Activities perfect for July for seniors: Introducing games and recreational options

baseball game

Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City – Medical and Nursing Care – Day Service – Baseball Game (July 16, 2017)

Many Japanese people like baseball, don’t they? I imagine there are also many seniors who are interested—those who played as children or who enjoy watching professional baseball broadcasts.

This baseball game has much simpler rules than regular baseball: like golf, you hit a set ball with a plastic bat, and the score changes depending on where the ball lands.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Karaoke Contest

Summer festival #senior housing #alcohol #karaoke

The “karaoke contest,” a popular summer recreation activity for seniors, is a fun event that lifts both mind and body.

Humming nostalgic kayōkyoku and enka brings back memories and naturally spreads smiles.

Singing deepens breathing, which can help improve cardiopulmonary function and support overall health.

The time spent waiting for one’s turn and clapping along to the rhythm also spark interaction, wrapping the entire venue in a warm atmosphere.

It’s a summer moment that brings the whole facility together—enjoyable for both participants and those who simply listen.

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kojifumi

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Billiards-style game

Today's recreation at Day Service Asumiru 🎵

It’s a recreation activity that seems easy to start using everyday items found in the facility, like tables.

Players use a rolled-up newspaper tube to strike a ball, billiards-style, and simply aim it into goals marked with different point values.

Competing for points and focusing attention—things not usually required in daily life—may help stimulate brain activity.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Shooting game

Best bang for your buck! A shooting-gallery game and recreation that will absolutely excite everyone from kids to seniors — how to make the setup and how to play

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.

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kappamaki

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Okonomiyaki Game

Recreation for seniors: Okonomiyaki game

As one way to practice effective hand function, how about the “Okonomiyaki Game”? It’s a game where players compete to see how quickly they can flip a piece of cardboard—decorated with a photo or drawing of okonomiyaki—using a spatula.

Unlike real okonomiyaki, it isn’t heavy, so try to get the hang of it and flip it smoothly.

If you attach photos of various types of okonomiyaki, it will add variety and make it even more fun.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Bottle knocking game

Feel the Summer! Easy Recreation Using Traditional Uchiwa Fans [Elderly Recreation / Day Service Recreation]

All you need is a plastic bottle and a uchiwa fan to enjoy this simple game: Plastic Bottle Knockdown.

First, thread a rubber band or string through the fan and secure it so you can quickly retrieve it after throwing.

It’s a seated game, making it easy to tailor to older adults’ physical and mental conditions.

Since the bottles are empty, they’re easy to knock over, so anyone can have fun.

Compete to see who can knock down the most bottles, and consider preparing a prize for the top scorer.

Let’s enjoy it together!

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Nanaka

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Paper Cup Sumo

Aim for yokozuna! We tried the flapping paper-cup sumo game (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ

There’s a game called paper sumo, where you play with paper wrestlers.

Some older adults may have played it at least once.

Using paper cups and a fan, you can try a different version.

Divide the tabletop in half to set territories, and place paper cups as the wrestlers.

The wrestlers move using the force of air when you flap the fan.

Since it’s sumo, if a wrestler falls off the tabletop ring, they lose.

Flapping the fan back and forth will surely liven up the recreation.

It’s a game where you can almost hear the chant, “Nokotta, nokotta!”

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Nakajima Junko

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