[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 (21–30)
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.
Rock, paper, scissors
There’s a hand game where you repeat rock, scissors, paper.
It’s simple, but moving your fingers is said to help activate the brain.
Once you get used to it, try gradually speeding up or changing the order of rock, scissors, paper—for example, paper, rock, scissors.
You can also mix in claps while rearranging the sequence.
Adding claps not only makes the movements more complex, but also helps create a sense of rhythm.
Rock, paper, scissors in a cross
Crossed Rock-Paper-Scissors is a calisthenic exercise done with your hands crossed.
Instead of just doing rock-paper-scissors normally, you cross your hands, so it’s a workout for your brain, too.
It can be hard to do it perfectly on the first try.
By repeating it, your body will learn the movements.
There are also variations like tapping your feet while doing rock-paper-scissors, or adding hand claps, so give them a try.
They all require mental focus, so it feels like your brain gets a full workout.
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.
Under the big chestnut tree
Familiar nursery rhymes have a slow tempo, so you can enjoy exercising by moving your hands and arms to the rhythm.
This time it’s “Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree,” a song everyone probably danced to at least once in childhood.
Start at a slow tempo, and as you get used to it, gradually increase the speed.
Moving while paying attention to hand positions and sequences that match the song stimulates the brain and is effective as brain training.
And if you can move your hands while singing, it’s even more fun.
Where are you from?
Temari ball song themed around the exploits of a hunter, “Antagata Dokosa.” How about trying a hand play using this song? It’s not only great finger exercise, but singing while doing it can also help strengthen the muscles around the mouth.
The choreography is simple: on each “sa” in the lyrics, tap your knees or clap your hands.
Start slowly as you sing, then pick up the pace as you like.
Another charm of this hand play is that you can do it while seated.
Improve cold sensitivity! Exercises to make your fingers easier to move
Finger movements are essential for smooth daily living and also contribute to safety when holding objects.
This exercise focuses on consciously engaging finger movements to promote circulation and activate the brain.
The routine isn’t complicated: while paying close attention to which part of the hand you’re touching, rub one hand with the other.
By alternating which hand you touch, you can carefully check the sensations in both hands and connect that awareness to smoother, more coordinated movement.
