[For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
We want to spend time filled with fun and smiles! With that in mind, we’re excited to introduce a variety of cleverly designed recreational activities.
From nostalgic games that get large groups buzzing to handmade games and snack-time activities, we’ve gathered options seniors can enjoy together.
These activities help build concentration while moving the body and spark lively conversation.
If everyone takes on the challenge together, you’re sure to make wonderful memories.
Be sure to incorporate them into your daily recreation!
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Team Recreation (11–20)
Plastic bottle stand relay
It’s a game where you use a tool like a fishing rod to stand up fallen plastic bottles, and making it a relay format encourages players to focus more on speed.
The fishing rod is made by connecting a long, rolled-up newspaper stick and a rubber band with a string.
The idea is to control this unstable tool skillfully to lift the bottles upright.
Thinking about how to move the stick so it can hook onto the bottle not only helps with strength control but also improves concentration.
Another key point is the relay flow, which prompts players to be conscious of speed as they pass the turn to the next person.
Newspaper ball rolling relay
This is a recreation activity where you compete to see how fast you can roll a ball placed on a sheet of newspaper.
It’s suitable for small to large groups, so it’s also recommended for situations where you want to promote interaction among older adults.
Arrange chairs facing each other in alternating rows, and have two people hold the ends of a sheet of newspaper.
Roll the ball you’re given onto the next person’s newspaper, and if it makes it into the basket, that’s a goal.
You can enjoy variety by rolling different types of balls, such as a regular ball, beanbags, or a beach ball.
Give this event a try to experience the fun and sense of unity that comes from doing an activity together.
Dropping Colored Balls
We would like to introduce a color ball drop activity for pairs.
Have two older adults sit facing each other, each holding two sticks by their tips.
Place baskets labeled with colors between them.
Roll balls along the sticks and drop each ball into the basket with the matching color label.
This game emphasizes cooperation between the two participants.
Encourage them to communicate and synchronize their movements.
It’s a fun activity that can spark conversation and help expand social connections.
Newspaper Ball Rolling Game
The “Newspaper Ball Rolling Game” uses newspaper sheets to pass balls along! Within each team, members split into pairs; each pair holds the ends of a sheet of newspaper and transfers the ball onto the neighboring pair’s newspaper.
The final pair places the ball into a box, and the team that gets all their balls into the box first wins! Handling thin newspaper is trickier than you might expect.
Even older adults will likely enjoy the challenge, saying things like, “It just won’t do what I want!” The difficulty also changes with the type of ball, so it’s a great idea to prepare various balls of different sizes and weights.
Team Recreation (21–30)
High-five relay
@wakuwaku_idea No equipment needed! Super easy, quick, and fun! High-Five Relay#SeniorActivitiesInterestingTranslationrelay
♪ Original song – Idea Wakuwaku Rehabilitation – Idea Wakuwaku Rehabilitation
It’s a game where you pass along high-fives to the next person, aiming to reach the final teammate before the opposing team does.
After doing five high-fives with the next person, you move on to the following one, so the speed of your arm movements is put to the test.
However, even if one side is fast, it won’t count as a high-five unless the hands meet, so a sense of cooperation is also crucial.
It might be important not to focus too much on clearing the game, but to share the fun of high-fiving as well.
Telephone game
This is a game where you pass a given word along to the next person in order, aiming to convey the original word accurately all the way to the end.
Because how people hear things can vary, make sure to pronounce clearly while also focusing closely on the sounds when you listen.
The goal is accurate transmission, but even if mistakes happen, it’s fun to analyze how the message drifted.
It’s also recommended to add twists to the prompts, such as deliberately choosing words that are easy to confuse with others or giving them unusual endings.
Sukiyaki rock-paper-scissors
Hearty sukiyaki with plenty of meat is a favorite even among many seniors! This is a game where you collect sukiyaki ingredients by playing rock-paper-scissors.
Split into teams and play; the winner draws a card with a sukiyaki ingredient on it.
The first team to win rock-paper-scissors and collect all the specified ingredients wins! Deciding which ingredients to include and drawing the pictures together also works as brain training and makes it even more fun for everyone.
