[March Health Topic] Introducing Recreational Activities for Seniors!
March is the season when we start to feel the arrival of spring little by little.
Fresh greenery and flowers begin to bloom bit by bit, making us want to go outside.
However, older adults who spent the winter indoors may feel a lack of exercise, find themselves unable to do things they used to, or in the worst case, experience falls.
This time, we’ve put together caregiving recreation ideas themed around March!
With events like Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) and graduation ceremonies, it can be a time of many farewells.
There are also exercises inspired by songs related to graduation!
Even if you’re worried about going outside all of a sudden, everything here can be done indoors, so please enjoy and give them a try!
- [For Seniors] March-Themed Event Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun Spring Recreational Activities: A Collection of Games and Play Ideas
- [For Seniors] Activities to Enjoy March: Games, Crafts, Music, and Snack Recreation
- [For Seniors] Haiku for March: Enjoying a Spring Moment with Famous Verses
- [For Seniors] Crafts to Make in March! Recommended Project Ideas
- [For Seniors] Core Training: Recommended Simple Rehabilitation
- [For Seniors] Spring Haiku. Spring Activity
- [For Seniors] Introducing Whiteboard Activities That Liven Up Spring!
- For Seniors: Games and Recreational Activities to Enjoy in April
- [For Seniors] Making a March Calendar: Introducing Spring-Themed Motifs and Arrangements
- [For Seniors] Spring Songs You'll Want to Hum: Feel the Season with Nostalgic Classics
- [Elderly] Feel the Arrival of Spring with Snack Activities! Recommended Menus for March
- [For Seniors] Enjoy a Warm Spring! April Health Topics Roundup
[March Health Topic] Introducing Recreational Activities for Seniors! (71–80)
Quick brain training, “Ready, set!” game

Here’s a simple brain-training game you can do while seated, with no prior preparation.
Pair up in twos.
When one person calls out a number—like “Ready, five!”—both of you raise your hands or feet.
If the total number of raised hands and feet matches the number that was called, you’re correct.
You can make it more game-like by intentionally raising more hands or feet to throw off your partner’s guess, and enjoy training your brain as you play.
It also helps to create a cheerful atmosphere where mistakes lead to laughter.
Since raising hands and feet doubles as light exercise, try it together with older adults.
Paper cup drop

Here’s a game using paper cups.
Line up the paper cups in a row.
Use the lined-up cups as targets and have older adults throw a ball at them from a short distance away.
Depending on where you set up the cups, the goal is to throw the ball so that the cups tip over or fall to the floor.
Even if they don’t hit the cups perfectly, it’s likely to spark laughter and provide a nice change of pace.
It can also encourage conversation with others and help expand social interaction among older adults.
Paper cups are sold at 100-yen shops, so preparation is easy.
Matching game

This is a game where you look at the pictures drawn on the bottoms of arranged paper cups and find and match the ones with the same picture.
By searching for matching pictures, you can train concentration, and by quickly stacking the paper cups, you can also encourage awareness of hand movements.
It’s also important to decide what kind of pictures to draw; for example, limiting them to a spring theme lets players enjoy the game visually as well.
Adding trick elements, such as pictures that look similar but are slightly different, is recommended, as it helps players focus even more on their hands.
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-pulling-with-your-feet game

Here’s a game that gets you moving your feet while having fun and training at the same time.
Have older adults sit in a chair and pull a sheet of newspaper with their feet.
They can pull it with one foot or with both feet together.
You can also have two older adults sit facing each other at a distance and compete—it should be fun.
Besides providing leg exercise, it’s likely to increase interaction among older adults and bring more smiles.
It can also help with a change of pace and stress relief.
Please give it a try.


