When organizing recreation at a day service, the activities are affected by the weather and temperature.
On sunny days, it’s ideal to enjoy recreational activities outdoors while getting some sun, but on rainy days, indoor activities become the main focus.
This time, we’ll introduce table games that can be enjoyed right on the table.
Since they’re played on a tabletop, they can be enjoyed while seated and are designed with safety in mind—another recommended point.
We’re introducing options ranging from team competitions to games that can be enjoyed individually, so please use this as a reference.
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Seated Activities You Can Do
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
- [For Seniors] Enjoy safely even during the COVID-19 pandemic: Seated activities
- [For Seniors] Fun Even Without Sight! Recreation Ideas
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- Entertainment and Performances That Delight at Day Services for the Elderly
- Recreation Activities for Use in Day Services
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Day Service: A Collection of Fun Event Ideas
- [For Seniors] Liven Up Your Day Service! Fun Beanbag Toss Activity
Enjoyable at day service! Table Games and Recreations (1–10)
Table hockey
Air hockey at arcades is so much fun, isn’t it? It’s been around for a long time, so even older adults have probably played it at least once.
Let’s get moving with a table hockey game inspired by air hockey.
Only your upper body moves vigorously, so it’s suitable for wheelchair users too! Prepare two tables that are just a bit wider than a person’s body and place them together.
Next, make a rectangular paddle about 20 cm long out of newspaper—this will serve as the racket.
Using newspaper keeps it soft, so it’s safe just in case.
Then simply rally a ball back and forth across a center line.
It’s a really fun game—give it a try!
Paper cup whack-a-mole
Home video game consoles have become widespread, and so-called arcades have become scarce in towns.
That’s why it feels a bit exciting when you find a game corner in a hotel or a bowling alley.
The star of old-school arcades was the “whack-a-mole.” Here, we’ll introduce a version everyone can enjoy: Paper Cup Whack-a-Mole.
All you need are paper cups, sticks, and some pens for drawing.
Attach a paper cup to the end of a stick to make your whacking mallet.
Then everyone can draw whatever they like on the paper cups—these will be your moles.
Since the mallet is also made from a paper cup, the paper-cup moles fit in with a satisfying “pop,” giving you a uniquely refreshing feel.
Try competing for speed, or mix in some “NG” moles you’re not supposed to hit, and have fun!
Billiards game
Some seniors may have fond memories of playing billiards when they were younger.
Since billiards is a game everyone knows, it could be a great activity for day services at senior care facilities.
Line up long tables to create a makeshift billiards table, roll up newspaper to make cue-like sticks, and try hitting the balls! Attach a few baskets where the balls roll to and turn it into a point system to make it more exciting.
You can organize it as individual matches or team matches—feel free to adapt it so everyone can enjoy it together.
Ohajiki Pétanque
Do you know pétanque? It’s a game that originated in France and is the second most popular sport there after soccer.
Normally, players throw metal balls to compete, but metal balls can be a bit much for older folks.
So let’s have fun with a customized version called “Ohajiki Pétanque.” All you need is a sheet of paper with a circle drawn using a compass, some ohajiki (flat glass counters), and a jack.
The jack is the target in pétanque—it can be anything! The rules are simple: flick your ohajiki toward the jack, and the player whose ohajiki ends up closest to the jack wins.
You might even find that flicking ohajiki becomes the most fun part while playing “Ohajiki Pétanque”!
Waitress Game
The “Waitress Game” involves placing beanbags on a piece of cardstock that’s intentionally made unbalanced.
It’s effective for improving seniors’ sense of balance and concentration, as well as for dementia prevention, so it could be a great addition when you want to expand your lineup of day-service activities.
You can also set a time limit and see how many beanbags participants can place within the time for an exciting competition! It can be done seated to match seniors’ physical conditions, but you can also level it up by having participants stand, hold the cardstock in one hand like a waitress, and place the beanbags with the other—making it even more fun.
Towel Rock-Paper-Scissors
How about adding the highly effective, dementia-preventing “Towel Rock-Paper-Scissors” to your day service recreation? It’s that game featured on an NHK program that became popular when a Johnny’s group took on the challenge! Sit across from each other with a towel spread out on the table.
Play rock-paper-scissors: if you win, pull the towel; if you lose, press down on it.
The first person to pull the towel away wins.
Because you play rock-paper-scissors with one hand and must grab the towel with that same hand, it really trains your reflexes! All you need is a towel and a table, so it’s easy to set up.
It’s great for activating the brain, and older adults really get into it—definitely give it a try.
Ping-pong ball toss game
This game, “Ping-Pong Toss,” can be enjoyed anywhere with just paper cups and ping-pong balls.
It’s highly recommended because you can customize it in many ways and enjoy it over and over.
Make targets using paper cups, then bounce the ping-pong balls and try to land them in the cups.
It’s great fun gathered around a table, and in a larger space you could even scale up the game.
For a birthday party, you could write prize names on the bottoms of the cups, and anyone who lands a ball in that cup wins the prize! Since the game leaves plenty of room for creativity, it’s perfect for idea people.