[For Seniors] Extremely Effective Brain Training! A Fun Collection of Hand Games
As a form of recreation for older adults, many facilities incorporate hand games that involve moving the fingers and arms.
It’s said that making fine movements with the fingertips or performing different motions with the right and left arms helps activate the brain.
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of hand games that also serve as brain training.
These hand games range widely—from activities that only move the fingertips to ones that use the arms, and even the upper body and legs.
Please choose activities that match participants’ physical condition.
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[For Seniors] Extremely Effective for Brain Training! A Fun Collection of Hand Games (111–120)
Handmade spinning top
Let’s play with spinning tops made from origami.
Are you familiar with tops crafted from origami? There are types that look like flowers with a cross-shaped handle in the center for spinning, and ones where a toothpick is inserted into the center of a square top.
Some folding methods are complex, but older adults who enjoy origami will likely have fun making them.
Let’s spin the origami tops everyone has folded.
Both making the origami and spinning the tops use the fingertips, making it good training.
With the nostalgic game of spinning tops, older adults can relive their childhood and enjoy a pleasant time.
folding umbrella
A folding umbrella is something everyone knows, yet it’s surprisingly rare to actually see one up close.
With its smooth feel combined with hints of metal and plastic, you may find yourself wondering, “What is this?” Because most people don’t often touch it in its folded state, those who weren’t office workers in their younger days might struggle to come up with the answer.
If no one knows, the host can ask the group questions like, “Have you ever used one?” or “When did you use it?” to involve everyone and make it more enjoyable.
Let’s look up and walk with finger exercises
The song ‘Ue o Muite Arukou’ is a famous classic by Kyu Sakamoto.
It remains a beloved piece even today.
The familiar melody is wonderful, and the uplifting lyrics are lovely too.
This time, let’s do the Goo-Choki-Pa exercise while singing this song.
It’s an exercise where you have fun making rock-paper-scissors shapes with your left and right hands.
Doing it to such a soothing tune feels calming, doesn’t it? The tempo is relaxed, so it should be easy for older adults to keep the rhythm.
Finger Dexterity and Coordination Training Goods
Isn’t the precise, delicate movement of chopsticks an important action in everyday life? This is a rehabilitation tool that trains fine finger movements through such chopstick motions.
First, prepare a wooden board and mark a border 1 centimeter inside the outer edge.
Insert pins with handles along the markings.
Once you’ve inserted a total of 16 pins, you’re ready to go.
Use disposable chopsticks to hook rubber bands onto the pins.
Freely loop colorful rubber bands around the pins to create various designs.
It also seems fun to use a sample as a reference and think about how to hook the bands to recreate it.
Newspaper Rock-Paper-Scissors
It’s sure to be an exciting match! Try the Newspaper Janken challenge! Have two older adults sit facing each other.
Place a long, narrow strip of newspaper on the table, then play rock-paper-scissors.
The winner tries to grab the newspaper, while the loser must hold it down so it can’t be taken.
By the way, if the newspaper tears, you lose.
It’s a brain-engaging activity where you play janken, instantly recognize the outcome, and act immediately.
Recreations that use both mind and body stimulate the brain and can help prevent dementia.
Enjoy a fun time laughing together with other participants.
Newspaper juggling
Let’s enjoy a fun fall-prevention activity with chopstick-and-newspaper ring juggling! Take a sheet of newspaper and crumple it tightly from one edge, twisting it into a long, thin rod, then form it into a ring.
Firmly secure the joint by compressing it well or fixing it with cellophane tape.
Once your ring is ready, grab a pair of chopsticks and spin the ring around.
The keys are smooth wrist rotations and adjusting how much force you use.
Be careful not to spin too fast, or it may fly off.
This recreation also helps stimulate the brain, making it perfect for activities in senior care facilities.
Give it a try!
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.