[For Seniors] Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities in Nursing Homes

Spinning Aquarium Craft

[Craft] A simple indoor recreation activity for elderly care facilities (home care, day service, nursing homes) using paper cups: “Spinning Aquarium”

This is a fun spinning aquarium craft idea where the drawings keep changing.

You’ll use two paper cups for this.

Cut a square window out of the side of one cup.

On the side of the other cup, draw illustrations of sea creatures.

When you’re done, stack the cups so that the cutout cup is on the outside.

Then, when you rotate the inner cup, different illustrations will appear one after another.

Of course, you can customize it by drawing animals, flowers, or anything else you like.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

yamamoto

Report a problem

Kendama

The familiar “What’s in the box?”

The kendama’s unique shape, with the ball and handle connected by a string, seems like a promising hint.

Whether someone has handled one before, and how familiar they are with the toy, would likely affect the accuracy rate.

Since it’s hard to identify it from the feel of the wood alone, it might be better to touch and check the shape as you go.

If the shape and feel still don’t give it away, hints like “New Year,” “toy,” or playing with a ball might help some people figure it out.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Shiritori

Shiritori Anywhere

Shiritori, a word game many of us have played since childhood, is also a recommended recreation for people with dementia.

One of its strengths is how easy it is—no materials or preparation required.

It’s handy for filling small pockets of time, like on the bus when going out to the suburbs.

Another plus is that you can adjust the difficulty to match the person’s cognitive level.

You can customize freely with rules like “three-letter words only” or “food items only.” You could also set a goal, such as “finish after connecting 50 words.”

Rock-Paper-Scissors Ball Passing Game

Rock-Paper-Scissors Ball Pass

Here’s a team-vs-team, high-energy Rock-Paper-Scissors Ball Relay game.

First, divide into teams.

Arrange chairs in a single row for each team, facing each other, and have everyone sit.

Next, the two players at the front each hold a ball and play rock-paper-scissors.

The winner passes their ball to the next teammate, and this repeats down the line.

The team that gets their ball back to the front first wins.

It’s exciting because you can clearly see which side is in the lead, and it’s great for engaging both the mind and body at the same time.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

yamamoto

Report a problem

Witty Letter Quiz

Brain Teaser: Tonchi Letter Quiz 65 – Senior Brain Training Recreation!

It’s a game where you look at letters arranged in unusual shapes or patterns and think about what they represent.

You search for what feels off about the displayed word and unravel it, which leads you to the answer.

If you can’t come up with the answer from the puzzle alone, you can gradually reveal hints and enjoy the feeling of getting closer.

Asking players to find alternative expressions in their heads or expand images from the letters helps stimulate the brain.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

stuffed animal

What's inside the box? #shorts

Plush toys with all sorts of textures—fluffy, silky, and puffy.

They usually look cute, but when you can’t see them, those textures can be tricky.

Not only are they soft; with pointy parts or thin sections, it’s hard to picture their exact shape.

Since there are plushies of many different characters, you could even turn it into a guessing game to figure out which one it is.

It’s easy to prepare and safe to do, so I recommend it.

Give it a try!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kojifumi

Report a problem

Balloon holder bag with a string

Recreation for seniors – Everyone’s cooperation is needed! Fun while sitting! Put the balloon in with a string #SeniorRecreation #Recreation #PreventiveCare

Here’s a string-and-balloon game that’s sure to liven up spring events and gatherings.

Have several older adults sit in chairs facing each other, each holding one end of a string so that paired participants are connected and keep the string taut.

By moving the string up and down or sliding it side to side, they work together to carry a balloon to the goal.

Cooperation is key in this game.

Because participants call out to each other as they play, it naturally encourages communication as well.