[For Seniors] Guaranteed to Liven Things Up! A Collection of Brain Training Activities That Will Spark Laughter
The time filled with laughter is a meaningful time that refreshes both mind and body, isn’t it? This time, we’re introducing word games and quizzes that you can enjoy together with seniors.
Try a game where you combine the names of Chinese dishes, a paired game where partners write the same answer, and a fill-in-the-blank quiz using Silver Senryu poems.
How about spending a fun time together that naturally brings smiles? Recreational activities like word games and quizzes stimulate the brain and can help prevent dementia.
They not only enrich the heart but also spark natural conversation, letting everyone enjoy a wonderful time together.
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- [For Seniors] Fun Riddles That Stimulate the Brain
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- For seniors: Fun shiritori—enjoyable and easy to play
- Conversations Made Easy! A Collection of Topics That Elderly People Enjoy
- Recommended fun performances that will appeal to elderly people
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
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Wordplay & Quizzes (21–30)
Where is the food?
Hiragana characters are arranged within a 5-by-5 grid.
From this grid, try to find words that are names of foods.
It’s simple, but actually quite challenging.
Even characters you could find if you stay calm and take your time can suddenly become hard to spot if you set a time limit.
When creating problems, it’s good to prepare multiple answers rather than limiting it to just one.
In senior facilities, having participants create puzzles for each other and swap them not only fosters interaction but also doubles the brain-training effect.
Give it a try!
Word guessing quiz
A word-guessing game where players have to identify the target word without using specific, direct terms.
Write the target word on a whiteboard, have the clue-giver sit facing it so they can see, and have the guesser sit with their back to the whiteboard.
For example, if the target is a specific food, the clue-giver must convey its characteristics clearly without naming it, and the guesser must envision the answer from the given hints—so both need to think hard.
It’s a recreational game that feels refreshing and satisfying when you get the answer right.
Fingerplay and exercises (1–10)
Stepping Brain-Training Exercise
When you run recreational activities with a large group, turning it into a competitive format makes it difficult to explain the rules and manage the situation, right? That’s why many people prefer a setup with a quizmaster and the rest as participants, especially with older adults.
For those people, I recommend this “Seated Foot-Stepping Brain Training Exercise.” It’s a seated routine where you step your feet, combining physical activity with cognitive training.
If you add hand claps on multiples of ◯◯ like in the video, there will always be some older participants who make mistakes—use those moments to playfully point it out and turn it into a laugh.
Rock, paper, scissors
Movements of the hands and fingers are closely connected to the brain’s nerves, so they have a deep relationship.
It’s said that moving the hands and fingers can help prevent dementia and reduce the risk of falls.
Many senior care facilities likely incorporate activities that move the fingers, such as the rock–paper–scissors exercise.
So, let’s add a little twist to your usual finger exercises.
Try doing rock–paper–scissors gradually faster, or go in reverse—paper, scissors, rock—while speeding up.
It’s also great to add handclaps in between, or make a fox shape with your hand.
It’s okay to make mistakes with this exercise, and not doing it perfectly will probably bring some laughs.
It’s a finger workout you can enjoy while having fun.
Ochyaraka Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise
Ocharaka is a rock-paper-scissors game played by two people facing each other.
You play rock-paper-scissors to the lyrics of the children’s song “Ocharaka Hoi,” striking a pose when you win, lose, or tie.
Its lively tempo makes it perfect as a finger exercise.
Also, many older adults may be familiar with Ocharaka, right? Playing Ocharaka-style rock-paper-scissors might even bring back childhood memories for some people.
Pikagoro
As we age, it’s said that handling multiple tasks at the same time becomes more difficult.
Using both the mind and body has brain-training benefits, and if you move your body while thinking, you can expect even greater brain activation.
This time, I’ll introduce the Pika-Goro game.
Have the older adults sit facing each other, each holding two sticks.
The caller says “pika-pika” or “goro-goro.” On the cue “dokan,” the older adults should both grip the sticks and raise them.
Once everyone gets used to it, calling out “pika-pika” or “goro-goro” several times and then feinting can make it even more exciting.
Sticky
Have you heard of a game called “Sticky”? You place three colors of sticks with different thicknesses inside a ring, roll a special die, and pull out a stick of the color that comes up.
The person who eventually knocks it over loses, and the others are ranked based on the points from the colors of the sticks they have pulled up to that point.
As turns progress, the number of sticks decreases, gradually upsetting the balance and making the latter half thrilling.
Beyond being a fun game, choosing which stick to pull and carefully extracting it can also serve as brain training.
Give it a try!