[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.
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- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
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- [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 (21–30)
Evil Spirit Banishment Game
We’d like to introduce a game for driving away evil spirits by fanning them off with a paper fan.
First, attach a photo of a person to a plastic bottle, pour in a little water, and stand it on a table.
Draw a picture of an evil spirit on a plastic bag with a felt-tip pen, then slip the bag over the bottle with the staff member’s photo on it.
Hand a paper fan to each participant, and at the signal to start, have them fan to drive away the evil spirit.
Using real photos of people will likely spark laughter with comments like “They’re possessed!” and “They’re saved!” Because participants need to fan vigorously, it can also serve as an exercise for the wrists and arms.
This activity is also recommended as a recreation for senior care facilities.
Persimmon Picking Game
It may look like you’re just using your hands to pick persimmons, but in fact there are points written on the back.
You can’t see the points while you’re picking, and only find out afterward—that’s what makes this “Persimmon Picking Game” fun.
Since there’s a time limit, you can enjoy deciding whether to aim for persimmons you predict will be high-scoring or to pick as many as possible.
If you yank in a hurry, the persimmons get caught on the pins, so the key is to use your fingertips to unhook them from the pins.
Because there’s an element of luck, there are fewer issues of aptitude or skill differences between players, and anyone can enjoy it.
Lightly lifting the ball with the foot
Let me introduce “Foot-Toss Flick,” a game that doubles as lower-limb functional training.
Prepare a small inflatable pool or a box, and place an overturned trash bin inside it.
Add raised areas around it and assign each area a point value.
The harder the spot, the higher the points.
Once you have some beanbags ready, the game begins.
Place a beanbag on the top of your foot and flick it toward a scoring zone.
Do this 10 times and compete on total points.
Unlike simple stepping in place, doing it with a clear goal can be more effective for maintaining leg function.
Give it a try!
rod soccer
When you hear “soccer,” you might picture a sport where players run around a large pitch, but this is “stick soccer,” which you can play while seated.
Players sit at both ends of a narrow, elongated court, use sticks to pass the ball, and work it toward the goal.
The sticks are made of soft material, so even if you get hit by accident, it doesn’t hurt—making it safe.
Towel Putting Game
Place three hula hoops on the floor a short distance away and toss a tightly rolled towel toward them—this is the “Towel Toss Game.” The points vary depending on which spot you land in.
Of course, outside the circles is out, and the total score determines the winner.
If you don’t have hula hoops, you can make circles with tape instead.
Lots of balloon volleyball
@seasoncafe.yokohama TranslationRecreationElderlyBalloon
Sixth Sense – Reol
In many senior care facilities, balloon volleyball is often played with just one balloon.
Try boldly increasing the number of balloons.
Balloons are light, so even attaching about ten is fine.
Using balloons in various colors is also recommended.
Seniors may find it refreshing to play volleyball with something made from many balloons.
If you have the seniors sit on chairs in a circle and place a tosser in the center, rallies tend to last longer.
As the number of balloons increases, the whole thing becomes larger, which might also make it easier for seniors to make attacks.
High-five relay
@wakuwaku_idea No equipment needed! Super easy, quick, and fun! High-Five Relay#SeniorActivitiesInterestingTranslationrelay
♪ Original song – Idea Wakuwaku Rehabilitation – Idea Wakuwaku Rehabilitation
It’s a game where you pass along high-fives to the next person, aiming to reach the final teammate before the opposing team does.
After doing five high-fives with the next person, you move on to the following one, so the speed of your arm movements is put to the test.
However, even if one side is fast, it won’t count as a high-five unless the hands meet, so a sense of cooperation is also crucial.
It might be important not to focus too much on clearing the game, but to share the fun of high-fiving as well.
