be an escape act.

Let’s entertain everyone with a grand escape using cardboard.

Prepare a cardboard box large enough for a person to fit inside and about ten sticks to serve as swords that pierce the box.

Make holes in the box for the swords, and as the trick’s secret, add a small door that allows a person to enter and exit without being seen from the front.

It’s also important for the magician to humorously announce each move before doing it; this helps them sync perfectly with the escape performer.

For the classic background music, Paul Mauriat’s ‘El Bimbo’ will make it perfect.

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.

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kappamaki

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Shooting game

It’s a game that reminds me of a shooting gallery. 🥰

This is a game inspired by the shooting booths you see at festivals and amusement parks.

Players hold ping-pong balls taken from a basket and try to knock down lined-up figurines and paper cups.

It can also be a lively event where participants compete to see how many items they can topple within a time limit.

It’s a good idea to prepare various types of balls—not only ping-pong balls, but also beanbags and rubber balls.

It’s a game you can enjoy while seated, just by moving your arms.

Why not try organizing an activity that brings a touch of nostalgia?

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mutō

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Newspaper ball rolling relay

Two-person teamwork, everyone teamwork: 'Newspaper Ball Rolling Relay'

This is a recreation activity where you compete to see how fast you can roll a ball placed on a sheet of newspaper.

It’s suitable for small to large groups, so it’s also recommended for situations where you want to promote interaction among older adults.

Arrange chairs facing each other in alternating rows, and have two people hold the ends of a sheet of newspaper.

Roll the ball you’re given onto the next person’s newspaper, and if it makes it into the basket, that’s a goal.

You can enjoy variety by rolling different types of balls, such as a regular ball, beanbags, or a beach ball.

Give this event a try to experience the fun and sense of unity that comes from doing an activity together.

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mutō

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Newspaper Pull-Out Game

Recreation for seniors: ultra-exciting, high-energy sports day–style activity — newspaper pull-out game

It’s a game where you quickly pull out a long, rolled-up strip of newspaper at a signal and compete on speed.

Making it a head-to-head match boosts the urge to move faster than your opponent, effectively training explosive power and large arm movements.

A key rule is that tearing the paper counts as a fail, which encourages players to focus not only on speed but also on delicate fingertip control.

It can also be fun to try repeatedly and think about arm movements and postures that make pulling smoother.

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kappamaki

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rod soccer

Super Exciting Stick Soccer [Fujigaoka Service]

“Bō Soccer” is a soccer game played with sticks that you can enjoy while seated.

There’s even a Japan Stick Soccer Association, and it’s loved as a sport that can be enjoyed by older adults and people with disabilities.

Players sit in a single row of chairs facing each other and split into two teams.

There are goals on both sides, so try to score into the opposing team’s goal while defending your own—those positioned in front of your team’s goal should block shots and prevent the other side from scoring.

Like regular soccer, one team can have 11 players, though around 10 players per team is generally easy to play with.

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utatane

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Sing and pass it around! Ball relay

All you need is a ball! This is fun♪ Sing and pass-the-ball activity!!

Here’s an idea for a rhythm-based ball-passing game.

First, participants sit in a circle.

One person starts with the ball and passes it to the next person in time with the music; that person then passes it to the next, and so on.

When the music stops, the person holding the ball gets to drop out of the game.

You can also adjust the game by adding more balls depending on the number of participants.

Singing along while playing provides brain training benefits, and listening to favorite songs can boost motivation, which adds to the appeal.

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yamamoto

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