Recommended fun performances that will appeal to elderly people
At day service centers and residential facilities where many older adults gather, seasonal events are often held.
Some staff members may be wondering what kind of performances will delight the seniors at these times.
In this article, we introduce easy-to-implement entertainment ideas and games.
We’ve picked out performances that staff can present, as well as activities that seniors can join in together.
Let’s aim for a crowd-pleasing event that everyone can enjoy and get the excitement going!
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Recommended fun performances that will be popular with seniors (31–40)
Hanagasa Ondo
The Hanagasa Ondo is danced while holding hats decorated with artificial flowers.
The Hanagasa Ondo is also the main attraction of the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, which is held every summer in Yamagata Prefecture.
Incidentally, the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is one of the four major festivals of the Tohoku region.
The Hanagasa Ondo, danced with beautiful flowered hats, is visually stunning and would make a wonderful performance.
Watching the Hanagasa Ondo while inviting older adults to clap along is likely to liven things up.
Some seniors may have danced it in the past, and others may feel nostalgic watching the performance.
It could even spark conversations from there.
Balance UFO Game
We’d like to introduce an indoor activity for seniors—the “Balance UFO Game,” which lets anyone enjoy a little excitement.
First, make a hole in the center of a paper plate, thread a string through it, and hang it from above.
The key is that the paper plate dangles and gently sways, like a floating UFO.
Participants take turns placing small, cross-section slices of a pool cue (or similar stick) onto the plate one by one.
If you don’t pay attention to the center of gravity, the plate will tilt and pieces will fall, so the game develops concentration and fine motor skills.
It also adds a strategic element as players consider where to place each piece, and the group can cheer each other on, making it fun for everyone.
The materials are easy to find, so preparation is simple.
By adjusting the hanging height and the weight of the items, it can be enjoyed by a wide range of players from beginners to advanced.
karaoke
For older adults who enjoy singing, karaoke can be a delightful time.
Singing can help relieve stress and also trigger memories from when the songs were popular.
Some may find themselves reminiscing about the past, thinking, “Back then, this and that happened,” as they sing or listen to nostalgic songs.
In addition, moving the mouth while singing can be expected to have benefits as an oral exercise.
Even older adults who are not comfortable singing in front of others can still enjoy themselves by listening, clapping along, or humming together.
Japanese taiko drum
If you want to liven up a summer festival, a “wadaiko” (Japanese drum) performance is highly recommended! The powerful sound of the drums fills the venue with excitement and spreads smiles to everyone watching.
One of the charms is that you can enjoy Bon Odori along with the drum rhythms, and even those who aren’t confident about dancing will find their bodies moving naturally when they hear the familiar beat.
Drumming together, dancing together, and getting excited together will become the best memory of the summer festival.
Give this idea a try to create a lively, energetic summer moment!
Capsule Korokoro
You’ve probably seen capsule toy machines filled with toys and merchandise at arcades or supermarkets.
Let’s use those round capsules to play a lively game.
Attach a stick to an empty tissue box and use it to roll a capsule across a table.
The goal is to land the capsule in a target without letting it fall off the table.
To make the game even more fun, create gaps between the targets.
Placing the capsule without dropping it into the gaps is a great way for older adults to show their skill.
Cheering on the players and calling out to them can spark interaction with the people around them, too.
Recommended fun performances that appeal to seniors (41–50)
Newspaper Dart
Let me introduce a fun darts game you can play using newspaper.
Prepare several newspapers rolled into long, thin tubes.
Make a target with several holes, and try throwing the newspaper tubes into the holes.
The target can be made of cardboard, and you can make holes in various shapes and sizes—circles, triangles, and more—to make it even more enjoyable.
You can also assign points to the target.
In regular darts, you throw at the point zones on the target on the wall.
In this newspaper darts game, you score points when a rolled newspaper lands in one of the target’s holes.
Since newspaper is light, it should be easy for older adults to handle.
Onigiri Game
Let us introduce the “Onigiri Game,” a fun way to rehabilitate from fingers to arms.
Connect a stick and a plate with a string, placing the stick on your near side and the plate on the opposite side.
Set the rice balls (onigiri) on the plate to start.
Participants use their hands to turn the stick and wind up the string.
The plate will gradually be pulled closer, but don’t let the onigiri fall.
Wind steadily—neither too fast nor too slow—while watching out for obstacles.
The player with more onigiri at the end wins.
You can enjoy it repeatedly by adding more obstacles on the table or making the onigiri lighter, and so on.