[For Seniors] Recommended Rhythm Play and Exercises
In this article, we introduce recommended rhythm games and exercises for older adults!
When people hear “exercise,” they might imagine something intense and feel it’s not for them.
Rhythm exercises involve moving your body to music, so you can use your whole body to keep the beat, or simply clap along while seated—both are great options!
Start by getting into the rhythm.
It’s important to do exercises without overexerting yourself, so prioritize what feels “fun” and try them casually at your own pace.
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- [For Seniors] Hand and finger play roundup: Finger exercises that lead to brain training
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- Energetic and Lively! Sing-and-Exercise Program for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- For seniors: Enjoyable stick exercises. Easy workouts.
- [For Seniors] Let's Enjoy Exercising with a Towel!
- [For Seniors] Let's try customizing the usual Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra exercises!
[For Seniors] Recommended Rhythm Activities and Exercises (101–110)
Arms and legs torn apart, Hello there, little turtle
This is a movement song exercise where you move your arms and legs big and separately to the tune of “Moshimo Shikameyo.” You can do it while sitting in a chair, and it looks easy at first glance, but unless you really use both your head and body, it’s surprisingly tricky! Step your feet to the speed of the music, while your hands repeat clapping with your arms stretched forward, clapping with your arms spread to the sides, and clapping with your arms thrust up overhead.
If you don’t keep the order—front, side, up—in mind, you’ll lose track of which direction your hands should go midway.
At first, guide everyone with the call, “Front, side, up!” and once you get used to it, try singing along and have fun!
Brain-training game you play while singing
Let me introduce a fun game that lets you train your brain while singing nostalgic songs.
Songs that include fruit names like mikan (mandarin) or apples are simple and easy to remember, so they’re a great choice.
By recalling and singing the lyrics, you naturally engage your brain.
If it’s a tune you’ve known for years, you’ll probably enjoy it even more.
It’s also nice to move your body to the music or clap along.
Getting into the rhythm and singing together helps deepen communication.
Why not cherish the fun feeling and start casually, without pushing yourself?
Ball juggling in time with the song
Passing a ball to the rhythm of a song is fun, isn’t it? If you pass the ball around to songs everyone can sing—like children’s songs or enka—you naturally catch the beat and smiles spread all around.
With a slow-tempo song, you can hold the ball firmly and hand it to the person next to you; with a faster tempo, you might get a little flustered, but that’s part of the fun, too.
Passing the ball while humming along gives your fingers a workout and also serves as brain training as you recall the lyrics.
Everyone can sit in a circle and enjoy the activity together in a friendly, cheerful atmosphere.
Pass the ball to the song
How about “Passing the Ball to the Song” as a sing-along activity to liven up your facility? While seated, participants can clap their hands or tap their feet, incorporating light aerobic exercise so they can move their bodies while having fun! Everyone sings “Tonarigumi,” a popular song from the early Showa era and familiar from The Drifters, while passing a ball in order.
Whoever is holding the ball at the end of the first verse faces a ‘punishment game’: they have to say what they had for lunch yesterday.
You can freely customize the punishment! It’s a recommended sing-along activity that combines brain training and exercise.
Rhythmic exercises with pop songs
Rhythm exercises set to kayōkyoku can be a fun activity for older adults.
How about moving your body to nostalgic songs like Hibari Misora’s “Makkana Taiyō” or Michiko Namiki’s “Aoi Sanmyaku”? Their bright vocals and uplifting lyrics can give you energy.
Even just clapping along to the music or stepping in place slowly is more than enough.
The key is to enjoy yourself without overdoing it, so move within your comfort level.
Doing exercises while listening to music naturally brings a smile to your face and lifts your mood.
If everyone sings and dances together, the fun doubles!
[For Seniors] Recommended Rhythm Activities and Exercises (111–120)
Finger exercises with kayōkyoku (Japanese pop songs)
Finger exercises with kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs) sound fun, don’t they? Even just moving your fingers while listening to nostalgic tunes can be a great way to refresh yourself.
For example, with “Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni,” I recommend opening and closing your fingers in time with the song’s gentle rhythm.
As you recall the lyrics of Hibari Misora’s “Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni,” slowly move your fingers.
If you slowly open and close your fingers during the parts with the word “nagare” (to flow), the exercise feels especially pleasant.
Take it easy and enjoy it at your own pace.
Touch to the music
This exercise has participants alternate between clapping and touching parts of their body in time with a song.
By giving the instruction for which body part to touch right before each move, you effectively activate the brain as it plans the next action.
If you direct them to touch areas farther from the clapping position, it can also help them focus more on full-body movement.
You can gradually increase the tempo of the music to encourage quicker physical responses, and by making the combinations more complex—such as using one hand versus both hands—you can further enhance the brain-training effect.
