Recreation Popularity Rankings for Seniors
We’ll introduce recreational activities for seniors in a ranked format.
The focus is on indoor activities that can be enjoyed even by those with weak legs or who have difficulty going out.
If you’re looking for recreation that seniors will enjoy, want games that can be done while seated, or need activities with simple rules, please use this as a reference.
These ideas can also be used during recreation time at day service centers and care facilities.
Let’s create fun moments together.
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Refresh Your Mood! Lively, Get-Moving Games
- Recreation Activities Effective for Long-Term Care Prevention for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Today’s Recommended Activity: Fun and Engaging
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Hand and finger play roundup: Finger exercises that lead to brain training
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- [For Seniors] Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities in Nursing Homes
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [For Seniors] Have Fun and Relieve Stress! Introducing Dances Everyone Can Enjoy Together
- [For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
Recreation Popularity Rankings for Seniors (71–80)
Kanji Guessing Game71rank/position
Let’s play a kanji guessing game that’s fun even with a big group! You write a kanji on a whiteboard one stroke at a time—but doing it in the normal order would be boring! So mix up the stroke order and write it randomly instead.
That makes the game harder and more exciting.
Even simple, familiar kanji become tricky to recognize when you change the stroke order.
Take it slow, add one stroke at a time, and have fun!
How many days are there in a leap year?72rank/position
- 366 days
- 364 days
See the answer
366 days
A leap year comes around once every four years. In an ordinary year, February ends on the 28th, but only in a leap year does February 29th exist. Since that year has one extra day, the answer is 366 days. You might be momentarily confused—Which is it?—but if you think about it carefully, it makes sense!
What is the nickname ending with “-chan” for the inflatable vinyl dolls known by names like “Tree-climbing Winky” and “Kuronbo Bura-chan”?73rank/position
The inflatable vinyl doll that was sold under names like “Tree-Climbing Winky” and “Little Blacky Bura-chan” is widely remembered as rarely being called by its product name.
Popular across generations, this doll—shaped to cling to a tree, as the names suggest, and often worn wrapped around the arm—was affectionately known as “Dakko-chan” (Hug-chan).
Perhaps due to the lasting impact of this nickname, the 21st-century revival adopted “Dakko-chan” as its official product name.
What does the term “zenchi” (as used when someone is injured) mean?74rank/position
- No longer having difficulties in daily life
- That the treatment at the hospital has been completed.
See the answer
That the treatment at the hospital has been completed.
“Zenchi” is written with the characters for ‘everything’ and ‘healed,’ so you might think it means a complete recovery and being able to live your daily life as before. However, the term actually refers to the end of medical treatment at the hospital. Recovering to the point where there is no hindrance to daily life is called “kanchi,” or complete recovery.
The black rotary phone has strengths not found in modern landlines or mobile phones. What kind of features does it have?75rank/position
The old black rotary phone that you dial by turning the wheel—many older people probably used one at home.
Those black phones had a certain feature that today’s landlines, cell phones, and smartphones don’t.
Here’s a hint: it’s something essential for landlines and cell phones—without it, they can’t even be used.
The answer is: they don’t need a power source or an outlet! Landline phones won’t work unless they get electricity from a wall outlet, and cell phones and smartphones have to be charged with a charger.
But black rotary phones run solely on power from the telephone line, so you can still use them even during a blackout!
Table hockey76rank/position
Let us introduce a game that gets everyone excited with simple preparation: table hockey.
Once you have a table ready, build walls at both ends so the ball won’t fall off.
Make mallets out of cardboard, and when you have a ping-pong ball, the game begins.
Push the ball to make it fall onto the opponent’s side, and race to five points.
It’s a simple yet incredibly thrilling game.
It can also help with rehabilitation from the hands to the shoulders, so even those who don’t like rehab can enjoy getting exercise benefits.
Give it a try!
Bowling77rank/position
June 22 is Bowling Day every year.
How about enjoying bowling that you can do indoors? With a few tweaks—like rolling the ball while seated—you can make it accessible for many older adults.
Using empty plastic bottles filled with water as pins also makes preparation easy.
It works well as an individual match, and team competitions can be exciting too.
Bowling had a boom during the Showa era, so those who played back then or who love bowling may enjoy reminiscing.
It’s a great recreation activity that’s sure to liven up the rainy season.
