[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] Refresh Your Mood! Lively, Movement-Based Games (161–170)
ball toss (traditional Japanese beanbag/ball-throwing game)
Tamaire, the ball-toss game often seen at school sports festivals.
Some older adults may have taken part in sports days and played tamaire in the past.
Here’s a perfect tamaire activity for a warm April day to get the body moving.
Because it’s a familiar game, it can help older adults refresh their mood and relieve stress.
Have participants sit in chairs and place a basket in the center.
Prepare red, white, and other colored balls, and have the participants throw them into the basket.
The person who gets the most balls in the basket wins.
Throwing with the arms and shoulders also provides upper-body exercise.
Chaotic Balloon Volleyball
https://www.tiktok.com/@cs.matsuyama/video/7109002320926608642It’s a game where two teams sit facing each other across a table and try to knock as many balloons as possible into the opponent’s side.
With so many balloons in play, players must fend off attacks while batting balloons away, so quick hand movements are put to the test.
During the time limit, you’re constantly chasing balloons with your hands, creating a lively atmosphere.
By eagerly reaching for the colorful balloons, the game not only trains physical movement but also offers visual enjoyment.
[For Seniors] Refresh Your Mood! Fun, Active Games to Get Everyone Moving (171–180)
Brain training with rock-paper-scissors
It’s a game where you create patterns that switch between rock, scissors, and paper hand shapes, then go through those different patterns in order.
The key is thinking about what shape comes next.
Having players say the shapes out loud while making them is also important; thinking, moving the hands, and speaking at the same time helps activate the brain.
Start at a slow tempo at first, then gradually increase the speed to make it more challenging.
It might be easier if you write the sequence on a board in words so players can refer to it while figuring out the shapes.
Tennis Ball Catch
Playing catch with a tennis ball is especially recommended for older adults, as it helps train explosiveness and dynamic visual acuity.
Paying attention to the force and speed so your partner can catch it, as well as the sense of distance between you, benefits both body and mind, making it perfect for daily recreation.
When you’re not yet used to it, the ball may not go exactly where you intend, but since the ball itself is soft, there’s little risk of injury, which is reassuring.
It’s a game that lets you train while having fun as a recreational activity and also serves as a form of communication.
Ball-Picking Game
When April comes, the weather becomes mild and there are more pleasantly warm days, don’t you think? It’s also a time when it’s easier to move your body, so why not have some fun with a simple game? Here’s a ball-collecting game that uses lots of balls.
Roll many balls across a table toward older adults seated in chairs.
The seated participants holding containers will pick up the balls as they roll toward them.
Since it can be done while seated, it’s accessible for those who have difficulty standing or for older adults who use wheelchairs.
Recommended for recreation! Hōrun Bingo
Let me introduce “Hōrun Bingo,” a bingo game with elements of sports that gets you moving.
Draw lines on the floor to make a grid where each row has five squares.
You can use sturdy rope or masking tape, so it’s a game you can enjoy anywhere.
Throw a ball into the grid; if you line up three or more in a row, you score points, and you get higher points for four or five in a row.
Decide how many rounds to play and compete on total points.
It’s usually played standing, but you can change the throwing position and try it while seated in a chair too.
It’s an easy bingo game to customize with your own rules.
Easy! Beach Ball Recreation
Beach balls are light, easy to throw, and designed with safety in mind.
This time, we’ll introduce some recreational activities using a beach ball.
First, have older adults sit on chairs facing each other.
Place the beach ball on their outstretched legs and pass it to the next person in a relay style.
You could make it a team competition and prepare prizes for the winners to boost excitement.
Another lively option is beach ball soccer target toss: players kick the ball, and whoever gets it into the container first wins.
Since it involves a lot of leg movement, it helps strengthen older adults’ muscles and is also ideal for rehabilitation.
