[For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Recreation Ideas for Senior Facilities
July is when the feeling of summer really ramps up.
When planning recreational activities during hotter weather, it’s important to pay close attention to heat precautions and the health management of older adults.
To avoid the heat, people tend to spend more time in cool indoor spaces.
At times like these, you’ll want to offer recreation that doesn’t feel monotonous.
Try incorporating a variety of activities themed around July events such as Tanabata, Marine Day, and the Day of the Ox (Doyo no Ushi no Hi).
Please use this article as a reference for planning July events at senior care facilities.
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[For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Activities for Senior Facilities (11–20)
Tanabata RaceNEW!
This is a race where you load star pieces, representing the Milky Way, into paper boats.
Participants should split into two teams.
Sit facing each other across a table, and each person holds one scoop made from a milk carton.
When the game starts, a representative gently pulls the string attached to the boat.
As the boat passes in front of each participant, scoop up stars and put them into the boat.
Compete to see which team can load more stars onto their boat.
Scooping is trickier than it looks, so try to figure out how to scoop more quickly and efficiently.
Tanabata Fishing GameNEW!
Scatter star-shaped construction paper across a sheet and place snacks on top, then enjoy fishing for them.
The anglers hold rods and wear Orihime or Hikoboshi masks on their heads.
There’s no time limit, but it might also be fun to split into teams and see how many people can catch something in a row.
You can make the rods yourself with a stick, string, and a hook, and just tape a rubber band onto each snack.
Enjoy taking the caught snacks home as souvenirs or eating them together during snack time.
Milky Way GameNEW!
The “Milky Way Game” is a game inspired by Tanabata, when Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet only once a year.
Stick star shapes on paper to create the Milky Way, and decorate paper cups to make Orihime and Hikoboshi.
Put a ball inside each paper cup, then have players take turns sliding-throwing them toward the Milky Way.
If both cups successfully stop on the Milky Way, you win.
If either one goes off the Milky Way, you lose—in other words, the two couldn’t meet.
It’s also recommended to play in pairs among participants.
A game where you deliver Hikoboshi to Orihime using a stringNEW!
By moving the strings from side to side, the illustration of Hikoboshi will move.
Orihime is at the end of the string, so do your best to move the string so Hikoboshi can reach her.
The game is played one-on-one, and you compete to see who can reach the goal faster.
You’ll need to spread your arms wide to the left and right for Hikoboshi to make it to the end, so it can double as an upper-body stretch.
If you place a backing sheet illustrated with the Milky Way over a picture themed around a cowherd and play the game on it, it will create a Tanabata-like atmosphere—highly recommended.
Balloon fireworksNEW!
It’s a game where colorful balloons gently float up, giving you the festive feel of fireworks.
Create an enclosure with newspapers or similar materials, then fill it with plenty of inflated balloons to prepare.
You can adjust the quantity and size to suit the participants, so no worries.
When you toss in a vinyl ball, the balloons spread out all at once, prompting spontaneous cheers.
The sense of achievement when you make them fly high, and the smiles it brings to onlookers, are part of the charm.
It’s lively, heart-lifting fun—perfect for summer.
Shooting game
When it comes to must-have summer events, many people think of festival stalls, and among the classic games there, shooting galleries come to mind.
How about making your own shooting game to try, sharpening your focus on the targets while soaking up the summer atmosphere? The ammo is made by attaching a rubber band to a toilet paper roll core, and you launch it from a plastic wrap core to knock down the targets.
Be mindful of the targets’ size and weight, and enjoy the strategy of choosing which ones to aim for.
[For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Activities for Senior Care Facilities (21–30)
Wish Upon a Star Game
Speaking of big events in July, Tanabata is a must, and the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi separated by the Milky Way is an essential element.
This is an easy-to-understand game that focuses on the day when Orihime and Hikoboshi cross the Milky Way to reunite, where you make Hikoboshi run toward Orihime.
Place Hikoboshi on a wheeled platform and send him toward Orihime, who is positioned on the far side of the river field.
If he reaches Orihime, you get the highest score; there are also points placed along the way, so the goal is to aim for a high score by making use of those as well.