Recommended Songs for Nursing Home Recreation [Fun Exercise, Soothing Songs]
This article introduces recommended songs for recreation in nursing homes.
Music can have positive effects on the mind and body, and it’s also great for accompanying exercise and relieving stress.
Because this selection is intended for recreation, we’ve chosen videos that make it easy for older adults to imagine using the songs for movement and that staff can use as helpful references.
Nostalgic songs and tunes that feel familiar to older adults are likely to be especially well received.
Every song has a lovely atmosphere and can lift the mood or be soothing.
Please make good use of them in your recreational activities.
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Recommended Songs for Nursing Home Recreation [Fun Exercise, Healing Songs] (1–10)
The Bride of SetoKoyanagi Rumiko
Seto no Hanayome is a perfect recommendation for recreational activities leading into spring.
Released in 1972 as Rumiko Koyanagi’s fourth single, it’s a classic filled with the delicate transience and beauty of Japan.
The lyrics portray the feelings of a bride-to-be and thoughts on starting a new life, sure to evoke fond memories for many older adults.
For those from the Chugoku and Shikoku regions in particular, it may feel especially poignant.
It’s also well-loved in recreation settings for exercises and parody sing-alongs.
Paired with scenery that lets you feel the spring even indoors, it will beautifully enhance your activities!
Always keep your dreamsHashi Yukio, Yoshinaga Sayuri
Itsudemo Yume wo is a classic Showa-era hit that’s also a staple duet song.
Sung by pop star Yukio Hashi and film actress Sayuri Yoshinaga, it was released as a duet in 1962.
A film of the same name, starring both Hashi and Yoshinaga, was produced based on the song and became a hit as well.
It even won the Japan Record Award at the end of that year—there’s hardly an older person who doesn’t know this tune.
Its gentle lyrics and vocals convey the message that it’s wonderful to keep dreaming no matter how old you are.
If you include karaoke in your recreational activities, this is the perfect song to duet and get everyone energized.
Look up at the stars in the nightSakamoto Kyu
“Ue o Muite Arukō (Look Up at the Stars at Night)” sung by Kyu Sakamoto is a song that warms the heart and makes you feel gentle.
When you want to calm your mood, sing it or listen and let it heal you! Although this song is famous as one sung by Kyu Sakamoto, it’s actually a cover.
Originally, it was the main theme within a musical of the same name first performed in 1960, reportedly sung by Motoyuki Ito and a group called Lirio Rhythm Airs.
It will surely sound nostalgic to seniors from Kyu Sakamoto’s generation! Beyond just listening, it’s also great as background music for yoga, tai chi, or slow exercises, so do consider adding this song to your routine.
Recommended Songs for Nursing Home Recreation [Fun Exercise, Healing Songs] (11–20)
red dragonfly
Listening to songs like nursery rhymes and traditional school songs that evoke memories of the past is called reminiscence therapy and is effective for preventing dementia.
Also, actually singing out loud activates the prefrontal cortex and is said to help improve memory.
“Red Dragonfly” (Akatombo) is a nursery rhyme that continues to be loved across generations, from children to adults.
Its nostalgic lyrics conjure up images of red dragonflies darting across the evening sky.
In addition to listening to or singing the song, it’s also fun to make a quiz by leaving blanks in parts of the lyrics and having people fill them in—highly recommended for getting everyone involved.
Northern SpringSen Masao
One song that enjoys immense popularity not only in Japan but across Asia is Masao Sen’s hit “Kitaguni no Haru” (Spring in the North).
Its lyrics—about a man who has moved to the city and, upon receiving a package from his hometown, is overcome with nostalgia for his home, family, and former lover—make it a true masterpiece that really tugs at the heartstrings.
The seasonal imagery that evokes the early spring is also beautiful, so it could be a great choice to include in springtime recreational activities.
Singing it together as usual or doing it at karaoke is of course fine, but you might also try livening things up with a fresh twist, like incorporating a parody version of the lyrics.
The Longed-For Hawaii RouteHaruo Oka
These days, it’s easy to enjoy a casual trip to Hawaii, but right after the war, Hawaii was a land people dreamed of.
The lyricist of this song, Miyuki Ishimoto, is said to have shaped her image of Hawaii from films and novels as she crafted the lyrics.
Precisely because travel has become difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic, why not incorporate this song into day-service recreation and feel like you’re visiting Hawaii? Just hearing the intro and the very first line is sure to instantly brighten your mood—it’s a true classic.
12th graderFunaki Kazuo
Kazuo Funaki’s debut song—and biggest hit—“High School Senior.” As a piece of youth-themed kayōkyoku, it’s a tune many older listeners will find very familiar.
Looking back on the dwindling days of high school, it conveys straightforward feelings for friends and sweethearts they’ll soon part from, giving the number a touch of bittersweetness.
With its march-like melody, it’s also perfect for moving your body along to the beat! For seniors who were students when this song first came out, it’s sure to evoke fond nostalgia.