![[For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/Xk82E_6b5_E/maxresdefault.webp)
Here are some fun recreational activities that help build leg strength.
We’ve gathered options older adults can really enjoy, like soccer, bowling, and golf using balls or balloons.
These friendly group games—where you practice controlling force and direction—strengthen the legs while creating opportunities to communicate with others.
Moving your legs gently and without strain can also make everyday movements smoother.
Find your favorite activity and put it to use for daily health and wellness!
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Games and Exercises Using Balls and Balloons (1–10)
Beach ball soccer basket toss
This is a game where players use their feet to kick a beach ball and try to get it into a basket placed in the center, making control of leg strength crucial.
Because it’s played while seated, players are also tested on how well they can pass the ball to the person next to them and judge how far their own feet can reach.
The larger the circle and the farther the basket, the more power is required, so encourage players to adjust appropriately and move their legs firmly.
To help develop more delicate control of force, it’s also recommended to adjust the size of the ball and the basket.
Beach ball handoff
This is a recreation activity where stable lower-body strength is important: you transport a beach ball while seated.
Each team sits side by side, places the beach ball on their outstretched legs, and passes it to the next person using only leg strength.
The game ends when the last person successfully gets the ball into the goal.
While it’s important to pass it quickly to the next person, careful leg movements to avoid going off course are also key.
By making it a competition between teams, you can train leg strength and explosiveness at the same time.
Shoot with the ball
This is a game where you kick a ball so it reaches the person sitting across from you, helping you build leg strength.
But it’s not just about kicking hard—you also have to send the ball through a hoop set up in the middle, so your directional control is tested too.
Not only how far you extend your leg, but also which part of your foot you use to kick will change the force applied to the ball and how easy it is to handle.
The farther apart you sit and the more hoops you add, the harder the control becomes, so start simple and gradually increase the difficulty.
barely kick
This is a recreation activity that’s perfect for knee exercises, which are important for the movement of standing up from a chair.
You start seated, and a line is marked with tape a short distance in front of you.
Aim to kick a ball toward the line and have it stop just before crossing it.
In addition to bending and extending the knee, this can also help train how to apply force quickly.
The way you use force will vary depending on the size of the ball and the distance to the line, so we recommend trying different setups to enjoy the activity while exercising.
Stomp-and-pop balloon launch
Let’s pop a balloon into the air with a boing! Here’s an idea for a foot-powered balloon-launch game—perfect if you’re looking for a unique activity that uses the feet.
You’ll need items like cardboard, a low platform, a board or mesh, a tray, balloons with weights attached, and a score chart drawn on poster paper.
While seated in a chair, place your feet on the board; using the lever principle, the balloon will launch with a fun “pop!” It’s an easy activity to try and also a good way to move the hip joints.
Give it a go and incorporate it into your sessions!
flutter kick ball
This recreation involves using both feet to kick as many balls as possible out of a cardboard box within a time limit.
Watching the video, you can see that unless you skillfully use your feet repeatedly, the balls won’t go out.
Competing with others and getting absorbed in the game while naturally getting exercise is also an appealing aspect.
Foot Ball Toss
Here’s a recommended recreation activity for foot function training.
You’ll need a mini ball like those used by children, a hula hoop, and one cardboard box.
Cut a hole in the box big enough for the ball to fit through, place the ball inside the hula hoop along with the box, and use only your feet to put the ball into the hole in the box.
If you make two holes, you can train both feet at the same time, which is great.