[For Seniors] Brain-training puzzle game you can enjoy solo! Perfect pastime for killing time
Enjoyable fun on your own! Are you looking for a relaxing puzzle game that keeps your mind flexible? Activities like matchstick puzzles, Tetris, and Japan map puzzles that skillfully use your fingers and stimulate the brain are reliable companions for making solo time more fulfilling.
This time, we’re introducing enjoyable puzzle games that are easy for older adults to try.
By moving your hands and focusing, you’ll naturally feel refreshed.
Why not give them a try at your own pace?
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Finger exercises and hand play (1–10)
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!
Finger Exercises and Hand Play (11–20)
Rubik’s Cube
The Rubik’s Cube is perfect for developing quick decision-making and dexterity.
You probably already know it—it’s a toy where you rotate blocks to match the colors.
The standard Rubik’s Cube is made up of 54 blocks, but there’s also a beginner-friendly version with 36 blocks.
There are even services that let you print your favorite illustrations on the blocks, so if you’re thinking of giving one as a gift, be sure to check those out.
The Itomaki (Spool Winding) Song Using Rubber Bands
This exercise aims to make finger movements smoother by stretching a rubber band with both hands and moving it from finger to finger.
Maintaining strength is important to keep the band well stretched, so sustaining effort while moving adds complexity that also helps stimulate the brain.
If you coordinate the movement of shifting the rubber band with a song—such as the children’s song “Ito Maki”—and proceed rhythmically, it will further improve smoothness.
We also recommend starting with patterns that move the band to the same finger on both hands, then gradually shifting the positions to make the patterns more complex over time.
Singing game of “Antagata Dokosa”
Some older adults may have memories of playing ball games to the temari song “Antagata Dokosa.” Here’s a finger play that matches the “Antagata Dokosa” song.
Make a gun shape and a fox shape with your fingers to match the imagery in the lyrics.
To the melody, alternate the finger shapes between left and right.
Once you get used to it, try speeding up the tempo.
In addition to moving your fingers, taking on tasks that feel “a bit difficult” is also said to activate the brain.
Inchworm Brain Training Exercise
Let’s stimulate your brain with a finger play that mimics an inchworm’s movement.
Inchworms move by stretching and contracting their bodies, right? We’ll recreate that motion with your fingers as a hand game.
Touch the tips of your index finger and thumb together on both hands.
From there, bend one thumb and touch it to the index finger of the other hand.
Then alternate by bending an index finger to touch the thumb on the other hand, and keep repeating this pattern.
The motion looks like an inchworm, doesn’t it? At first, it can be hard to make each finger meet the opposite one smoothly, but working to make the connections is said to help activate your brain.
Ojami Wobble Game
Many older adults have probably played otedama (beanbag juggling) before, right? Some may have even skillfully used their hands and fingers to juggle two or three beanbags in the air.
Let’s play a fun game that uses familiar otedama to work the fingertips.
Place a paper plate on top of a short piece of a cut plastic wrap or foil core.
Then, place the beanbags on the paper plate one by one.
Since the paper plate is unstable, it wobbles each time you add a beanbag, creating a thrilling, heart-pounding effect.
It seems like older adults can enjoy a bit of tension while engaging in the game.
By the way, “ojami” is what otedama is called in the Kansai region.
A simple activity using ohajiki (small traditional Japanese game pieces)
Some older adults may have played ohajiki when they were young or with their children.
Here are some simple recreational activities you can do with ohajiki.
Beyond lining them up on a table or floor and flicking one with your finger to hit another, there are many ways to play.
For example, you can play a curling-like game by flicking ohajiki onto a sheet with a circle and point values, or stack the pieces upward.
With a bit of creativity, it seems there are plenty of ways to enjoy ohajiki.
In addition to using your fingertips, these games can help improve concentration and promote communication.