For Seniors: Festive Attractions to Liven Up Festivals—Games and Recreational Activities

Let’s play frisbee

[Senior Recreation] Let’s Play with a Frisbee: Plastic Bottle Edition

Here’s a game using a frisbee.

Stand empty plastic bottles on the floor, and have the seniors throw a frisbee to knock them down.

Frisbees had a bit of a boom in Japan from the 1970s to the early 1980s, so some seniors may have played with them back then.

The game might also bring back fond memories.

Forming teams and competing for points can make it more exciting, but of course, it’s plenty of fun to play solo as well.

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Nakajima Junko

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Balloon scooping

[No Crowding] A Recreation Game for Seniors (Home Care, Day Services, Nursing Homes) Using Fans and Balloons: “Balloon Scooping”

Here’s a very simple and easy activity that still requires balance and really gets everyone excited: Balloon Scooping.

You know the small water balloons used for yo-yo fishing at summer festivals? For Balloon Scooping, use those balloons, but inflate them without water.

Place about 10 balloons on a flat surface like a table, set a box next to them, and use a handheld fan (uchiwa) to scoop up the balloons and put them into the box.

How many seconds will it take to get all the balloons in? The balloons float and wobble, making them hard to scoop—which makes the game even more fun.

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utatane

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Treasure Fishing

Okayama City Day Service Summer Festival Final Chapter Day 1

Let’s host a summer festival that gets participants’ hearts racing with excitement! Here’s an idea for a Treasure Fishing game.

When you think of a summer festival, many people imagine food stalls, right? This time, let’s try a treasure fishing challenge where you use a hook attached to a string to aim for and lift the ring attached to a prize.

The treasures can include snacks, drinks, tumblers, and small goods.

It’s fine to put them in transparent bags so the contents are visible, but setting them up in wrapping paper or paper bags so the contents are hidden could be fun too.

Be sure to give it a try!

Okonomiyaki Game

Recreation for seniors: Okonomiyaki game

Let’s have fun with an okonomiyaki-flipping game! It’s a game where you use a spatula to flip okonomiyaki made out of cardboard.

If you drop one off the table, you’re out.

Compete to see how many you can flip in how many seconds.

If you panic, you might end up dropping a lot! Turning it into a time trial or a team competition will make it even more exciting.

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utatane

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Smart ball made with 100-yen shop materials

How to Make a Smart Ball Game with 100-Yen Store Materials: Pegboard Craft, Summer Project, Pachinko, Corinth Game

How about planning the classic festival game “Smart Ball”? It’s very similar to pachinko, which many older adults know well, so playing it brings back nostalgic feelings.

You can buy a ready-made Smart Ball set, but they can be pricey, so it’s better to make one yourself.

For a small version, you can build it with materials from a 100-yen shop.

Attach wooden blocks to the four corners of a perforated board to make the base, and create a launcher at the lower right using a block of wood, a screw, and rubber bands.

Cut a large card case into a strip and install it along the inside top of the base.

Insert dowels wherever you like, hook rubber bands over them, and attach papers with point values.

Finally, add wooden legs to the back so the base is angled—and you’re done.

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sasashina

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