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Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Exciting Team-Based Recreational Activities

In this article, we introduce super exciting team-based recreational activities for older adults!

They might bring back nostalgic memories of your school sports days.

As the games progress, things can really heat up and turn into a thrilling competition!

Some activities can be done while seated or started with simple tools, so feel free to use these as a reference.

Making it a team competition might also be a chance to get friendly with people you don’t usually talk to.

We hope everyone has a great time together!

[For Seniors] Exciting Team Competition Recreations (71–80)

Handmade watermelon-splitting

Summer Festival Watermelon Splitting #community-based #elderly #dayservice #Tomarigi #unstoppableTomarigi #shorts #summerfestival #watermelonsplitting
Handmade watermelon-splitting

Watermelon is a classic summer food.

Many older adults may remember cutting a big watermelon and sharing it with everyone.

Some might also recall doing suikawari, the traditional watermelon-smashing game, on summer days.

Let’s enjoy an easy version of this summer-themed game.

Prepare a watermelon that has been cut in half in advance and place it on a table.

Blindfold the older adult and have them try to hit the watermelon with a stick.

If they manage to hit it, the watermelon splits in two.

It’s a playful way to relive childhood and fully enjoy the summer pastime of suikawari.

Bamboo Shoot Digging Game

[New Idea] Bamboo Shoot Digging Game
Bamboo Shoot Digging Game

Here’s a sit-down bamboo shoot digging game you can enjoy.

Tear up newspaper and hide bamboo shoots made from milk cartons in it.

Use a hanger to push aside the newspaper and find the bamboo shoots.

When you peel the milk carton off the bamboo shoots you’ve found, you’ll discover a daikon radish and a bamboo shoot made by wrapping items around plastic bottles.

Each item has points: daikon is 10 points and bamboo shoot is 100 points.

Compete to see how many points you can score—the highest score wins! Setting a time limit will make it even more exciting.

Fox Dance

Let’s dance the “Fox Dance” in the caregiving setting! [Rehabilitation Day Salon ‘Umi’] Day service (daycare) in Yokosuka City
Fox Dance

Let me introduce the Fox Dance that you can enjoy together with older adults.

It’s recommended because you can move your body while sitting in a chair.

After making a fox shape with your hands, use your arms and hands to dance.

The song has a quick tempo, but move within a comfortable range.

Once you get used to the moves, it could be fun to add some marching steps from the second round.

When it’s time to turn your neck, be careful to avoid falls.

The Fox Dance might be a great opportunity to spark new communication!

[For Seniors] Exciting Team Competition Recreations (81–90)

Rhythmic gymnastics at Blue Light Yokohama

Seated singing exercise: “Showa Kayō Blue Light Yokohama” – rhythm exercises for seniors and older adults #seniors #exercise
Rhythmic gymnastics at Blue Light Yokohama

Released in 1968, “Blue Light Yokohama” is one of the signature songs of the Showa era.

Many older adults have likely sung it at karaoke or heard it on TV or the radio.

Let’s try some rhythmic exercises with this familiar tune.

Since the song portrays a couple in love, it could be fun to incorporate movements that match the lyrics.

Older adults might feel nostalgic, recalling the time when this song was popular as they exercise.

You could even sing along while doing the exercises.

Slow aerobics to When the Saints Go Marching In

Let's Try Slow Aerobics! ~When the Saints Go Marching In~
Slow aerobics to When the Saints Go Marching In

Aerobics—moving your body to music—can feel difficult for people who have trouble with movement.

This exercise adapts aerobics by slowing the tempo and using gentler motions, making it accessible for anyone.

Find a calmer rhythm than the original song and move your body as if buoyantly engaging your whole body.

Rather than trying to keep up with the music, it’s more important to use your entire body, so it may be best to proceed at a rhythm that suits the participants.

Rhythmic exercises with carp streamers

Song exercise you can do while seated: 'Children’s Song – Koinobori (Iraka no Nami)'. Rhythm exercises for seniors and older adults. #seniors #exercise #rhythmicExercise
Rhythmic exercises with carp streamers

Do you know the “ikarano-nami” that appears in the children’s song Koinobori? One theory says that ikarano-nami refers to the wave-like pattern formed by the ridge tiles at the peak of a tiled roof.

When you listen to Koinobori, you can imagine the carp streamers swimming as the waves of clouds and the ikarano-nami overlap.

These days, it seems we don’t sing or hear the version of Koinobori that mentions ikarano-nami as often.

Some older people may find Koinobori nostalgic.

If you do exercises themed around carp streamers, you might be able to feel the season while you move.

Try moving your body to the song’s expansive tune and melody.

Goldfish Game

Goldfish game #nursingCare #nursingHome #careFacility #recreation #rec #elderly #game #KitasunaHome #dayService
Goldfish Game

At festival stalls, there’s usually a goldfish scooping game, right? Besides scooping, here’s a fun game that uses goldfish as the theme.

Two people hold the ends of a face towel, and place a goldfish plushie or a crafted goldfish on the towel.

While shaking the towel, they toss the goldfish into a basket that’s been set up in advance.

Assign points based on the size of the basket and the distance to the basket.

This innovative goldfish game should be enjoyable for older adults as well.

It also seems like it would be exciting to play as teams.