[For Seniors] Brain-Training Recreation Using a Whiteboard

Puzzle Brain Training

[Riddle Brain Training] What does this character represent? [Whiteboard Recreation]

This is a unique puzzle quiz—a brain-training game that’s easy to do and sure to liven things up precisely because you can use a whiteboard.

You draw pictures of objects using simple shapes like circles and squares, and write the initial letter of each part.

For example, for a human face, you write the initial for “eyes” and “nose” in their usual positions—then players guess what the drawing represents.

For curry rice, you might draw a large circle for the plate and write the initial for “plate,” a small circle with the initial for “rice,” and another area with the initial for “curry,” and have people guess.

It’s a recreational activity that uses imagination and looks fun to play.

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What ◯◯ comes with ◯◯?

[What's a ___ that starts with ___?] A failproof, never-boring brain training activity [Whiteboard Recreation]

The “What ◯◯ starts with ◯◯?” game sparks imagination and gets everyone excited.

As long as you have a whiteboard, it works as a brain-training activity even for large groups, so it should be easy to use in senior care facilities with many participants.

For example, the first blank is a single Japanese syllable, and the second blank is a category, like “Foods that start with i” or “Animals that start with ka.” It’s a question format that doesn’t get stale or run out of ideas easily, and it’s nice that the person asking the questions doesn’t have to prepare much.

Both the host and the players can enjoy it together, so let’s liven up your day service with this game!

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Evolutionary word-association game

[Whiteboard Rec] Activate your brain with an evolved association game!

This is an evolved quiz version of a word-association game that’s especially popular among whiteboard activities.

First, write adjectives like “cute” or “small” in the left column, and nouns like “vehicles” or “vegetables” in the right column.

Then, combine them at random and have everyone name whatever comes to mind.

For example, a prompt might be: “small” and “vehicle.” It’s great for stretching your imagination to think of things that don’t come to mind right away.

You can also spice it up by having everyone call out their answers at the same time and trying to match as many answers as possible—sure to get the energy up!

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Arunashi quiz

[Whiteboard Brain Training] Arouse your brain with the “Aru-Nashi” quiz (1) [Recreation for Seniors]

An “Aru-Nashi Quiz” is a game where you list keywords on a whiteboard, dividing them into a group that “has” a common trait and a group that “does not,” and then find the commonality among the keywords in the “has” group.

This quiz, familiar from TV game shows, is also effective for stimulating seniors’ brains! When doing it with older adults, it may be clearer to write the keywords in order while saying them out loud, such as, “It exists in XX but not in YY.” If the answer is hard to come by, you can also offer occasional hints along the way.

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Kanji Quiz

Kanji Quiz: Temple, Rock, Thunder, Storm, Swan [Light Recreation Quiz for Cognitive Training and Elderly Care Prevention]

Here’s a kanji quiz that will get older adults excited, too.

First, have them answer some simple questions to explain the rules, like: “What do you call a stone under a mountain? = 岩 (rock).” Next, gradually move on to trickier, more riddle-like questions, such as: “It seems dangerous to go to the rice fields on a rainy day.”

What character is it? = 雷 (thunder). Add humor to both the prompts and the answers so it feels fun even if they don’t know the solution.

Hearing the answer and thinking, “Oh, that makes sense,” is also good brain training, so be sure to include it!

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Word-making game

Recreation and simple brain training for seniors! Create words on a whiteboard using the A row or K row (Japanese syllables).

Wordplay is fun because everyone gets to rack their brains and come up with ideas.

For example, how about a game where you make two-letter words using only the A-row and K-row sounds? If you write them up on a whiteboard, everyone can share different answers, and it’s interesting to see words you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.

There are surprisingly many, and the stream of words brings fresh discoveries.

You could also set a time limit and turn it into a game where the person who lists the most wins!

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Let’s change one character

[Fun Brain Activation] Let’s Change One Letter! [Whiteboard Brain Training]

A simple recreational activity that’s fun solo or with a group.

Change one letter of a word to make a different word, and keep going.

For example, turn “ringo” (apple) into “ringu” (ring), then “ringu” into “gangu” (toy), and so on—it’s fun to see the chain grow.

The words can change into things you’d never expect, which leads to lots of laughs.

When you get stuck, sharing hints and working together is part of the fun.

Thinking not only about others’ answers but also “What else could there be?” makes for great mental exercise!

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