[For Seniors] A Fun Sports Day! Recreational Activities You Can Do Safely

Bomb GO

[Newspaper Recreation] A recreation activity to improve lower-limb strength in seniors! Bomb GO

This is a game where players kick crumpled newspaper balls in two colors, aiming to get their team’s balls into the opponent’s side.

Sit in two facing rows, and mark a white line in the middle with tape to divide the territory.

Through the game, encourage plenty of leg movement, such as moving the feet back and forth to kick and stretching the legs to reach distant balls.

If you draw the white line at a distance that the feet can’t reach and place some balls there as well, players will also focus on finely controlling their foot movements by bumping nearby balls to move others—this setup is highly recommended too.

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kappamaki

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Brain training! Towel rock-paper-scissors

Top 3 Towel Rock-Paper-Scissors Activities: Excellent Recreation and Dementia Prevention for Seniors

Like the game “Hit-and-Cover Rock-Paper-Scissors,” this towel rock-paper-scissors trains your reflexes and your brain.

Spread a towel on the table and sit facing your opponent.

Play rock-paper-scissors; if you win, pull the towel toward yourself.

If you lose, hold the towel down firmly so it can’t be taken.

As the game heats up, people often mix up what to do with the towel when they win or lose, which in turn stimulates the brain even more.

Since it’s an exercise you do with someone else, it also encourages communication and lifts your mood!

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SAKI

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Don’t drop it! Ball Drop Game

This is fun! “Ball Drop Game”

Here’s an idea for a ball drop game that’s thrilling and exciting.

You’ll need a wire net, a large number of colored balls, and some clothes-drying poles.

First, set up the wire net in a triangular shape and insert the poles across the middle area.

Once that’s done, place the balls on top, and you’re ready to play.

Then, take turns removing one pole at a time.

Be careful not to let the balls fall.

It could be fun to discuss together which pole might be safe to pull out before making your move.

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yamamoto

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Ring Relay

Spring Sports Day 3: Ring Relay

In March there are some days when you can feel the warmth, but there are also days with sharp temperature swings.

At times like that, let’s liven things up indoors with a “ring relay.” To prepare, use paper or toilet paper rolls to make rings in large, medium, and small sizes, and pass them to the next person by threading them onto chopsticks.

It works well as a small-group game, and it’s also fun as a team competition for larger groups.

Through the relay, you’ll naturally interact with those around you and help promote communication.

Since you can do it while seated, it should be easy for older adults to join in too.

Enjoy your time!

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Nakajima Junko

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Sports day activity

[Senior Recreation] Four Effective Activities for a Facility Sports Day [Preventive Care]

With autumn being the season for sports, many facilities may be planning to hold sports days.

Even if you don’t go as far as a full sports day, how about incorporating common athletic-meet-style games as recreational activities to get people moving? For example, a baton relay where each team lines up in a single file, passes the baton backward down the line, and once it reaches the last person, passes it forward using the opposite hand; or tamaire, where participants sit in a circle with a box in the center and toss balls into it.

Let’s capture the spirit of a sports day with these lively activities and get everyone excited!

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utatane

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Balloon basket

Senior Recreation: Build responsiveness to unexpected movements! Balloon-based activities for day services and elder care

This activity has participants gently hit a balloon and try to land it in the basket in front of them.

Encourage them to pay close attention to the direction they hit the balloon and how much force they use.

In addition to aiming to get it into the basket in a single hit, it’s also recommended to add a variation where they bounce it upward a few times before aiming for the basket to develop their sense of balance.

By thinking about the direction to bounce the balloon and moving to retrieve it, they can train not only their bodies but also their reflexes and decision-making skills.

It would also be exciting to turn it into a cooperative game where everyone stands in a large circle and targets a basket placed in the center.

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kappamaki

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Balloon Ring Relay

[Top 5 Balloon Activities 🏀] The ultimate new collection of balloon games! Guaranteed fun—want to try them all!

Balloons that move a lot with just a small amount of force can behave unpredictably even when you’re just carrying them sideways.

This game uses that awkwardness in a relay-style challenge where balloons are passed along in order.

Prepare ring-shaped balloons, and give each person a stick made from newspaper or a sponge.

At the starting signal, players use the sticks to pass the balloon to the next person, aiming to get all the balloons to the goal.

You can increase the difficulty—and the excitement once everyone gets used to it—by making the balloon rings smaller and the sticks longer.

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kappamaki

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