[For Seniors] A Brain-Training, Crowd-Pleasing Word Search Game
Games and quizzes conducted in senior care facilities can not only serve as brain training, but also help promote communication with others.
The “Word Search Game” doesn’t require any specialized knowledge, since the answers are everyday object names and the like.
It’s easy to jump into and is recommended even for those who don’t usually participate in recreational activities.
This time, we’ll introduce a word search game designed for older adults that everyone can enjoy together!
There are plenty of variations.
For example, you can think of and answer words that start with a specific syllable, or figure out object names from jumbled letters.
Let’s have everyone think together and come up with lots of different answers!
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[For Seniors] A Fun Brain-Training Word Search Game (1–10)
“〇〇-shii” word search
Let me introduce a brain-training word hunt using a whiteboard called the “◯◯-shii Hunt.” The rules are very simple: list as many words as you can that end with “-shii.” For example, oishii (delicious), ureshii (happy), and tanoshii (fun).
Some words won’t come to mind just by thinking, so try writing out the Japanese syllabary (gojūon) and filling in words for each line—you’ll find many more that way.
If it’s difficult, you can also give gesture hints.
Thinking like this gives your brain a good workout!
Hole-blank Shiritori
It’s a game where you take three words arranged according to the shiritori rule and make the second word a fill-in-the-blank, then think about what word could go there.
Because it’s shiritori, the first and last letters are fixed, so depending on the number of letters, the difficulty can get quite high.
Of course, there isn’t necessarily only one correct answer, so it can be fun for everyone to share different answers and make new discoveries.
Start with about three letters, and once you get used to it, increase the length—this is a recreation activity you can enjoy for a long time with the same rules.
Word search with hiragana cubes
Prepare eight cubes with hiragana written on them and roll the cubes.
Combine the hiragana that appear to form as many table-friendly words as you can.
If the word changes, it’s okay to use the same hiragana more than once.
Since the hiragana change each time, you’ll get a different kind of stimulation every time you play.
There are many ways to enjoy it, such as changing the number of cubes or trying to form as many words as possible within a time limit.
Finding words and assembling them from characters activates the brain, so you can enjoy yourself while getting brain-training benefits.
[For Seniors] Brain-Boosting and Fun! Word Search Game (11–20)
Word search with lyrics about Mt. Fuji
Let’s enjoy some brain training using familiar children’s songs! This time, we’ll use the lyrics of “Mount Fuji.” We’ll make a fill-in-the-blank activity with parts of the lyrics missing, and have participants think about what words go there.
Instead of just recalling the lyrics, they will search for words from prepared letter cards and assemble them.
Finding the correct answer gives a real sense of accomplishment.
Using well-known songs familiar to seniors makes the activity approachable and can also lead into singing.
It’s a fun way to help prevent cognitive decline, so it’s recommended as a recreation activity in senior care facilities.
Kanji hunt: Let’s find the character ‘士’
Let’s find four instances of the character 士 among regularly arranged 土 characters.
Checking each character one by one helps train concentration, but it’s also important to take a bird’s-eye view of the whole.
As the title suggests, this is an exercise for your eyes and brain, so shake off fixed ideas and keep a flexible mindset.
There are many ways to enjoy it: do it individually or compete in teams to see who can find them the fastest.
It’s also recommended as a recreation activity in senior care facilities, so give it a try!
Curly Word Search
A disc with hiragana written on it appears in the video.
It spins around and stops, and the game is to figure out what is written there.
If you connect the separately written parts, they form a single word.
The hiragana in the center is the initial letter, so use that as your starting point to find the answer.
At first there are only a few characters, but they gradually increase, which makes for good brain training.
For problems where the answer doesn’t come easily, try extending the time limit and adapt flexibly.
Crossword
How about a crossword puzzle game where players fill in the common hiragana that fit the blanks, as a brain-training activity for seniors? Regularly stimulating the brain can help prevent dementia, so consider incorporating it into day service recreation! At first, seniors might not be used to it and may have trouble answering.
In that case, it’s fine for the quizmaster to get creative with hints and other aids.
Once they get the hang of it, adding elements like a time limit to boost the game-like feel can make it even more exciting.
