Activities perfect for July for seniors: Introducing games and recreational options
When it comes to July traditions, Tanabata immediately comes to mind.
How about incorporating Tanabata-themed activities as a way to enjoy July? There are plenty of lively ideas, such as games inspired by Orihime and Hikoboshi and star-toss games.
In addition to games, we also introduce craft projects like bamboo decorations and tanzaku wish strips.
Working together on Tanabata-themed activities and crafts will warm everyone’s hearts.
Spend a joyful summer moment full of smiles together with older adults.
- [For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Recreation Ideas for Senior Facilities
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Enjoy July! Easy and Fun Snack Activities
- [For Seniors] Enjoy and Beat the Summer Heat! July Craft Ideas
- [For Seniors] Refresh Your Mood! Lively, Get-Moving Games
- [For Seniors] Enjoy Summer to the Fullest! Fun Summer-Only Activities Introduced
- [For Seniors] Summer Haiku: Ideas to Feel the Season
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Recreations to Experience in August
- [For Seniors] June-Themed Activities: Recommended Recreation and Game Collection
- [For Seniors] Fun Activities That Liven Up Cool Evening Festivals and Summer Festivals
- [For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Lively Whiteboard Activities
- [For Seniors] Exciting Team-Based Recreational Activities
Brain Training · Quiz (1–10)
Tanabata Quiz
When it comes to indoor activities that still feel summery, “Tanabata Quiz” is a great choice.
It brings the July highlight of Tanabata closer to everyone, so it’s highly recommended.
Prepare several questions related to Tanabata and present them on paper or on a screen.
Adding a time limit turns it into brain exercise and gives participants the thrill of wondering whether they can answer in time.
It’s also nice to give a prize to the person with the most correct answers.
Older adults can join in easily, so give it a try!
Summer Flavors Kanji Quiz
A total of 10 questions! Here are some ideas for a kanji quiz about summer flavors.
Some people might think kanji quizzes are difficult, but since the theme is limited to summer foods, it should be easier to narrow down the answers.
For example, the characters “桜桃” are shown, and you have to guess how to read them.
The time limit is 10 seconds per question.
You can start by trying without a time limit, and once you get used to it, challenge yourself to answer within the time!
Food and Farming Quiz: Summer Vegetables Edition
Let’s try a summer vegetable food-and-agriculture quiz! It’s a true-or-false quiz, so it’s easy for seniors to answer as well.
You might discover lots of things you didn’t know, like how tomatoes contain different nutrients depending on their color, or that green peppers have more vitamins than many fruits.
This quiz also includes trivia about summer vegetables along with health-related explanations, making it perfect for the season.
In the hot summer, boost your knowledge of summer veggies and enjoy eating them deliciously!
Summer Kanji Fill-in-the-Blank Quiz
Kanji fill-in-the-blank quizzes are perfect for brain training! Let’s try one using kanji related to summer.
In this type of quiz, one or two kanji characters in a word are left blank, and you complete the word by filling them in.
例えば、答えが「西瓜」（watermelon）の場合、クイズは「西」または「瓜」のどちらかを空欄にします。
Other summer-related kanji include words like “陽炎” (heat haze), “団扇” (paper fan), and “蚊帳” (mosquito net), among many others.
By presenting the questions without furigana or readings, you can stimulate imagination and help activate the brains of older adults.
Shadow picture quiz
How about a shadow-picture guessing quiz themed around the Tanabata season? You can change the prompts with each season to capture its distinctive atmosphere, and it also works well as a brain teaser.
It would be good to prepare pieces made of thick paper with the front painted black and drawings on the back.
After guessing all the shadow pictures, you could plan the next step—like creating a story using them—so a single idea can provide extended recreation.
Can you read it? A summer seasonal word.
Among older adults, many may enjoy haiku as a hobby.
For them, we recommend a kanji quiz on summer kigo (seasonal words).
Kigo are indispensable in haiku as words that express the seasons.
Many of them are difficult terms that aren’t often used in everyday life, so even very knowledgeable seniors may find themselves scratching their heads.
That’s exactly why they’re perfect for brain training! It’s fine if you couldn’t answer a word the first time—if you can answer it when you try the quiz again after some time, you’re doing great.
Try composing summer haiku using the summer kigo you learned from the quiz.
Brain Training · Quiz (11–20)
Brain training with a summer quiz
We would like to introduce a perfect idea for summer recreation: “Brain Training with a Summer Quiz.” This activity features quizzes themed around summer-related foods, seasonal traditions, and old customs, helping participants recall memories and stimulate their brains by thinking and chatting pleasantly with others.
By preparing questions that aren’t too difficult and are easy for anyone to join, it becomes an activity that can be enjoyed regardless of the number of participants.
Working in groups can spark interaction and create a time full of smiles.
It’s an intellectual pastime that lets you forget the summer heat and have fun.
