[For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated

Newspaper ball rolling relay

Two-person teamwork, everyone teamwork: 'Newspaper Ball Rolling Relay'

For seniors, we recommend a simple seated recreation activity called the Newspaper Ball Rolling Relay! Even those who find it difficult to stand or walk due to weak legs can enjoy it using their arms while staying seated.

Making it a team competition is sure to make it even more exciting.

The Newspaper Ball Rolling Relay is a game where you use newspapers to roll a ball along in a relay.

First, participants sit facing each other and hold the ends of a sheet of newspaper.

Then, they roll the ball onto the next person’s newspaper, and finally into a basket to finish.

You can use various items for the ball—such as a regular ball, beanbags, or a beach ball.

Through this game, everyone can cooperate, have fun together, and deepen social connections.

Using the hands and arms also helps reduce lack of exercise.

Please consider incorporating it into activities at nursing homes or day service centers.

It’s a fun way to play while strengthening bonds with friends.

Great for recreation too! Train your core and fingertips with a newspaper tower

Recreation for seniors: ultra-easy core training and balance boost! Newspaper Tower

This is a newspaper-tube tower that lets you train your core while playing! The rules are super simple: just stack triangular tubes made by folding newspaper.

Starting by placing them on the floor while seated helps strengthen your core muscles, and straightening your back to stack them higher helps build your back muscles and improve posture.

Set the goal according to your condition—for example, up to where your hands can reach, or, if you can stand, up to the height you can stack while standing.

It’s also fun to time yourselves and race with everyone!

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yuri

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Newspaper scooping

[Elderly Care] Senior Recreation: Newspaper Scoop!

Let me introduce “newspaper scooping,” where you scoop up cut pieces of newspaper with chopsticks! First, cut the newspaper into small pieces.

Then use chopsticks to scoop up the tiny pieces and place them into a container.

Because you’re using tools, it also serves as fine motor exercise.

If you set a time limit and have everyone do it together, it adds a bit of tension and makes it more fun.

Cheering each other on with things like “So close!” will make it even more exciting.

Since you’ll be using scissors to cut the newspaper, be careful to avoid injuries.

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Kawamura Mina

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Great for recreation, too! Newspaper-pulling exercise

Recreation for Seniors: Super Fun, Prevents Falls, Relieves Constipation, and Perfect for Leg Exercises! 7 Newspaper Pull-Out Activities

This is a fun exercise you can do while seated, using newspaper.

First, connect several sheets of newspaper into a long strip and place it at your feet.

At the start signal, pull it backward.

Through the movement of shifting the newspaper, you strengthen the muscles used to press down with your feet and to move them back and forth.

Another key tip—and a training opportunity—is to focus on using your toes to grasp the newspaper.

If you make it a race and focus on speed, it should also help improve explosive power.

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kappamaki

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Ghost Scooping Game

Ghost Scooping Game - Day Service Recreation

Here’s a game that treats plastic bags like little ghosts.

Have older adults sit in chairs and use a stick made from newspaper to scoop up plastic bags placed on the floor.

Then have them place the scooped bags into a bowl set on the chair.

This game helps strengthen the biceps on the front of the upper arm.

It’s perfect for people who find it difficult to bring food to their mouth with a spoon, too.

Since it uses familiar items, it’s easy to do in short breaks.

Because they’re “ghosts,” it could be fun to add eyes and a mouth to the plastic bags.

It’s also great as a Halloween-season activity.

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Nakajima Junko

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