[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 (41–50)
Newspaper ball rolling relay
This is a recreation activity where you compete to see how fast you can roll a ball placed on a sheet of newspaper.
It’s suitable for small to large groups, so it’s also recommended for situations where you want to promote interaction among older adults.
Arrange chairs facing each other in alternating rows, and have two people hold the ends of a sheet of newspaper.
Roll the ball you’re given onto the next person’s newspaper, and if it makes it into the basket, that’s a goal.
You can enjoy variety by rolling different types of balls, such as a regular ball, beanbags, or a beach ball.
Give this event a try to experience the fun and sense of unity that comes from doing an activity together.
Flag-raising game
This is a game where you move red and white flags in your hands up and down according to given instructions.
Your ability to listen carefully and then move—distinguishing between commands like “raise” vs.
“don’t raise” and “lower” vs.
“don’t lower”—is put to the test.
Once you get used to it, it’s recommended to gradually increase the speed of the instructions.
By requiring quicker decisions, you can further stimulate the brain.
To help players focus on listening and moving, it’s also a good idea to make the flags easier to hold—for example, by forming them into rings.
Beanbag Toss Game
Make a court on the floor and place a beach ball in the center.
Throw your beanbags at the beach ball to hit it and push it toward your opponent’s side.
Since the number of beanbags you have is limited, don’t throw them recklessly—plan your strategy and think before you throw!
Cross catch (ball)
Sit in pairs facing each other and play catch with a rubber ball.
But instead of just throwing and catching normally, this is “cross catch”: cross your arms in front of your chest and catch the ball in that position.
Once you’ve caught it, rotate your arms to uncross them, return to the starting position, and throw it back to your partner.
Aim with the towel
In pairs sitting facing each other, each person holds one end of a towel.
Place a ball on the taut towel, coordinate your movements to toss the ball, and aim to land it in a target box.
Set up several boxes and assign different point values depending on which box the ball lands in.
Decide on a fixed number of throws, and determine the winner by the total score.
Fly swatter game
This is a game where you use a real fly swatter handle to smack paper flies made from origami and compete to see how many you can catch within the time limit.
The fly swatter and the origami flies have adhesive tape on them so they stick together.
It gets even more exciting if you include high-scoring flies or flies that deduct points!
Fukuwarai (a traditional Japanese “lucky laugh” face-making game)
Fukuwarai is a classic New Year’s game that everyone can enjoy, from small children to the elderly.
While blindfolded, you place facial parts—the eyes, nose, and mouth—onto a face.
Traditional designs feature Otafuku and Hyottoko, but these days there are many varieties, including characters and animals, so it’s fun to switch them up with the season.