[For Seniors] Recommended for older adults: enjoyable recreational activities
In this article, we introduce enjoyable recreation activities recommended for seniors.
You may want to freely enjoy using both body and mind.
Even so, many people end up thinking it’s impossible and give up.
Even for recreational activities that you might picture doing outdoors, with a bit of tweaking you can do them indoors.
We’ve also gathered activities that stimulate the brain and ones everyone can enjoy together.
Have fun while supporting functional recovery—use this as a reference!
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- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
[For Seniors] Recommended for elderly people. Enjoyable Recreational Activities (151–160)
Balloon Relay
Here’s a balloon relay that’s great for sports days and other events.
Place an inflated balloon on top of a baton and run a relay.
While holding the baton with the balloon on it, walk carefully and pass the baton to the next person without letting the balloon fall.
The balloon wobbles lightly on top of the baton, so although it looks easy, it’s actually a tricky game.
Dividing into several teams can make it even more fun.
Since participants call out to each other and cooperate, it can also spark communication.
Even if the balloon drops, don’t panic—just keep at it and enjoy!
Balloon Baseball Game
It’s a game where you swing a stick vigorously to send a balloon flying as far as possible.
What you aim the balloon at also matters—there are various rule sets, such as aiming for a target or trying to clear obstacles.
It’s a game that can train many parts of the body in the instant of the swing: grip strength on the stick, awareness of transferring power to the balloon, and twisting movements of the body.
To make the balloon fly in the intended direction, it’s important to keep your eyes on it, so it can also help improve concentration.
Let’s look for some fish and try catching them!
The fish-finding game played as a recreation activity for older adults is always a big hit.
It’s easy to enjoy not only for those who love fishing, but also for complete beginners.
The game involves placing various fish on a table and catching them with a rod.
A staff member calls out the name of a fish on the table, and the older adults look for it.
Because it requires split-second decisions, it helps develop their powers of observation.
Through this game, older adults can learn fish names, and it also serves as brain training, so it’s highly recommended.
fishing
While enjoying a game of “fishing,” let’s train the brain as well as the hands and arms.
It’s a great game for busy staff, and you can prepare it easily with paper cups, newspaper, and disposable chopsticks.
Draw fish, octopuses, and other sea creatures on several paper cups—the more cups you have, the more fun it becomes.
Steps like tearing newspaper and making a fishing rod with chopsticks use your fingertips, right? Since many nerves connected to the brain are concentrated in the hands, they’re sometimes called the “second brain.” Using your hands and fingers stimulates and activates the brain.
Reeling in catches also provides exercise for the hands and arms.
Be sure to try fishing with your non-dominant hand as well!
karuta (traditional Japanese playing cards)
How about making a karuta game using songs that older adults know? Like in this video, write the lyrics on the reading cards and sing them, and put the song titles on the grabbing cards.
Remembering the title from the lyrics or melody can serve as brain training.
Another recommendation is that when a familiar song comes up, it naturally sparks conversation as people share the memories connected to it.
Shiritori
Shiritori is a classic game for seniors too, isn’t it? In this video, we introduce a way to make shiritori even more fun by adding a simple twist to the rules.
All you need is a sheet of paper with a grid; by filling the squares with words from the game, it naturally sparks all kinds of communication.
Why not give it a try yourselves?
[For Seniors] Recommended for the elderly: Enjoyable Recreational Activities (161–170)
Shake and shoot
“Shaky Shoot” is a game where you shake a board to drop bottle caps.
It’s nice because you can join at your own pace.
Since it uses wrist and hand movements, it’s perfect for fine-motor recovery.
It also seems to train your sense of balance when you shake the board.
You compete on the number of caps, so it gives your brain a workout too.
Competing for wins and losses adds a sense of purpose.
While everyone has fun together, your hand-movement control will naturally improve.
It’s perfect for deepening connections as older adults can really get into it together.