[For Seniors] Refresh Your Mood! Lively, Get-Moving Games
As we get older, we tend to have fewer opportunities to be physically active.
Even in senior facilities like day services, people may end up sitting for long periods during activities like crafts.
Why not try incorporating some lively, movement-based games?
Of course, it’s fine to stay seated!
Even without strenuous movements, simply rolling your arms or marching your feet a little can loosen the body and make for good exercise.
Please be sure not to overdo it—have fun while keeping an eye on how you feel!
There are plenty of games that get everyone moving and energized.
- [For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- [For Seniors] Exciting Team-Based Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Enjoy safely even during the COVID-19 pandemic: Seated activities
- Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] A Fun Sports Day! Recreational Activities You Can Do Safely
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Recommended Dances You Can Move To and Enjoy
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
[For Seniors] Mood Refresh! Lively, Movement-Based Games (111–120)
String Balloon Relay
It’s a game where you work with the person across from you to skillfully control a string you’re holding and carry a balloon to a target location.
Because you can’t move the balloon well with your own power alone, you feel a bit of frustration, but also the fun of cooperation.
If you make it like a relay where you pass the balloon to the next person, not only coordination with the person opposite you but also strategy with the person before and after you is tested, which makes the game even more engaging.
It’s a game where the spirit of cooperation is key, including how you tension and move the string.
Beach ball soccer basket toss
This is a game where players use their feet to kick a beach ball and try to get it into a basket placed in the center, making control of leg strength crucial.
Because it’s played while seated, players are also tested on how well they can pass the ball to the person next to them and judge how far their own feet can reach.
The larger the circle and the farther the basket, the more power is required, so encourage players to adjust appropriately and move their legs firmly.
To help develop more delicate control of force, it’s also recommended to adjust the size of the ball and the basket.
Pikagoro
As we age, it’s said that handling multiple tasks at the same time becomes more difficult.
Using both the mind and body has brain-training benefits, and if you move your body while thinking, you can expect even greater brain activation.
This time, I’ll introduce the Pika-Goro game.
Have the older adults sit facing each other, each holding two sticks.
The caller says “pika-pika” or “goro-goro.” On the cue “dokan,” the older adults should both grip the sticks and raise them.
Once everyone gets used to it, calling out “pika-pika” or “goro-goro” several times and then feinting can make it even more exciting.
Pita-to Ball
Here’s a game using a ball that you can play on a table.
Apply strips of tape from one end of the table, placing the point values on top and keeping the sticky side facing up.
From the opposite end of the table, have older adults roll a rubber ball.
If the ball reaches near a point value, it will stop thanks to the adhesive tape.
Making the higher scores farther from the rolling side makes the game more exciting.
Grasping and rolling the rubber ball also helps train the fingers and hands.
It’s a fun way to strengthen the hands and fingers.
Pinball Catcher
Pinball Catcher: catch rolling balls with your feet! Set a board with multiple obstacles at an angle and roll a ball from the top.
Then attach a net to your feet, position them under the board, and keep catching the balls as they come down.
For the foot nets, we recommend fixing them to milk cartons so you can slip your feet into the tubes and use them easily.
Moving your feet side to side or lifting them slightly is surprisingly tough even while sitting! It may look like a low-activity game, but it actually gives you a sneaky good workout.
Flying Fukuwarai
Some older adults may have played fukuwarai during the New Year holidays.
Fukuwarai is the game where you’re blindfolded and place facial features onto a face, right? Part of the fun is not being able to place the features correctly.
But with “Flying Fukuwarai,” there’s no blindfold.
Instead, you toss large facial feature pieces onto a sheet of paper with a large face drawn on it.
Of course, it still often results in hilariously misplaced features, which makes it exciting.
And because you throw the pieces while looking at the face, it’s said to help train spatial awareness.
Spatial awareness is the ability to perceive positions and shapes within space.
When it declines, people may get lost on familiar routes or bump into things more easily.
Give Flying Fukuwarai a try for a fun brain workout!
Free Throw Game
It’s a game where you throw balls toward baskets that have assigned point values and compete on the total score.
The higher the point value of a basket, the harder it is to land a ball in it, so controlling your throwing power is key to getting a high score.
Since the rules allow a ball to bounce before going in, unexpected points can happen, and awkward bounces that miss the basket can also add excitement.
Let’s encourage players to focus on controlling the force needed to reach the basket and on moving their bodies in ways that effectively transfer that force to the ball.