[For Seniors] Recommended! Seasonal Recreational Activities
The recreational activities offered at facilities have various benefits, including invigorating the mind, body, and brain, and improving quality of life.
Because they often involve interacting with others, they also naturally encourage communication.
By incorporating a sense of the seasons into recreation, older adults can lead even more fulfilling daily lives.
So this time, we’re introducing seasonal-themed recreational activities.
For older adults who may find it difficult to sense the passage of time, seasonal recreation can help them become more aware of time.
It also allows those who have trouble going out to feel the seasons, providing positive stimulation to break up the monotony of spending most days indoors.
We hope this helps make each day more enjoyable.
- [For Seniors] Fun Winter Activities: Recreation and Games
- [For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [For Seniors] Recreations to Experience in August
- [For Seniors] Liven Up Cherry-Blossom Viewing! Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory
- [Elderly Day Service] Let’s all have fun! Games and recreational activities
- Recommended recreational activities to help seniors enjoy their time in care facilities
- For Seniors: Games and Recreational Activities to Enjoy in April
- Recommended fun performances that will appeal to elderly people
Summer Recreations (11–20)
Fireworks game
This is a target-throwing game themed around fireworks, an essential summer event, where you colorfully decorate the target.
The target is a hula hoop covered with tape, and you throw colored balls at it to decorate the adhesive side of the tape.
Since you need to throw with enough force for the balls to stick to the tape, the game tests not only your focus on aiming but also your ability to control strength.
You can freely choose the colors of the balls, so think about how you want to create your firework as you throw.
Who is the master of the uchiwa?!
Speaking of summer, uchiwa fans are a must-have, right? They’re convenient and easy to use, and they’re cherished as items that blow away the heat.
This time, we’re introducing a recreation activity using uchiwa.
It’s a game where you use a fan to put tissues into a box! You can enjoy competing to see who can put the most tissues in.
As long as you have a fan, it’s an easy game you can play not only at day service centers but also at home.
It helps strengthen the hands and arms, and it’s great for stimulating the brain, so we highly recommend it.
Summer Recreation (21–30)
target practice
A target-hitting game using uchiwa fans is recommended for older adults because it helps improve concentration.
First, prepare a garment rack, hang uchiwa fans on the hangers, and draw point values on them.
You can throw anything—beanbags, balls, even uchiwa fans.
It’s a competitive game where the player with the highest total of the points they hit wins.
Competing together also enhances communication skills.
It’s appealing because it can be enjoyed as either an individual or team match.
If you draw summery designs on the uchiwa used as targets, you can fully enjoy the season and savor a summery atmosphere.
Wish Upon a Star Game
Speaking of big events in July, Tanabata is a must, and the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi separated by the Milky Way is an essential element.
This is an easy-to-understand game that focuses on the day when Orihime and Hikoboshi cross the Milky Way to reunite, where you make Hikoboshi run toward Orihime.
Place Hikoboshi on a wheeled platform and send him toward Orihime, who is positioned on the far side of the river field.
If he reaches Orihime, you get the highest score; there are also points placed along the way, so the goal is to aim for a high score by making use of those as well.
Song Exercise: Festival Mambo
The key is dancing with a uchiwa fan! Here are some ideas for a sing-along exercise to “Omatsuri Mambo.” In summer, many of us use uchiwa fans to beat the heat, right? This time, let’s move our bodies and exercise to Hibari Misora’s “Omatsuri Mambo.” The video shows choreography you can copy either standing or sitting, so give it a try.
Using a uchiwa fan makes the movements look more striking!
Enjoying food stalls in a yukata
Savor summer in quintessential Japanese style.
Here are ideas for enjoying festival stalls in a yukata.
When it comes to summer, cool-evening festivals and summer festivals are major events.
Why not take this opportunity to change into a yukata and enjoy the event with your whole being? Slip into a beloved yukata and you’ll naturally stand a little taller and feel refreshed—no doubt about it! Nostalgic summer memories will come flooding back, and conversations will flow.
Even if going out is difficult, festival stalls set up in your facility or garden can spark excitement and joy.
It’s sure to be a wonderful event spent in a gorgeous yukata.
Goldfish scooping
Summer festivals are an essential part of summer in Japan, and many people are familiar with the goldfish scooping game often found there.
This game takes inspiration from that: players compete to see who can skillfully scoop up goldfish-shaped mascots.
Normally, the scooping tool (poi) has a paper net, but by deliberately removing the paper, the technique of how you use the frame itself is put to the test.
If the mascots’ shapes and weights are randomized, players will focus more on speed and scooping technique, which should make the game even more exciting.