[For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
Introducing fun seated recreational activities for older adults!
Even when you want to do exercises in nursing homes or day service centers, activities that are too intense or put strain on the legs and back can increase the risk of falls.
The activities we’re introducing this time are recommended because everyone can enjoy them while staying seated.
From exercises that move only the hands to games that engage the entire upper body, choose whatever looks fun from the many options available.
They’re even more exciting if you make them team competitions!
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[For Seniors] Easy and Fun Seated Activities You Can Do in Your Room (21–30)
Stacking beanbags
This is a game where you toss beanbags and try to land them on a target without dropping them.
Because it uses light items like beanbags, people with hemiplegia can also participate.
Have older adults sit in chairs some distance away from the target.
Aim for the target and throw the beanbags.
You can use an empty bucket or a trash can turned upside down as the target.
Each person throws three beanbags, and the one who lands the most beanbags on the target wins.
The rules are simple, but it should be exciting.
As everyone gets used to the game, try making the target smaller.
It increases the difficulty, but it’s still fun.
hanging towel
Let me introduce a unique game that uses towels.
Prepare towels about the size of a face towel.
Stand at a distance and throw the towels so they hook onto a target stick.
Each person throws three towels, and you compete to see who can get the most towels onto the stick.
Since you’re throwing towels that you normally use to wipe your face or hands, the unexpected twist makes it lively and fun.
You can also replace the stick with a basket and turn it into a game where you throw the towels into the basket.
It can be played while seated, so it should be easy for older adults to take part as well.
Paper cup: Don’t take the last one game
Let me introduce a fun game you can play with paper cups.
The rules are simple: place several paper cups on a table, and on your turn you may take up to three cups.
You can take one, two, or three cups.
The player who takes the very last cup on the table loses.
As the game nears the end, you’ll start carefully considering how many cups to take.
Who will be the one to pick up that final cup? It’s a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat paper cup game.
Paper cups are light, so you can hold them with one hand.
It’s a game that people with hemiparesis might also enjoy.
Foot Beanbag Bingo
One activity option for events and parties is a bingo game.
Many older adults are already familiar with bingo, aren’t they? While bingo is usually played on paper, this time we’ll introduce a version that uses the feet and beanbags.
Prepare nine paper plates or cups, and have the older adults use their feet to toss beanbags into them.
Use colored tape to group the plates or cups by color, and change the score based on where the beanbag lands.
For example, award 20 points if the beanbag lands in a plate or cup of the same color, and 10 points if it’s a different color.
Because they lift their legs to toss the beanbags, older adults can enjoy the game while also training their legs.
Showa Quiz
Showa Quiz is an effective way to stimulate the brains of older adults who lived through the Showa era.
By revisiting the quiz, they can reaffirm the events and trends of the years they experienced.
It enriches emotional reminiscence, strengthens memory, and creates opportunities for interaction with other visitors.
The feeling of nostalgia is said to bring various benefits to the brain, such as reducing stress, increasing happiness and helping maintain brain health, and fostering a more positive outlook toward one’s future self.
clothespin tree
Let me introduce the Clothespin Tree.
Gather some beanbags and secure them to a pair of chopsticks, then clip clothespins onto the chopsticks in alternating positions.
If the structure topples or the chopsticks break when adding a clothespin, you lose.
The action of opening and closing clothespins also stimulates the brain.
For gameplay, preparing clothespins in various colors is recommended—you’ll end up with a colorful tree that’s visually enjoyable.
It’s a fun activity using familiar materials, and once your Clothespin Tree is complete, displaying it as a decoration can also spark conversation.
Simple Darts
Simple Darts is a fun game idea you can make using a small whiteboard and magnets.
Draw a large circle on the whiteboard with a smaller circle in the center.
Divide the large circle into eight sections and assign points to each one.
The center circle should be the highest score: 100 points.
Wrap the magnets in any fabric you like.
The rules are simple: throw the magnets at the whiteboard and compete based on the score where they stick.
It’s sure to be exciting as either an individual or team game.
You can easily prepare it since whiteboards and magnets are available at 100-yen shops.
