[For Seniors] Easy to try. Fun, crowd-pleasing recreation
For those who use senior care facilities or day services, lively recreational activities are important, aren’t they?
In this article, we introduce activities that everyone can try together as well as ones individuals can enjoy on their own.
All of them are exciting and easy to try once you learn the simple rules.
Even games that might look difficult at first—like rock-paper-scissors relays or ball bowling—can be done while seated, so no worries.
We hope you’ll all give them a try so that recreation can help invigorate the minds and bodies of older adults.
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- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
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- [For Seniors] Enjoyment at Day Care: A Roundup of Games and Recreational Activities
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- [For Seniors] Guaranteed to Be a Hit! Popular Day Service Recreational Activities
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- [For Seniors] Introducing Recreational Activities Anyone Can Enjoy at Geriatric Health Facilities!
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
- [For Seniors] Exciting Team-Based Recreational Activities
[For Seniors] Easy to Try. Lively Recreations (231–240)
Lightly lifting the ball with the foot
This is a game where you kick up a beanbag balanced on your foot and aim to land it in higher-scoring zones.
Since you kick it upward rather than forward, it can be hard to picture the trajectory, so keep control firmly in mind as you play.
The higher-scoring zones are smaller and positioned higher, so carefully adjusting your power is likely important.
If it lands around the high-score area, your points will drop, so that risk–reward balance is part of the fun.
Foot sole stimulation! Can rolling
This is a game where you sandwich a can between your foot and the floor and roll it forward to stimulate the soles of your feet while learning to control force.
There are boxes with point values in front of you, so focus on the direction you roll the can to aim for a high score.
The key is to roll, not kick.
You’ll figure out how firmly to pinch the can and how to move your foot so it rolls smoothly.
Because it tests your ability to apply and release force, it’s the kind of activity that can lead to smoother movements in daily life.
[For Seniors] Easy to Try. Lively Recreational Activities (241–250)
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!
Balloon basket
Let’s enjoy basketball using balloons.
Basketball often comes up as a topic on TV and in newspapers, doesn’t it? Many older adults are probably familiar with basketball.
Have the older adults sit in a circle on chairs and try to get balloons into a hoop hanging in the center.
You can also split them into left and right sides for a team game.
Some older adults may have enjoyed playing basketball in the past.
Reminiscing about those days could make it even more exciting.
Balloon volleyball box-in
This is a game where you use a handheld uchiwa fan to hit a balloon upward and try to get it into a box placed in the center of the table.
Because the box is positioned out of arm’s reach, your control over how you launch the balloon is really put to the test.
People closer to the box end up moving their hands more, so it’s best to have everyone try multiple rounds, changing the starting positions and the box’s position to keep the balloon circulating evenly.
You can also adjust the box’s size and height to change the difficulty and help players focus even more.
Balloon volleyball stick whacking
When you fill a balloon with air, it moves in a light, floaty way, right? Let’s try playing volleyball with one of those floaty balloons by hitting it with sticks.
Divide into two teams and have the older adults sit while holding a stick.
When the balloon comes to you, use the stick to return it like in volleyball.
The key is to use longer sticks.
The slow-moving balloon volleyball will surely get older adults excited.
Once everyone gets used to it, try using two balloons, and so on.
Balloon Relay
Here’s a balloon relay that’s great for sports days and other events.
Place an inflated balloon on top of a baton and run a relay.
While holding the baton with the balloon on it, walk carefully and pass the baton to the next person without letting the balloon fall.
The balloon wobbles lightly on top of the baton, so although it looks easy, it’s actually a tricky game.
Dividing into several teams can make it even more fun.
Since participants call out to each other and cooperate, it can also spark communication.
Even if the balloon drops, don’t panic—just keep at it and enjoy!