[For Seniors] Popular Hand-Play Songs: Fun Brain-Training Ideas

To increase opportunities for physical activity and social interaction, many older adults visit facilities such as day-service centers.

However, there may be many who find it difficult to start conversations on their own and end up sitting by themselves.

In this article, we introduce simple hand-play songs that can be done while seated! If it’s a tune they’ve heard before, they can join in with enjoyment, which can also help spark interaction with other participants.

In addition, raising the arms and moving the fingers serves as brain training and is important for preventing cognitive decline.

Please try these as fun recreational activities!

Playlist

[For Seniors] Popular Hand-Play Songs: Fun Brain-Training Ideas
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Song of the Frogs		Activate the brain and body with finger-play songs
2	The railroad tracks go on forever.		Enjoyable interaction with hand play songs boosts concentration
3	Rhythmic exercises with pop songs		Do fun exercises with nostalgic songs
4	a small brown bottle		Hand play songs that joyfully move the brain and body
5	Ochara-ka-hoi		Brain training with fingerplay songs: fun and healthy
6	The Hill Where Mandarin Orange Blossoms Bloom		Boost your brain and heart with hand-play while singing
7	Momotaro		Enjoyable interaction through the nostalgic hand game “Momotarō”
8	The Hare and the Tortoise		A role-reversal tale of the hare and the tortoise, didactic in nature
9	butterflied sardine(s)		Brain activation with the hand game “Iwashi no Hiraki” (Opened Sardine)
10	The Bento Box Song		Enjoy the Bento Box Song by its tempo
11	Zuizui Zukkorobashi		Finger play games enjoyed with traditional children's songs
12	Where are you from?		Energize your mind and body with fun temari songs
13	Yakiimo goo-choki-pa		Brain training and communication through rhythm play
14	tea caddy		Chazubo is a hand-play song that makes brain training fun.
15	Brain training with Rock-Paper-Scissors on Mito Komon		Even elderly people have probably watched the Mito Komon drama at least once…
16	hometown		Memories of one’s hometown soothe the heart and help prevent dementia.
17	Let’s look up and walk with finger exercises		Let's enjoy exercising with Kyu Sakamoto's classic hit
18	Ten thousand feet in the Alps		Alps Ichiman-jaku is a hand-clapping song and it's fun.
19	If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands		Move your body to a cheerful nursery rhyme and have fun!
20	Close It, Open It		The nursery rhyme “Musunde Hiraite” is cherished as a hand-play song.
21	What shall we make with rock, scissors, paper?furansu min’yō		Crab and Snail Hand Play Song
22	Donguri Korokoro		The popular Taishō-era children’s song “Donguri Korokoro”
23	Moshikame Goo-Paa Hand Play		Energize your brain with the Rabbit and Turtle Exercise
24	Sign Language Exercise: Roses Bloomed		Refresh your mind and body with sign language exercises!
25	Music Therapy: Fun with Rhythm		Fun brain activation through music therapy
26	hometown		Fun hand play with the song 'Furusato'
27	Brain-training exercises with nursery rhymes		Brain training with nostalgic songs! Enjoyable exercises
28	Rhythmic exercises to a children’s song		Let's have fun and move our bodies energetically with children's song exercises
29	Brain training with rock-paper-scissors		Brain training health method with the Gu-Choki-Pa exercise
30	Finger exercise with rock-paper-scissors (gu-choki-pa)		Brain training and prevention with rock-paper-scissors
31	A-I-U-Be mouth exercise to the rhythm		Aiue-be exercises to enjoy with rhythm
32	Clap Hands Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise		Energize your brain and fingers with clapping exercises
33	Rock, paper, scissors		The hand-play song “Guu Choki Paa” is fun.
34	Brain-training game you play while singing		Sing to train the brain: bringing smiles and vitality to seniors
35	snail		Enjoying with seniors through rainy-season snail songs
36	tea picking		Early summer tea-picking song, a nostalgic Japanese tune
37	A-I-U-Be mouth exercise staring game		Mouth exercises enjoyed through laughter and interaction
38	Goo Choki Paa-ty (Rock-Paper-Scissors Party)		Have fun and stay healthy with the Goo-Choki-Paa exercise
39	Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise		Activate your brain with the Goo-Choki-Pa exercise
40	Rock, paper, scissors with pumpkin		Goo-Choki-Pa Exercise to Enjoy in the Halloween Spirit
41	Let’s make Pokémon with rock-paper-scissors		Pokémon is popular with both children and adults.
42	Guu-Choki-Paa Exercise		Health promotion through the Goo-Choki-Pa exercise
43	Guu-Choki-Paa Exercise		Effective finger exercises for dementia prevention
44	Goo-Paa Exercise		Relax with deep breathing, energize your brain with open-and-close hand exercises
45	The Apple Song		The Cheery Postwar Song “The Apple Song”
46	Under the big chestnut tree		The hand play song 'Under the Big Chestnut Tree'
47	Song Exercise		Fun and safe exercises with winter nursery rhymes
48	Finger exercises with kayōkyoku (Japanese pop songs)		Finger exercises to enjoy with kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs)
49	Rock, paper, scissors in a cross		Cross Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise
50	Goo Choki Paa Laugh-Out-Loud Exercise		Laughter and Brain Activation with the Goo-Choki-Pa Exercise
51	the temple’s head monk		Nostalgic traditional rock-paper-scissors playground song
52	Full Moon Night’s Mochi Pounding		交流 through enjoying a hand-play song for moon viewing