[For Seniors] Brain-Training Recreation Using a Whiteboard

Picture shiritori

Effective for senior recreation and dementia prevention! Laugh and have fun with whiteboard “Picture Shiritori.”

This is a classic game everyone knows—Shiritori—with a drawing twist.

Players guess what’s drawn on the whiteboard and then connect it to the next drawing that starts with the last sound of the previous word.

After the game has progressed to some extent, pause and check whether the shiritori chain was valid.

The process of thinking of words, moving your hands, and drawing them helps stimulate the brain.

If someone lacks confidence in their drawing, offering hints is recommended—by getting creative with how hints are given, you can help develop their thinking skills.

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kappamaki

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Word Calculation Game

[Whiteboard Rec] Word Calculation Rec — We tried a recreation using the rules of numerical calculation

Here is a recreational activity where you try calculating words using the rules of arithmetic.

First, present a few example problems that allow people to discover the rule, and write their answers.

Then, once you feel people have grasped the rule, present the actual problems.

If no one can figure out the rule, it can get dull, so it’s a good idea to offer additional hints if necessary.

If you prepare the problems in advance, you can start without any special materials, so it’s something you can enjoy even in short spare moments.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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An association game using initials

[June Recommended Rec] Two Patterns of Association Brain Training Games [Whiteboard Brain Training]

How about some brain training with a word association game? We’ll start by listing keywords for the prompt “What comes to mind in June?” Once we’ve got words like “rainy season,” “hydrangea,” and “snail,” we’ll use the five-letter word “hydrangea” (ajisai) this time.

Take the initial sounds “a,” “ji,” “sa,” and “i,” and set each to form a word of any length.

It’ll look like: “a〇〇,” “ji〇〇〇,” “sa〇〇〇〇,” “i〇〇.” Finally, think of letters to fill in the 〇’s and complete the words.

It’s that thing they do on variety shows as a comedy-improv segment.

AIUEO Puzzle

Whiteboard Game Part 4: Day Service, Elderly, Recreation, Caregiving, Indoor Activities

“Though the blossoms are fragrant, they soon will fall—who in this world can claim to be unchanging? Ui no…” Yes, that’s the famous Iroha poem.

Isn’t it almost a miracle that such a beautiful poem could be composed using each of the 50 kana exactly once, with no repetition? Records say it was created around the 10th century, but the author is unknown.

Still, they must have been remarkably brilliant.

Let’s spend some fun time with a similar game, the “50-syllable elimination game.” Write the 50 kana on a whiteboard and make as many words as you can.

Each time you use a hiragana character, erase it.

The goal is to use all 50 characters.

I’ve heard that few people manage to complete it, so join forces and aim for the goal together!

Kanji Quiz: Flowers

Surprisingly Unknown? 20 Tricky Flower Kanji Quiz Questions [Elderly Care • Senior Brain Training • Whiteboard Recreation • Preventive Care]

Every time I see flowers blooming with the changing seasons, I think, “I’m so glad I was born in Japan, a country with four seasons.” How about you? Thanks to advances in cultivation techniques, you can now buy popular flowers at florists year-round.

But when those flower names are written in kanji, they can be surprisingly hard to read.

A “Flower Kanji Quiz” is great for a quick activity and works well as the main entertainment at a party.

Strangely enough, it gets lively even if no one gets the right answers.

It’s a brain-training game that makes everyone smile—I highly recommend it!

Silver Senryu Fill-in-the-Blank Quiz

Hilarious! Silver Senryu Fill-in-the-Blank Quiz — Today’s Brain Training, Care Prevention, and Dementia Prevention

For older adults, vocabulary is a powerful tool honed over many years of life.

A fun recreation that makes use of that tool is the “Silver Senryu Fill-in-the-Blank Quiz.” In this quiz, parts of a 5-7-5 verse are omitted, and you’re asked to guess the missing words.

When you figure out the right answer or a surprising one comes up, it’s sure to spark laughter all around.

It’s great brain training for seniors.

Please enjoy giving it a try.

Animal sound brain training

[Whiteboard Brain Training] See and react! Answer with the animal sounds. Difficulty ★★★ Senior Recreation

It’s a game where you read the written name of an animal, think about which sound that animal makes, and answer.

It tests your ability to connect memories—how quickly you can imagine the sound from the animal’s name.

Start by checking which animal makes which sound, then move on to the letter chart.

Because you can reach the answer by thinking carefully, it’s also important to be mindful of speed.

The process of thinking from the written word and then saying it aloud helps activate the brain.

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kappamaki

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