[Elderly Care Facilities] Let’s Have Fun Together! Exciting Sports Day Events
In senior facilities such as day-service centers, isn’t it common to hold sports days on a regular basis?
Along with everyday recreational activities, try incorporating events that feel like a traditional sports day!
In this article, we introduce familiar sports day events with ideas tailored to the physical and mental conditions of older adults.
Some ideas can even be enjoyed while seated, making them accessible to many seniors.
Use this article as a guide to create a sports day that everyone can enjoy together.
- [For Seniors] A Fun Sports Day! Recreational Activities You Can Do Safely
- [Nursing Home] Recommended for Sports Day! Lively Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Exciting Team-Based Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Have Fun! A Collection of Group Game Recreation Ideas
- [For Seniors] Refresh Your Mood! Lively, Get-Moving Games
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- Recommended Events for a Sports Day at Day Service Centers for the Elderly
- [For Seniors] Add Enjoyment to Everyday Life: A Compilation of Activity Care Plans
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
- Liven up the Respect-for-the-Aged gathering: A roundup of recreational activities everyone can enjoy.
[Elderly Care Facilities] Let's Have Fun Together! Lively Sports Day Events (111–120)
Marble Shoot
How about a nostalgic marble game? Set up a long table and build walls at both ends so the marbles don’t fall off.
Create a tunnel out of construction paper and place it at one end, then have participants roll marbles from the opposite side, aiming to send them through the tunnel.
You can vary the rules—specify the number of marbles, or see how many can pass through within a time limit—to keep things fun.
Along with trying a new twist on the game, it might spark conversations like, “This is how we played when we were kids.” Give it a try!
Push Pump Tower
This is a game where you use push pumps that release air when pressed to move a balloon to its destination.
First, set up several push pumps under a large tube to create a structure that blows air upward.
Put the balloon into the tube, and when the start signal is given, everyone keeps pumping air until the balloon shoots up out of the tube.
The longer the tube, the harder it is to launch the balloon, so it’s recommended to adjust the tube length and the number of participants according to your group’s abilities.
Gift-stuffing game
This is a game where players compete to see how many presents they can stuff into their own bag within a time limit, taking them from a table.
When pushing the presents in, they should use force while still being careful not to tear the bag—encouraging awareness of strength control.
To keep players from focusing only on the simple act of stuffing, it’s recommended to make the presents colorful so the visuals are enjoyable too.
If you randomize the sizes and shapes of the presents, you can also add an element of judgment in choosing which ones to put in the bag.
Plastic Bottle Bowling
Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, bowling was hugely popular in Japan.
It’s said there were more than 3,500 bowling alleys nationwide, and bowling TV programs were very well received.
Let’s enjoy a bowling game that’s sure to spark nostalgic conversation.
Line up several plastic bottles on a table and have older adults roll a ball at them.
Since it’s a seated bowling activity, it’s suitable for people who have difficulty standing or who use wheelchairs.
With calls like “So close!” and “Strike!” the room is sure to take on a warm, friendly atmosphere.
Recreation that stimulates cognitive function using a ball
Recreation using balls is recommended for dementia prevention because it activates both mental and physical functions.
This time, we’re focusing on ball-based recreation that is particularly effective for dementia.
Participants sit in a circle and pass the ball to the person next to them, changing directions—clockwise or counterclockwise—and adjusting according to the ball’s size.
By doing this, older adults have to think as they play, which helps strengthen both mind and body.
Additionally, switching to the opposite direction provides beneficial stimulation to the brain.
Roll the ball game
The Roll-the-Ball Game is a simple, tabletop recreation you can enjoy easily.
You place a frame on the desk, put a ball inside it, and pull the ball using a string.
It’s played one-on-one, and because you can do it while seated, it’s easy on the body.
As you pull the ball, you wind the string around and around, which can help develop fine motor skills.
It’s also a bit thrilling, since you’re disqualified if the ball leaves the frame.
The key is to pull the ball without letting it slip out of the frame.
Thinking about how to pull the ball effectively can also help improve both mental and physical functions.
Ball-Picking Game
When April comes, the weather becomes mild and there are more pleasantly warm days, don’t you think? It’s also a time when it’s easier to move your body, so why not have some fun with a simple game? Here’s a ball-collecting game that uses lots of balls.
Roll many balls across a table toward older adults seated in chairs.
The seated participants holding containers will pick up the balls as they roll toward them.
Since it can be done while seated, it’s accessible for those who have difficulty standing or for older adults who use wheelchairs.