[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! Hand Play Recreation (11–20)
playing rock-paper-scissors after seeing the opponent’s move (i.e., acting with hindsight/cheating)
Normally, playing rock-paper-scissors after seeing your opponent’s move would be called cheating, but it’s actually perfect for preventing cognitive decline! You look at the hand your opponent throws, figure out what it is, then think about which hand you should throw to win—or to lose—and finally put out the hand you’ve decided on.
Connecting the act of thinking with expressing it through movement helps activate the brain.
It’s fine whether your after-the-fact hand aims to win or to lose.
Decide which one you’ll do first and give it a try! If you do a round aiming to win, try the next round aiming to lose.
Alternating like this makes you think, “Which one am I doing now?” which provides even more stimulation for your brain.
Handmade spinning top
Let’s play with spinning tops made from origami.
Are you familiar with tops crafted from origami? There are types that look like flowers with a cross-shaped handle in the center for spinning, and ones where a toothpick is inserted into the center of a square top.
Some folding methods are complex, but older adults who enjoy origami will likely have fun making them.
Let’s spin the origami tops everyone has folded.
Both making the origami and spinning the tops use the fingertips, making it good training.
With the nostalgic game of spinning tops, older adults can relive their childhood and enjoy a pleasant time.
Tea Jar Hand Play
May is the season when new tea tastes delicious.
“Tea Jar Hand Play” is a game that lets you fully savor that seasonal feeling! You can play it anywhere, so it’s fun even by yourself at home.
It’s also one of those easy games that work well as a group activity in senior care facilities.
No tools are needed, so it’s simple to try.
The Tea Jar song has the simple melody and rhythm unique to traditional children’s songs, making it pleasant to hear and familiar for older adults.
It’s also filled with elements of Japanese culture, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
Let’s all use our hands and enjoy it together!
Tea Picking Game
May is the season for harvesting new tea leaves, isn’t it? For many older adults, tea is one of the beverages they can’t do without, and it’s important for daily hydration.
A great activity to get seniors engaged is the Tea-Picking Game.
It’s a tabletop game where players pick up “tea leaves” and compete at plucking them, which helps train the fingertips.
Singing along while playing also develops a sense of rhythm.
Because everyone can enjoy it together, it can help stimulate the brain, too.
Another appeal is the uplifting feeling that comes from experiencing a game full of seasonal flair.
Brain-training exercises that make you laugh
The Nikko Kaido is a famous cherry blossom spot in Tochigi Prefecture.
Some older adults may have visited the Nikko Kaido to see the blossoms.
At the end of the Nikko Kaido is Nikko Toshogu Shrine, which is also known for the Three Wise Monkeys.
Let’s strike poses with our hands to match the Three Monkeys—see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
When the cues are called—see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil—use your hands to cover your eyes, ears, or mouth.
If you call out “see no evil” but then cover your ears as a trick, it livens things up.
You can also increase the difficulty by, for example, adding a single clap when “see no evil” is called.
As older adults get used to it, gradually raise the difficulty and encourage them to keep challenging themselves.
Close It, Open It
Musunde Hiraite is a hand-play song where you make a fist or open your hand in time with the lyrics.
Because the tempo is slow, even those who aren’t used to hand-play can try it easily.
In addition to the usual version where you match your movements to the lyrics, adding a few twists is also recommended.
For example, you can do movements opposite to the lyrics, or, along with making fists and opening your hands, extend and pull back your arms, raise them up and lower them, and so on.
Just adding a bit of variation to the standard mode gives the brain extra stimulation and helps activate it.
[Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended for Dementia Prevention! Hand-Play Recreation (21–30)
Goo-Paa Exercise
Let’s try some brain training with exercises that use the rock-paper-scissors “rock” (guu) and “paper” (paa) hand shapes.
You can do this while seated, so it’s safe for older adults as well.
The routine starts by having the right and left hands perform the same movement on each beat.
Next, alternate “rock” and “paper” between the right and left hands.
Then, in addition to switching between “rock” and “paper,” make it more complex by changing hand positions—one hand reaches forward while the other goes above the head.
Consciously moving the hands and fingers in this way activates the brain and can help prevent cognitive decline.