![[For Seniors] Enjoy Easily! Hand Play 'Shimoshika Meyo' (If If, Tortoise)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/slxImjv8Xsk/maxresdefault.webp)
Many older adults have probably sung the children’s song “The Hare and the Tortoise” at least once, don’t you think?
Some seniors may even have memories of singing it when they were little, or of singing it to their own children or grandchildren.
So this time, we’d like to introduce the hand game “Moshi Moshi Kame-san,” which was inspired by “The Hare and the Tortoise”!
Some facilities may already be using it during recreational activities or as part of their daily exercise routines.
It’s a familiar exercise for many seniors, and the “Moshi Moshi Kame-san” hand game comes in many variations.
There are some cleverly devised versions too, so please give them a try!
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[For Seniors] Enjoy Easily! Hand Game “Shimo Shimo Kameyo” (1–10)
Move your arms and legs while you sing!
This is an exercise where you sing clearly while alternately clapping your hands and extending your arms forward.
Doing the two movements at the same time is the key point for activating the brain, so encourage people to pay attention to both.
It’s also recommended to gradually increase the song’s tempo to help them get used to moving their bodies quickly.
Once they’re comfortable alternating their arm movements, add new arm motions or incorporate leg movements to increase the cognitive challenge.
Hand-and-foot open-close exercises of the rabbit and the turtle
“Usagi to Kame” (The Hare and the Tortoise) is a children’s song based on the Aesop fable of the same name, and it’s also included among the Ministry of Education’s songs.
An exercise set to this song is recommended for older adults because it naturally incorporates walking motions.
It’s simple: while marching in place, pull your right hand back in a fist and extend your left hand forward open, then switch sides and repeat.
Once you get used to it, try changing your hand shapes in the order of fist, scissors, and open palm (rock–paper–scissors sequence).
It quickly becomes a brain-engaging exercise! It stimulates the brain, so give it a try.
Finger exercises
“Moshimo Shikameyo,” created with the fairy tale “The Tortoise and the Hare” as its motif, repeats the same melody many times, making it perfect for brain training that uses hand play for older adults.
First, open and close your fingers to the rhythm of the song.
Once you get used to it, shift the rhythm and move your hands in the same way.
Having your right and left hands perform different finger movements helps with brain training.
Finally, check how well you did by counting the number of fingers left extended.
Try this hand game set to a fun song everyone knows.
Teacup Rhythm Game
It’s an activity where you imagine your clenched hand as a teacup and alternately mimic the motions of a plate and a lid with your other open hand.
Do it with your arms extended forward so the shoulders and arms move actively.
While alternating the plate and lid motions to the rhythm, switch which hand is clenched and which is open to add a brain-training effect.
It’s recommended to gradually increase the difficulty by adding various tweaks, such as adjusting the song’s tempo or increasing the frequency of the hand-switch timing.
Easy! Gymnastics to the rhythm
This is an exercise performed while sitting in a chair, moving your hands to the rhythm.
Each hand does a different motion, and switching them partway through boosts the brain-training effect.
Because one motion is an up-and-down patting of the knees and the other is a forward-and-back rubbing of the knees, the switch is especially challenging and really engages the mind.
If you increase the tempo of the music, the switching becomes harder, so encourage participants to try it once they’ve gotten used to the basic pace.
Adding new left–right movements can raise the difficulty even further and make it even more fun.
Tap on the shoulder! A hand game that works even with a large group
It’s a simple activity where everyone sits in a large circle and gently taps the shoulder of the person next to them in time with the music.
Encourage participants to switch between the right and left sides quickly on cue.
If they rush the switch, their taps can become too strong, so it’s best to start with an easy-to-follow rhythm and gradually increase the tempo.
Because the movement is simple, have them focus on the song as well and direct their attention to performing both actions at the same time.
Once you judge that they’re getting used to it, you can make the switch timing more varied to raise the difficulty.
Hand exercises that also help prevent falls
Extend one arm forward with the hand open, and place the other hand on your chest and make a fist.
While singing, switch this shape from one side to the other.
If you do this exercise standing, a key point is that it also draws your attention to posture.
It’s important to keep singing as you go; handling two tasks at once helps activate the brain.
If you switch the arm position and hand shape to the opposite in the middle, your attention instantly shifts to your hand shape, which also trains your decision-making.
By staying mindful of your posture and moving your body firmly, you can expect not only brain-training benefits but also muscle-strengthening effects such as fall prevention.