[For Seniors] Handmade Sugoroku Ideas: Enjoy Exercise and Brain Training While Playing!

Arrangement Sugoroku

[Elderly Recreation] Rec-Craftsman Series Part 174: “Arranged Sugoroku”

How about creating a sugoroku game that isn’t just about moving along squares, but adds a little something extra? In the end, what determines the player’s fate is the square they land on.

So, let’s add various gimmicks to those squares.

For example, land on a green square and “sing a song,” on a red square try a “tongue twister,” and on a yellow square do an “impression.” Just hearing about this quirky sugoroku game—where you follow the instructions of the square you stop on—sounds fun, doesn’t it? It also gives the brain a good workout, making it great for seniors’ mental exercises.

And don’t forget the classic sugoroku squares like “go back one space” and “return to start!”

Life Sugoroku Game

Here is the proposal: Finally completed! “Life Sugoroku Game”

How about creating an original Life Game-style sugoroku? To make it fun for everyone, you can enlarge the spaces, and if you’re making it with a large group at a day service, you can divide up tasks like coloring and decorating to make it more elaborate.

You can also incorporate the names of real towns—there are plenty of ways to add originality.

If familiar buildings or shops appear in the game, it’s sure to get everyone excited!

Brain-training Sugoroku

Milk Carton Brain-Training Sugoroku

We all want to keep our brains youthful forever, don’t we? So let’s make a “Brain Training Sugoroku” and energize our brains together.

On the sugoroku board, we’ll assign hand-play and rehab activities like “Telephone Kame yo,” “Rock-Paper-Scissors ×3,” “Ears, nose, clap three times,” and “Open-close hands, finger counting ×10.” By making it a sugoroku-style game, I think it will add a different kind of fun compared to silently doing training on your own!

Gymnastics Sugoroku

[Senior Recreation] Works for Groups Too! Break the Monotony of Routine Exercises with a Simple Twist! Senior Exercises Using Sugoroku [Day Service Recreation / Group Activities]

Many of you might be feeling a bit reluctant to move your body these days.

That’s where “Exercise Sugoroku” can make things fun.

Turn your daily, slightly dreaded workout time into an enjoyable activity using a sugoroku-style board game.

Assign exercise tasks to each square, like “10 reps with a 1 kg dumbbell,” “stretch your Achilles tendon,” or “10 squats.” Spots like “deep breathing” and “break” scattered throughout will add excitement.

If everyone keeps at it together, even simple exercises can become a really fun time! I highly recommend Exercise Sugoroku.

Sugoroku board game for nursing care

[New Year Recreation] Sugoroku Game! Let’s all enjoy New Year’s activities together! [Elderly Care Recreation]

When it comes to sugoroku, many people imagine a game that’s confined to the tabletop, but with a bit of creativity in the squares, you can expand it beyond the table.

How about adding body-related prompts like “Do some stretches, then move forward” or “Take a deep breath and skip one turn,” so players can enjoy sugoroku while being active? Players tend to hunch over when focusing on the game, so this also helps counteract that posture.

It could also be fun to use it as an introduction to the next activity—for example, by writing mini-games in certain squares to transition into the next game.

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Survival Sugoroku Game

I made something like this: a “Survival Sugoroku Game.”

The key word that captures the appeal of Kaiji and Squid Game is, plainly put, “survival.” So let’s get excited with a “survival sugoroku” that lets you feel the thrill of whether you can keep playing until the end! Create a simplified sugoroku board with about 7–10 spaces, and start the game with multiple pieces per player.

Add a special face to the die that says “Lose one piece.” If you roll that face, one of your pieces is removed from the game.

No matter how far in the lead you are, it’s over if you roll that face—so it’s more thrilling than regular sugoroku! It also sounds fun to make your own house rules and have seniors compete in team matches.

Rehabilitation Sugoroku

[Preventive Care #4] Exciting! Rehabilitation Sugoroku!

Modern exercise bikes come with monitors that display seaside views or scenes from cities overseas.

That makes training more enjoyable, doesn’t it? So, let’s create a “Rehab Sugoroku” that combines rehabilitation with the board game Sugoroku.

We can sprinkle rehabilitation tasks suitable for older adults onto the game squares, such as “say a tongue twister,” “have a finger-wrestling match,” or “do 10 high-knee lifts.” This way, you can enjoy rehab while playing Sugoroku!