[Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended Hand-Play Recreation for Dementia Prevention
Fingerplay recreation that also helps prevent dementia.
Because it can be done while seated, it’s easy for older adults who have difficulty standing or walking to participate, and it’s offered in many senior care facilities.
That said, it’s tough for staff to plan activities by choosing from the many different fingerplay options, isn’t it?
So this time, we’re introducing recommended fingerplay recreation activities that can also help prevent dementia.
We’ve gathered a wide variety—from simple fingertip exercises to activities that involve moving the hands while singing, which can also help strengthen the muscles used for speech.
The fingertips are so rich in nerves that they’re often called the “second brain.”
Let’s have fun together while moving our fingertips and hands a lot to activate the brain!
- [For Seniors] Hand and finger play roundup: Finger exercises that lead to brain training
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [For Seniors] Extremely Effective Brain Training! A Fun Collection of Hand Games
- [For Seniors] Fun and Engaging Brain-Training Recreation
- [For Seniors] Popular Hand-Play Songs: Fun Brain-Training Ideas
- Cognicise you can do while seated. Simple dementia prevention.
- [For Seniors] Enjoy safely even during the COVID-19 pandemic: Seated activities
- [For Seniors] Brain Training Recommended for Dementia Prevention
- [For Seniors] Recommended Even for People with Dementia! Simple Recreational Activities
- Simple games for preventing and improving dementia
- [For Seniors] Liven Things Up With Different Left-Right Movements! Game and Exercise Ideas
[Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended for Dementia Prevention! Finger-Play Recreation (101–110)
High touch rec
A high five is when two people clap each other’s hands, often when greeting brightly or feeling happy.
Let’s turn this high five into a recreation activity that seniors can enjoy.
Have everyone sit in a circle on chairs and high-five the person next to them.
Try high-fiving with just one hand, or flip the hands over to change the palm orientation as you go.
Make the seated circle smaller so people can reach to tap someone’s hand, or do double high fives with both hands.
Thinking about who has a free hand and counting to ten while high-fiving can also help train the brain.
It’s an activity that may spark conversations with people who don’t usually talk and broaden communication.
Flying Fukuwarai
Some older adults may have played fukuwarai during the New Year holidays.
Fukuwarai is the game where you’re blindfolded and place facial features onto a face, right? Part of the fun is not being able to place the features correctly.
But with “Flying Fukuwarai,” there’s no blindfold.
Instead, you toss large facial feature pieces onto a sheet of paper with a large face drawn on it.
Of course, it still often results in hilariously misplaced features, which makes it exciting.
And because you throw the pieces while looking at the face, it’s said to help train spatial awareness.
Spatial awareness is the ability to perceive positions and shapes within space.
When it declines, people may get lost on familiar routes or bump into things more easily.
Give Flying Fukuwarai a try for a fun brain workout!
Brain training that sharpens your reflexes
It’s a game that trains your reflexes by imitating claps so that your timing matches the model person’s clapping as closely as possible.
While getting a firm grasp of the clapping rhythm is key to enjoying the game, focusing too much on the rhythm can make you fall for tricks.
The sequence of observing the model’s hands and reflecting that in your own movements tests both your concentration and reflexes.
Adding changes in rhythm or variations in clapping midway through is also recommended, as it further directs your attention to the model’s hands.
Treasure Hunt Game
It’s a game where you search for a ball hidden inside a cardboard box filled with crumpled newspaper, pushing the paper aside as you go.
By focusing on the sensation of touching the ball and grabbing it, you train not only your vision but also your hand coordination and concentration.
Since you need to thoroughly explore the entire box to find the ball, it’s also a good opportunity to move your arms actively.
If you increase the variety of “treasures,” players may pay more attention to what their hands are touching.
Clap-along brain training
It’s a game where you keep the beat with handclaps while adding other movements, training your decision-making as you move your body.
Start by inserting simple hand gestures between claps—like raising your thumb or pinky—and then, as you get used to it, gradually expand into movements that involve your whole body.
As these movements combine and become more complex, there’s more to think about, which enhances the brain-training effect.
If you focus too much on the sequence of movements, your motions can become stiff, so it’s also recommended to include some stepping and consciously loosen up your body.