[For Seniors] Lively Wordplay Game: Fun Recreation for Elderly Care
Among word games, the one that continues to be loved by people of all ages is shiritori.
In shiritori, you take the last letter of a word and use it to link to a new word, right? How about enjoying this long-popular game with a variety of fun twists? Lively word games like these also serve as brain training and are appealing because everyone can dive in together and have a great time.
This time, we’re introducing shiritori word games that older adults can truly enjoy.
They range from easy to a bit more challenging, so give them a try!
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Shiritori word game (11–20)
Lyrics shiritori
There are countless songs around the world, and the lyrics they sing cover a wide range, don’t they? Let’s try a shiritori game using lyrics—this will test not only your knowledge of songs but also your ability to pull lyrics from memory.
Instead of just saying the lyrics as words, it’s best to sing what comes to mind and link them together; if you use the high points of the songs, the game will get more exciting too.
It’s important to think about which songs to choose and where to stop singing, while also considering how easy it is to pick up the next word.
Yokai Shiritori
There have long been many manga, novels, and other works that feature yokai.
Many of you may have read them as children, or enjoyed works with yokai together with your own children or grandchildren.
So let’s try playing shiritori using the names of yokai.
As you play, try to recall which yokai there were—like Azuki-arai, Nurikabe, or Rokurokubi.
If you find it hard to come up with yokai names, preparing a list of major yokai or cards with illustrations of each one can help everyone enjoy the game together.
Japanese traditional colors shiritori
Akane, ai, daidai—how many traditional Japanese color names do you know? Perhaps older generations might know more of them.
How about playing shiritori using only traditional Japanese color names? It’s a charming and elegant game, isn’t it? That said, many people may not be familiar with these names, so it might be helpful to provide a color chart as a hint.
Discovering “Oh, this color has this name” while playing is part of the fun, too.
Kanji shiritori
Speaking of shiritori, it’s a game where you take the last character of a word and continue from it—but this is a kanji shiritori, where we try it using kanji.
You can play regular shiritori with kanji, but let’s start with a twist: skip one character at the outset and proceed while looking for the next connecting character.
There are cases with multiple possible answers, so it’s fun to liven things up by sharing ideas together.
Three-letter shiritori
Let me introduce a shiritori game played with three-letter words.
For example, words like tsue (cane), eiga (movie), and ganka (ophthalmology) can be used.
Shiritori with a word-length restriction can be more difficult than the usual version.
However, it’s said that doing only easy tasks doesn’t stimulate the brain much.
Tasks that feel challenging are said to be more effective for brain training.
Sometimes, it may be hard for older adults to come up with three-letter words.
Before starting the shiritori game, have everyone read through a few three-letter words together.
That way, it’s said that words will come to mind more smoothly during the game.
4-letter shiritori
Try thinking of four-letter words.
There are many if you consider examples like taiyou (sun), ryokou (travel), and tenohira (palm).
However, it can be hard to come up with words on the spot.
For those who are used to regular shiritori, how about playing a version with a limit on the number of characters? As we age, we tend to think less, which can lead to declines in cognitive function and even dementia.
Let’s stimulate the brain with a four-letter-word shiritori game.
If older adults have trouble recalling words, try offering hints and other adjustments to help them participate.
Word chain (Shiritori) word game (21–30)
Shiritori Anywhere
Shiritori, a word game many of us have played since childhood, is also a recommended recreation for people with dementia.
One of its strengths is how easy it is—no materials or preparation required.
It’s handy for filling small pockets of time, like on the bus when going out to the suburbs.
Another plus is that you can adjust the difficulty to match the person’s cognitive level.
You can customize freely with rules like “three-letter words only” or “food items only.” You could also set a goal, such as “finish after connecting 50 words.”