[For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Finger Exercises That Help Prevent Dementia
Moving the fingers helps activate the brain, so it’s recommended as a recreational activity for older adults.
Finger exercises can be done while seated, making them safe and easy to start.
There are many ideas—such as doing different movements with each hand or coordinating with songs—so they can be enjoyed according to each person’s physical and mental condition.
Also, by adding ideas like speaking aloud while moving the fingers, you can make the exercises even more enjoyable.
Since these exercises can be done anywhere, they’re also great for filling small pockets of free time.
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[For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Finger Exercises That Help Prevent Dementia (11–20)
Let’s look up and walk with finger exercises
The song “Ue o Muite Arukō” is a classic by Kyu Sakamoto.
It’s a timeless favorite still loved by many today.
Not only is the familiar melody wonderful, but the uplifting lyrics are great too.
This time, let’s do the Goo-Choki-Paa exercise while singing this song.
It’s an enjoyable exercise where you play rock-paper-scissors with your left and right hands.
Doing it to this soothing tune should feel quite relaxing.
Since the song has a gentle tempo, it should be easier for older adults to keep the rhythm.
tea caddy
By incorporating alternating hand movements, this “tea jar” finger exercise also works as brain training.
Make a fist with your left hand and tap up and down in sequence.
Match the rhythm of the song, and repeat the same motion with your right hand.
As a variation, try tapping from bottom to top.
Imagining the lid of a tea jar as you move your hands will make the exercise more enjoyable.
When the song ends, try to finish with your hands precisely in the correct position.
Rock, paper, scissors in a cross
Crossed Rock-Paper-Scissors is a calisthenic exercise done with your hands crossed.
Instead of just doing rock-paper-scissors normally, you cross your hands, so it’s a workout for your brain, too.
It can be hard to do it perfectly on the first try.
By repeating it, your body will learn the movements.
There are also variations like tapping your feet while doing rock-paper-scissors, or adding hand claps, so give them a try.
They all require mental focus, so it feels like your brain gets a full workout.
The Hare and the Tortoise
This is a finger exercise set to the children’s song “Usagi to Kame” (The Hare and the Tortoise)! Start with your right hand’s index finger and your left hand’s thumb raised, then switch fingers to the rhythm, repeat rock–paper–scissors motions, and in the latter half of the song try changing the order—enjoy various variations.
For an extra workout effect, it’s also recommended to add movements like thrusting your hands overhead or spreading them out to the sides.
Adjust the difficulty while watching how everyone is doing so it doesn’t become “It’s too hard, I can’t keep up!”
Guu-Choki-Paa Exercise
Let’s try a finger exercise using rock, scissors, and paper from rock-paper-scissors.
Instead of just making rock, scissors, and paper with both hands, try crossing your hands or changing the order in which you make the shapes.
In addition, alternate making rock, scissors, and paper with your left and right hands, and add different motions such as gripping one wrist with the hand that isn’t forming a shape, or lowering your arm.
Do this alternately on both sides.
To make it even more challenging, it’s recommended to keep adding variations—like inserting a fox shape between rock, scissors, and paper, or using the scissors made with the thumb and index finger.
Finger Exercise for Moving Numbers
The finger exercise where you count alternately with both hands has very simple rules, but once you try it, you’ll realize it really makes your brain work! When the right hand shows 1, the left hand is a fist; next, the left hand shows 2 while the right hand is a fist—so there’s always one hand doing the counting.
If you’re demonstrating it in front of a group, like in a recreation activity, your mind might get mixed up unless you practice a bit beforehand.
Once you get used to it, try increasing the difficulty by adding a clap when you switch numbers, or crossing your hands while moving the count.
[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Introducing Finger Exercises That Help Prevent Dementia (21–30)
Brain-training finger play
Here’s a no-prep recreation activity: a finger-play brain exercise.
It’s simple to do! First, hold your hands up with your palms facing you and make fists.
Open only the thumb on your right hand and only the pinky on your left hand.
Next, switch: open the pinky on your right hand and the thumb on your left hand.
Keep repeating this.
It sounds easy, but it’s surprisingly hard.
Try doing it to a rhythm—one, two, one, two—and you might find yourself laughing at how tricky it is.
But don’t worry.
The goal isn’t to do it perfectly; performing two different movements at the same time stimulates your brain, so just trying it provides a brain-training effect.
With practice, you’ll get the hang of it and feel a sense of achievement.
Give it a try!
