[For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
Even for older adults who find it difficult to move their bodies vigorously, they may find it easier to join in if the recreation can be enjoyed while seated.
In fact, there are plenty of games with simple rules that can really liven things up.
From activities using familiar materials to ones that include brain-training elements, we’ll introduce games that, with a bit of creativity, can bring smiles to everyone.
Using your hands and engaging your mind not only makes the activities fun, but also contributes to better health.
Doing them together with others fosters communication and can give life added meaning.
Please enjoy a fun time with easy, seated games.
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [For Seniors] Enjoy safely even during the COVID-19 pandemic: Seated activities
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Seated Activities You Can Do
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
- [For Seniors] Exciting Team-Based Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun Winter Activities: Recreation and Games
- [For Seniors] Fun Even Without Sight! Recreation Ideas
- [For Seniors] Recommended Handmade Activities! Simple Ideas
Balloon, beanbag, and ball play (1–10)
Beanbag Catch Relay
Using beanbags and a bucket, here’s a beanbag catch relay.
Have the older adults sit in chairs in a single line.
Give the bucket to the person at one end, and have each person catch the beanbag that comes their way using the bucket.
After catching the beanbag, pass the bucket to the next person.
Catching the beanbag that flies toward you is said to help train reflexes.
Even while seated, you’ll be moving your body, so you can do brain training and exercise at the same time.
Once everyone gets used to it, gradually adjust the difficulty by increasing the throwing speed of the beanbags.
It really livens things up, and attempting tasks that feel a bit challenging is also said to help activate the brain.
Balloon, beanbag, and ball games (11–20)
Recreation that stimulates cognitive function using a ball
Recreation using balls is recommended for dementia prevention because it activates both mental and physical functions.
This time, we’re focusing on ball-based recreation that is particularly effective for dementia.
Participants sit in a circle and pass the ball to the person next to them, changing directions—clockwise or counterclockwise—and adjusting according to the ball’s size.
By doing this, older adults have to think as they play, which helps strengthen both mind and body.
Additionally, switching to the opposite direction provides beneficial stimulation to the brain.
ball catcher
This is a game where you use a stick with a paper cup attached to the tip to collect balls lined up on a table.
There are also walls on the left and right sides of the table, so make good use of them to smoothly collect the balls.
A face-to-face match across the table is recommended, and trying to collect more balls than your opponent within a time limit tends to increase the speed of movement.
The longer the stick, the harder it is to handle, so once players get used to it, it’s also recommended to add variations such as changing the distance.
Ball Large-Circle Exercise
Here’s a ball exercise that makes overhead movements in daily life easier.
It can help with activities like getting dressed or washing your body in the bath.
Hold a ball and rotate it near your face in the direction that feels easiest.
As you do this, raise your opposite arm so it becomes horizontal.
Of course, if raising your arm is difficult, you can keep it as it is.
Try switching the direction of the rotation, and alternate the hand that rotates the ball between right and left.
It’s an easy exercise to do, so give it a try!
Beanbag Tower
When you think of otedama (beanbags), many people probably imagine juggling two or three of them without dropping any.
But with a bit of creativity, there are plenty of games you can play using otedama.
Try stacking them to make a tower.
Start by placing a paper cup upside down as the base, then stack the beanbags on top.
Using the paper cup helps you focus on balance so the beanbags don’t topple over—this is the key point.
Concentrating on the activity can help older adults refresh their minds, too.
And if you use light beanbags, it’s safe even if the stack loses balance and falls.