![[For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/mVSxyS-d9RY/maxresdefault.webp)
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] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
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[For Seniors] Easy and Fun Seated Activities You Can Do in Your Room (1–10)
Paper Cup Relay
This is a simple relay-style game using paper cups and sticks.
Each team sits in a horizontal line, and everyone holds a stick.
A paper cup is placed on the tip of the stick, and players pass the cup onto the next person’s stick.
The cup is passed along in order; once it reaches the last person, it is passed back, and when it returns to the first person, the team finishes.
To pass the cup smoothly, players move their wrists and twist their bodies, so it feels like stretching while playing the game.
Since teams aim to finish faster than the others, a sense of speed is also important, and it can help improve concentration.
Paper Cup Shooting Game
Create a mechanism to launch a ball using everyday items and use it to play a target-shooting game.
Make a hole in the bottom of a paper cup and attach a piece of balloon rubber cut from a balloon over the hole.
With a ping-pong ball placed in the paper cup, pull back the rubber and release it—the ping-pong ball will shoot out with force.
You can use anything as a target, but it’s best to choose light objects that are easy to knock over with the impact of a ping-pong ball, such as a tower of paper cups.
Because the ping-pong ball flies with considerable force, this game requires some distance to the target.
As long as you secure that space, it’s an easy game to play even on a table.
playing rock-paper-scissors after seeing the opponent’s move (i.e., acting with hindsight/cheating)
Rock-paper-scissors is a game that has blended into everyday life, often used to decide the order of things.
This is a brain-training game that leverages the win/lose outcomes of that universally known game.
The quizmaster shows a hand signal and throws a rock-paper-scissors hand; participants then throw their hand after that.
Two patterns—win and lose—are specified in advance, and participants must instantly choose the hand that fits the given condition after seeing the quizmaster’s hand.
In everyday situations, the goal in rock-paper-scissors is generally to win, so people tend to default to choosing a winning hand—this is a fun point.
It’s important to keep switching the conditions repeatedly, prompting participants to think over and over about which hand fits.
rod soccer
It’s a game like soccer played with sticks held in the hands.
Players are divided into two teams and sit facing each other in a single horizontal line.
Each person holds a stick made of newspaper, and each team’s goal is placed at either end between the two teams.
A ball is placed between the teams, and the rule is to use the stick in your hand to move the ball into the opponent’s goal.
The heated battles for the ball and the teamwork as players try to pass the ball effectively are key attractions of the game.
It helps build concentration on the ball, and because the upper body is moved vigorously while scrambling for possession, it’s also an excellent activity for exercise.
Swaying Ball Toss
This is a seated adaptation of tamaire, a classic game often played at sports festivals.
Participants sit in a circle and split into two alternating teams: one throws the balls, and the other holds the basket.
They compete to see how many balls can be thrown into the basket within the time limit.
A string is attached to the centrally placed basket, and the basket-holding team pulls on the string to move the basket and make it harder to score.
It’s also fun to see the basket lift into the air when the strings are pulled from all directions at once.
Because the game is played at a fixed distance from the basket, players must focus to toss balls accurately into a basket that moves unpredictably, making it a good exercise in concentration.
Rolling Table Tennis
This is a ping-pong-like game that’s easy to enjoy while seated, using a table and milk cartons.
First, surround the long sides of the table with tissue boxes or similar items, and set up a stick near the center to create a ping-pong court.
The two players face each other at the open ends, each holding a milk carton—now you’re ready.
Using the milk cartons in your hands, rally a ping-pong ball by rolling it along the table surface.
You score by making the ball drop behind your opponent or by knocking down a tissue box on their side.
The motion is simple—just hitting forward—but as the rally continues, the ping-pong ball speeds up, making the game increasingly exciting.
Goo-Paa Exercise
This is a simple exercise performed by alternating hand movements that can help prevent dementia.
When you extend your arms forward, your hands are open (palms spread), and when you pull your arms back to your chest, your hands are closed into fists.
Repeat these movements alternately.
Move carefully to avoid mistakes and build your concentration.
By adding variations—such as reversing the hand shapes midway or incorporating different rhythmic foot movements—you increase the difficulty and further stimulate the brain.
It’s recommended to start at a slow rhythm and gradually increase the tempo.