[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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Quiz, Games, Hobbies (1–10)
Space Rail
A build-it-yourself coaster where a steel ball rolls along two rails—that’s Space Rail.
Watching the ball make complex movements and speed through the course is truly exciting.
The difficulty varies by scale, but a simple set can be assembled in about an hour.
Since you work with your fingers while imagining the finished result, it can help develop creativity and concentration.
The sense of accomplishment when you complete it is exceptional.
Give it a try!
Tsume Shogi (checkmating shogi problems)
Many people enjoy tabletop games, right? The downside, though, is that you can’t play them alone.
That’s why I recommend tsume-shogi.
Tsume-shogi is like a puzzle that follows the rules of shogi (Japanese chess).
You could think of it as shogi practice problems you tackle by yourself.
With it, you can get a feel similar to playing a match, and it also serves as good shogi training.
For those who’ve never played shogi, it can be a great opportunity to learn the rules.
Quizzes, Games, and Hobbies (11–20)
Number Place (Sudoku)
Have you ever tried Sudoku? Sudoku is short for “Number Place,” a game where you fill numbers into a grid.
It may look difficult at first, but the rules are simple: place numbers so that none repeat in any row or column.
If you’re interested, try buying a Sudoku puzzle book or downloading an app.
With an app, you can play for free.
And once you get the hang of it, challenge yourself with more difficult puzzles.
movie watching
As a hobby you can enjoy while seated, watching movies is also recommended.
You can take your time and watch at home, or enjoy films at the theater.
You might choose to watch new releases, or revisit beloved classics.
The latter can also be a chance to reflect on memories.
By the way, in recent years, remastered editions and colorized versions of older films have been released, and DVDs have come out as well.
Even if it’s a film you’ve already seen, it may feel fresh again.
Grid-fill calculation
While brain-training activities recommended for seniors include word chain games (shiritori), riddles, and delayed rock-paper-scissors, this one involves doing arithmetic problems mentally.
Hearing “arithmetic problems” might make you think they’re difficult, but to activate the brain, it’s better to start with simple addition and subtraction rather than hard problems.
Even simple calculations can give you a sense of achievement when you solve them using your head.
As the exercises progress, the numbers get larger, so try gradually challenging yourself to speed up your calculations as well.
Reading
When you want to relax in your room, reading is a great option.
As the saying goes, “work in fine weather, read on rainy days,” you can enjoy it even when it’s raining.
The charm of reading lies in gaining new knowledge and losing yourself in the world of a story.
Why not start by looking for a book or genre that interests you? Enjoy the excitement that comes from the search itself! By the way, in recent years audiobooks—services that read books aloud—have become widespread.
With those, you can enjoy reading while giving your eyes a rest!
Kanji hunt: Let’s find the character ‘士’
Let’s find four instances of the character 士 among regularly arranged 土 characters.
Checking each character one by one helps train concentration, but it’s also important to take a bird’s-eye view of the whole.
As the title suggests, this is an exercise for your eyes and brain, so shake off fixed ideas and keep a flexible mindset.
There are many ways to enjoy it: do it individually or compete in teams to see who can find them the fastest.
It’s also recommended as a recreation activity in senior care facilities, so give it a try!