[May Health Topic] Introducing recreational activities for seniors!
May is a month full of seasonal events, such as Children’s Day and Mother’s Day.
The weather becomes milder and more comfortable, making it easier for older adults to stay active.
With that in mind, this time we’re introducing easy, enjoyable recreational activities for seniors.
By incorporating crafts and songs unique to May, you can create an atmosphere where participants feel the season while having fun.
Everything is simple to try, so please enjoy participating together with the older adults around you.
- [For Seniors] Enjoy May! Recommended Recreational Activities and Games
- [For Seniors] Recommended Events for May: A Roundup of Ideas That Get Everyone Engaged
- [For Seniors] Introducing May-themed Origami!
- [For Seniors] May Calendar Craft: Motifs that color May, such as Children's Day (Tango no Sekku), Mother's Day, and seasonal flowers
- [For Seniors] May-Themed Wall Decoration Ideas Full of Seasonal Flair
- [Sports] Recreational games using a ball [Play]
- [For Seniors] Liven Up Cherry-Blossom Viewing! Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Enjoy May: A Collection of Seasonal Craft and Wall Decoration Ideas
- For Seniors: Snacks to Make in May That Capture the Season
- [For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: A Roundup of May Craft Ideas
- With upbeat rhythm routines! Music therapy for seniors
- [For Seniors] Recommended Recreational Activities for Mother's Day
[May Health Topic] Introducing Recreational Activities for Seniors! (71–80)
Stick Catch
We all want to stay healthy and live long, don’t we? Try using a newspaper-stick catch game as a way to help prevent the need for care.
Divide older adults into pairs and have them sit facing each other in chairs.
One person throws a stick made from rolled-up newspaper with one hand to their partner, who catches it with one hand as well.
In the actions of throwing and catching, it’s important to see how well the pair can synchronize with each other! Why not try this recreation activity, which lets you enjoy communication while addressing lack of exercise and working on care prevention?
Mother’s Day Exercise
In honor of Mother’s Day, we’re introducing Mother’s Day exercises that use the body and mouth.
In the body exercise, you use your hands and feet to form the characters for “Mother’s Day.” It can be done while seated, making it easy to try.
In the oral exercise, say the words “Mother’s Day” while opening your mouth wide to work the muscles around the mouth.
By placing your hand on your abdomen as you speak, you can focus on your breathing as well, which provides a healthy stimulus.
Please give it a try!
bubble foot bath
Here’s a foam foot bath you can do at the bedside.
It cleans effectively and can also help you relax.
Put some body soap, etc., into a plastic bag and whip it up to make foam.
Place one foot into the foamy bag and wash it as if giving a massage.
When you’re done, wipe off the foam with a wet towel, then dry thoroughly with a dry towel—that’s it.
It’s especially useful on days when taking a bath is difficult, so give this foam foot bath a try.
Applying a moisturizer at the end can also help prevent dryness.
Intense Balloon Volleyball
It’s the same as balloon volleyball in that you keep the rally going without letting the balloon drop, but the only change is the number of balloons.
Since you’ll be chasing two balloons, not only your striking motion but also your concentration and dynamic vision will be tested.
A key point is that the balloons won’t necessarily be in the same place—when they fly apart, you’ll follow them with your head and gaze, so your body will likely loosen up as the game goes on.
As the number of balloons increases, the game becomes more intense and demands greater concentration, so start with a small number and gradually work your way up.
ball toss (traditional Japanese beanbag/ball-throwing game)
Tamaire, the ball-toss game often seen at school sports festivals.
Some older adults may have taken part in sports days and played tamaire in the past.
Here’s a perfect tamaire activity for a warm April day to get the body moving.
Because it’s a familiar game, it can help older adults refresh their mood and relieve stress.
Have participants sit in chairs and place a basket in the center.
Prepare red, white, and other colored balls, and have the participants throw them into the basket.
The person who gets the most balls in the basket wins.
Throwing with the arms and shoulders also provides upper-body exercise.
Ball Grabbing Game
Let’s play a game where you grab balls using newspaper.
All the tools used in the game are made from newspaper.
Make the balls by crumpling newspaper into a sphere, and make the grabbing sticks out of newspaper as well.
You can create everything you need for the game using everyday materials.
Place several balls inside a circle, grab them with the stick, and put them into a basket.
If you set a time limit, the game gets more exciting.
Forming teams and competing for the best time will make it even more fun.
Rice Planting Game
Around May, it’s the season when rice planting becomes more common.
If you live near rice paddies, you can enjoy the sight of fields turning green with newly planted rice.
Let’s bring that scenery to life with a rice-planting game designed for seniors.
These days, rice planting is usually done with machines.
However, in this game, players “plant” felt pieces instead of rice seedlings by hand.
Prepare a cardboard board with round holes cut out to represent the rice field.
The person who plants the most felt “rice” into the holes wins.
Playing this rice-planting game may help some seniors recall their memories of planting rice in the past.