[Recommended for Seniors] Simple and Fun Gesture Game Prompts

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Work experience in a hospital as a physical therapistNakamū
I worked as a physical therapist at a general hospital for about four years. I’ve supported a wide range of patients, from those needing emergency rehabilitation to those doing rehabilitation at home at a comfortable pace. As a writer, I’d be happy to share health-related information with many people. Thank you, and I look forward to working with you!

Charades is a classic recreational activity that overflows with smiles.

Seniors can come up with the prompts, or you can have participants answer prompts provided by staff.

Carefully observing one another and communicating through gestures naturally brings out smiles and sparks conversation.

This time, we’re introducing easy-to-express prompts that are familiar to everyone—from “piano” and “sumo” to “radio calisthenics”—so they’re simple to act out and easy to guess.

Enjoy the delight when an answer is found and the creativity of conveying ideas, and savor a heartwarming moment together.

Interesting gestures (1–10)

A cat holding a fish in its mouth runs.

A theme with a sense of story! Here’s an idea where a cat runs while holding a fish in its mouth.

It’s like a scene straight out of a beloved national anime’s theme song, but the difficulty of expressing it through gestures is pretty high.

Since you can’t always have an actual fish to use, you’ll need to think about how to portray it.

The facial expression and movements when the cat has the fish will likely be the key points.

This is one of the prompts we recommend for the latter half of the game, once everyone’s used to gesture play.

Definitely give it a try!

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Tokyo Tower

It’s a classic radio tower and a popular tourist spot located in Minato City, Tokyo.

Completed in 1958, it has appeared in many works as a symbol that reflects the passage of time.

As the second-tallest structure after the Skytree, it’s a good idea to convey its height while incorporating features of its shape and function.

Emphasize its pointed, upward-tapering silhouette and its long-standing role as a broadcasting tower to distinguish it from the Skytree.

Its height of 333 meters is also a major characteristic of Tokyo Tower, so expressing that number for those who know it could be a fun touch.

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Funny Gestures (11–20)

A thief is caught by the police.

Once players get used to the game, try adding this! Here’s an idea where a thief gets caught by the police.

When participants become familiar with charades, raising the difficulty of the prompts makes it more exciting.

This time, the prompt has a storyline: “a thief getting caught by the police.” First, you’ll want to show that there are two characters—the thief and the police officer.

How to fully embody the thief will likely be the key point.

By differentiating movements and facial expressions based on the roles, it should be easier for participants to understand.

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rice planting

How about choosing rice planting, an important early-summer event and an essential part of Japanese food culture, as your theme? The motion of bending at the waist to plant seedlings by hand isn’t something you see often elsewhere, so many people should be able to guess the answer.

Even if a single planting motion doesn’t get the idea across, continuing the action while stepping backward might make it clearer that you’re performing rice planting.

Since bending at the waist can be strenuous, be sure to do it within a comfortable range.

It could also be interesting to deliberately avoid bending your waist to make it a bit harder to guess.

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kappamaki

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idol

We’ve long had the impression that we see idols frequently, through TV appearances and hit songs.

If you were to recreate an idol through movement, performances and singing at live shows would be the clearest approach.

By not just singing but also clearly conveying that there’s choreography, it becomes easier to communicate that it’s an idol.

Incorporating iconic choreography from famous idols is also recommended—people who know it will recognize it right away.

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kappamaki

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mountain climbing

People’s mountaineering experience varies widely, and whether their memories are grueling or exhilarating can change the movements they imagine.

As for movement, it’s best to focus on the act of climbing—clearly conveying the upward direction and the figure ascending a slope.

Even for those with lots of mountaineering experience, climbing a slope is physically demanding, so it’s important to put strength into each step forward.

It might also be good to spotlight the exhilaration of reaching the summit and that irresistible urge to call out and hear the echo across the mountains.

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kappamaki

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Ai-n (Ken Shimura’s gag)

Ken Shimura’s gag! Here’s the idea for “Aiiin.” When you think of Ken Shimura, many of you probably picture this gag.

Try conveying it to participants with the distinctive movements and facial expressions! You’ll naturally want to say “Aiiin” out loud, but remember that in a gesture game, you can’t speak or add sound effects.

Express it cheerfully while following the rules.

The venue will surely be filled with laughter.

It’s a prompt we definitely recommend including.

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