[For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory
Games are a form of recreation that let you move your body while having fun and stimulate the brain, helping to prevent dementia.
They’re widely used in many senior and welfare facilities.
This time, among the many types of games, we’ll introduce games and ideas that are especially effective for boosting memory.
As we age, it’s said that recalling things becomes more difficult.
Use the ideas here to strengthen the brain during your usual game activities!
Games also create opportunities for interaction—sparking conversations and helping older adults connect with one another.
By all means, make good use of memory-boosting games!
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- [For Seniors] Brain Training! Recall Quiz Collection!
- [For Seniors] Lively Wordplay Game: Fun Recreation for Elderly Care
- [For Seniors] Ideal for Dementia Prevention: Easy-to-Practice Reminiscence Therapy Topics
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [For Seniors] Today’s Recommended Activity: Fun and Engaging
- [For Seniors] Have Fun! A Collection of Group Game Recreation Ideas
- Recreation Activities Effective for Long-Term Care Prevention for Seniors
- For seniors: Fun, crowd-pleasing word association game ideas
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
[For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory (31–40)
Strawberry Quiz
When it comes to fruits that evoke spring, strawberries come to mind.
These days you can find them in supermarkets even in winter, but strawberries are originally in season in spring.
Because they’re sweet and often used in desserts, some older adults may be fond of them as well.
A quiz about strawberries—an iconic spring fruit that’s familiar to older adults—would likely get everyone excited.
Through the quiz, you’ll also have the chance to learn surprising facts about strawberries.
It can be a fun way for older adults to discover things they didn’t know about strawberries.
Enjoy a delightful time with a strawberry quiz!
Ojami Wobble Game
Many older adults have probably played otedama (beanbag juggling) before, right? Some may have even skillfully used their hands and fingers to juggle two or three beanbags in the air.
Let’s play a fun game that uses familiar otedama to work the fingertips.
Place a paper plate on top of a short piece of a cut plastic wrap or foil core.
Then, place the beanbags on the paper plate one by one.
Since the paper plate is unstable, it wobbles each time you add a beanbag, creating a thrilling, heart-pounding effect.
It seems like older adults can enjoy a bit of tension while engaging in the game.
By the way, “ojami” is what otedama is called in the Kansai region.
beanbags
Beanbags used in various games can feel subtly different depending on the fabric and the filling.
How about testing whether you can accurately identify them under such varying conditions? Because it’s something we casually use, you might find yourself picturing it but unable to recall its name.
It’s also fun to mix beanbags of different weights and textures on purpose, so the differences in feel make people hesitate over their answers.
fruit
Because fruit is sometimes sold as cut pieces and people tend to focus on flavor, we may not pay much attention to appearance or how it feels to the touch.
But can we tell what fruit it is just from the sensation of touching it? Since the texture varies greatly by type of fruit, the choice of which ones to use will likely affect both the accuracy rate and the reactions.
Most fruits basically feel smooth, so to introduce contrast, adding something like pineapple is recommended.
Kendama
The kendama’s unique shape, with the ball and handle connected by a string, seems like a promising hint.
Whether someone has handled one before, and how familiar they are with the toy, would likely affect the accuracy rate.
Since it’s hard to identify it from the feel of the wood alone, it might be better to touch and check the shape as you go.
If the shape and feel still don’t give it away, hints like “New Year,” “toy,” or playing with a ball might help some people figure it out.
[For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory (41–50)
stuffed animal
Plush toys with all sorts of textures—fluffy, silky, and puffy.
They usually look cute, but when you can’t see them, those textures can be tricky.
Not only are they soft; with pointy parts or thin sections, it’s hard to picture their exact shape.
Since there are plushies of many different characters, you could even turn it into a guessing game to figure out which one it is.
It’s easy to prepare and safe to do, so I recommend it.
Give it a try!
Hinamatsuri Spot-the-Difference Quiz
How about a spot-the-difference game that’s effective as brain training for seniors? Here’s a “Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) Spot-the-Difference” activity we recommend for March.
In spot-the-difference, you temporarily memorize the correct picture, right? By using that correct picture as a reference to find the differences, it’s said to be effective for training memory, observation, and concentration.
You can find spot-the-difference pictures online or prepare printed images—one of the nice things about this quiz is that it doesn’t require much effort.
Of course, you can also create a large spot-the-difference illustration in advance and put it up on a whiteboard or similar surface for everyone to enjoy.