[For Seniors] A Brain-Training, Crowd-Pleasing Word Search Game

Restricted Shiritori: Autumn Foods

@thinkbodyjapan

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This is a word chain game that becomes brain training by intentionally setting constraints.

On a whiteboard, write “Starts with 〇 and ends with 〇,” then play shiritori using autumn foods that meet those conditions.

For example, with a word that starts with “sa” and ends with “n,” you could use “sanma” (Pacific saury).

The quiz master sets the conditions, and everyone thinks of words that fit.

By writing answers in sequence in a grid, it’s visually easy to follow, and the overall flow is clear, which helps build excitement.

Making the theme autumn foods lets you enjoy a seasonal feel while playing, and it also encourages broader conversation.

As autumn-specific foods keep coming up, participants can share memories and stories as well.

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mutō

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Let’s play the Same Answer game

Recreation for Seniors – Guaranteed to Get Everyone Excited! The “Write the Same Answer on the Whiteboard” Game

A popular game also enjoyed on the variety show “Hanada-san to Chidori-kun.” It’s truly easy to play and works great with both small and large groups, so it’s sure to come in handy in many situations.

The rules are simple: first decide on a theme, for example, “red foods.” Everyone imagines something that fits and writes their answer, and if the group’s answers match, that’s a success.

If most people write “apple” but one person writes “tomato,” that alone strangely gets everyone excited.

It’s a fun, brain-training recreation that livens up parties and any gathering with lots of people.

Magical Banana

[Viral] We tried playing the Magical Banana game with all the members and burst into laughter lol

Let your imagination grow from the prompt and give your answers! Here are some ideas for the game “Magical Banana.” It’s a simple game where you chant “Magical Banana,” clap your hands, and keep making associations.

Try to avoid using the same words as much as possible, and take on the challenge with a slow rhythm.

For example, if the person sitting in front of you says, “When you say banana, I think fruit,” you would answer, “When you say fruit, I think apple,” and then the next person might say, “When you say apple, I think red,” and so on, as the prompt changes and goes around.

Give it a try while expanding your imagination!

Association game: various surnames

[Word Association Game] Various Surnames

There are many different surnames in Japan.

Depending on the region, you might find people with rare surnames, or areas where many people share the same surname.

According to one theory, surnames have various origins: some come from the family line one was born into, others from occupations, and still others from the places where people lived.

So this time, we’d like to introduce “Word Association Game: All About Surnames.” Give participants one minute to think of as many surnames as they can.

After one minute, have them say the surnames they came up with and write them on a whiteboard or similar.

One person can aim for 10, or the whole group can aim for 50.

It’s perfect as a mental workout, so please give it a try!

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kojifumi

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Choose the middle letter and make a three-letter word.

@husanasomana

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♬ Original song – husanasomana – Sakafure (formerly Asomana-kan)

This is an idea for making three-letter words by choosing the middle letter.

The concept is to correctly match quiz cards with answer cards.

For example, if the quiz card says “な○ま,” you would look for “か” among the answer cards.

Depending on the quiz, there might be multiple correct answers.

Once you get used to it, you can also increase or decrease the number of letters.

The more letters there are, the more complex the quiz becomes.

First, try finding three-letter words that could work as quiz prompts.

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yamamoto

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A game where you make long words using the Japanese syllabary (gojūon)

[Fun Recreation] Brain Training with Japanese Syllabary Cards! Directly from Kenichi Yamaguchi!

Simple yet fun! Here’s a game where you make words using the Japanese syllabary (gojūon).

The rules are easy: Prepare cards with hiragana for all the gojūon and lay them out in order.

Participants create words using the gojūon; they get to keep the cards for the characters used in their word.

Repeat this, and when no more words can be made with the remaining characters, the game ends.

The player with the most cards at the end wins.

It’s perfect brain training because you have to come up with words using limited letters! You can also play in teams and brainstorm words together for extra excitement.

Give it a try!

Making words with the a-row and ka-row

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

Games like “how many words can you make using each hiragana from the 50-sound chart exactly once” or “how many words can you list that start with a” are examples of brain-training games that involve making words from hiragana.

The rules are simple: using the ten hiragana from the A and KA rows, see how many words you can create.

For example, ai → 愛 (love), ike → 池 (pond), uo → 魚 (fish)… you can probably come up with a lot.

You can also switch to other rows, like KA and SA, and enjoy it that way too—in other words, it’s a game you can enjoy endlessly.

To avoid duplicates, please write your answers on a whiteboard!