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.
- [For Seniors] Songs Everyone Can Sing Together! A Roundup of Recommended Crowd-Pleasers
- [For Seniors] Let’s Have Fun Together! Introducing Uplifting, Energizing Songs
- [For Seniors] Spring Songs You'll Want to Hum: Feel the Season with Nostalgic Classics
- [For Seniors] Recommended Songs for Care Activities and Events! Crowd-Pleasers That Bring Joy
- [For Seniors] Hand and finger play roundup: Finger exercises that lead to brain training
- [Sing for your health!] Popular songs among seniors. Also recommended for recreational activities.
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Popular Hand-Play Songs: Fun Brain-Training Ideas
- Also great for dementia care! Recommended dance songs for people in their 70s: Let’s dance to those classic hits
- Energetic and Lively! Sing-and-Exercise Program for Seniors
- Ranking of popular songs for senior citizens
- [Grandpa & Grandma] Timeless Songs to Gift to Seniors
- [For Seniors] A heartwarming round song. Let’s layer our voices with this nostalgic classic.
Recommended Songs for Nursing Home Recreation [Fun Exercise, Healing Songs] (41–50)
Mito Komon Exercise
This is an exercise routine that moves the whole body to the theme song of Mito Kōmon, a staple of period dramas.
Because it uses a song everyone knows, the music itself is enjoyable.
Despite its powerful feel, the song’s gentle tempo is another key point; moving your body while catching the rhythm helps you generate strength.
Once you get used to moving along with the music, doing it while singing is also recommended, as it is expected to help improve cognitive function.
Song sung at the beginning of the meeting
Let’s try doing exercises while singing to kick off events and recreational activities.
If you use exercise routines set to music familiar to older adults, it’s easier for them to participate.
It also helps them recognize that the event or activity is about to begin.
Singing alone is fine, but adding exercises stimulates the brain and can help prevent cognitive decline.
The key is to incorporate movements inspired by the lyrics.
Visualizing the mood and scenes in the lyrics and recalling corresponding movements can also provide brain-training benefits.
Be sure to choose songs that older adults know, and add some exercises too.
strollInoue Azumi
As the opening theme of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro, this song is captivating for Azumi Inoue’s clear, pure vocals.
Through the lively image of the main character going for a cheerful stroll, it portrays encounters with nature and the joy of friendship, delivering a heartwarming message with simple musicality.
The song was released alongside the film in 1988.
It’s familiar to many older adults, and singing it with a wide mouth naturally engages the muscles around the mouth, making it a fun way to support health—highly recommended for music recreation sessions.
Let’s all sing together and savor the pleasant springtime mood.
Album of MemoriesSakushi: Masuko Toshi / Sakkyoku: Honda Tetsuma
Evoking a hint of spring, this song gently recounts memories from kindergarten.
It paints scenes from the changing seasons, bringing a sense of nostalgia and warmth to listeners.
Since its release in 1961, it has continued to be loved by many.
It has been featured on TV Asahi’s children’s program “Tobidase! Panpororin” and NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” making it familiar across generations.
It’s also lovely for seniors to hum along with their grandchildren.
A wonderful piece that can be enjoyed across generations while reminiscing about the past.
365 Steps MarchSuizenji Kiyoko
It is one of Kiyoko Suizenji’s signature songs.
It also drew attention as a case where Kiyoko Suizenji, known for her work as an enka singer, performed a kayōkyoku-style song.
As the title suggests, the piece evokes a march, conveying a positive feeling of moving forward.
It depicts steadily advancing toward the future, and simply listening to it brings a sense of joy.
The lively rhythm of the march is a major highlight, likely creating a fun, immersive atmosphere that draws in everyone present.
Blue MountainsFujiyama Ichirō
The celebrated song, which beautifully depicts postwar hope and the breath of a new era, was performed by Ichirō Fujiyama and Mitsue Nara as the theme for a film of the same name released in 1949.
Along with the splendor of nature, it warmly portrays young people forging a bright future, like flowers that bloom after enduring a harsh winter.
For those who lived in the years immediately following the war, it is surely a piece filled with memories.
Beloved across generations, it was chosen as No.
1 in NHK’s 1989 program “Songs of the Showa Era: 200 Unforgettable Songs.” Its beautiful melody, infused with elements of classical music, and its heartwarming lyrics are sure to evoke fond recollections of days gone by.
The Night Wind of the JourneyKirishima Noboru
Noboru Kirishima, who released numerous masterpiece songs to the world.
He and Miss Columbia, Misao Matsubara, created “Tabi no Yokaze” (Night Wind of the Journey).
This piece portrays the feelings of a woman traveling alone.
Its charm lies in lyrics that invite you to imagine, “I wonder what happened.” Because it’s slow-tempo, try slowly turning your palms over or making mime-like movements to match.
The motions themselves are modest and simple, but you’ll naturally find your posture straightening.
It’s also recommended for those who want to improve their fitness at a relaxed pace.
