[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?
- [For Seniors] Enjoy Your Alone Time: Perfect Ideas for Passing the Time
- [For Seniors] Simple Handicrafts Recommended for Finger Exercise
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Great for Brain Training! Enjoy Handmade Puzzles
- [For Seniors] Brain Training Recommended for Dementia Prevention
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs
- [For Seniors] Recommended Handmade Activities! Simple Ideas
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [For Seniors] Simple Motif Ideas Perfect for Torn-Paper Collage
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Brain Training! Recall Quiz Collection!
- [For Seniors] Fun and Engaging Brain-Training Recreation
Finger Exercises and Hand Play (11–20)
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.
Kendama
With kendama, you can exercise your legs, hips, and arms while having fun.
In recent years, various models of kendama have been released, so you can enjoy starting by choosing one you like.
It could be fun to buy one that lights up or makes sounds and show it off when your grandchild visits.
Also, there are kendama tournaments and certification tests.
Once you’ve mastered some tricks, be sure to give them a try.
Note that these certifications and competitions may have rules about which kendamas can be used, so be sure to check in advance when you make your purchase.
Finger-knitted acrylic scrubber
Finger-knitted acrylic scrubbies are an easy craft idea that uses readily available acrylic yarn.
Their soft feel and colorful look make them appealing, and they’re also highly practical—they clean well and dry quickly.
Since the process involves hooking the yarn with your fingers as you knit, it’s perfect for finger exercises, and the fine motor movements can even provide brain-training benefits.
By experimenting with colors and shapes, you can create your own unique designs, and sharing the finished pieces with one another can turn the activity into a great opportunity for communication.
