[For Seniors] Fun Winter Activities: Recreation and Games

Bean picking

Day Service Red Dragonfly Recreation

Bean-picking is a game where you use chopsticks to pick up beans and move them from one plate to another! If you’re doing it as a recreational activity, you can make the beans larger or even swap them for non-bean items that are easier to grasp, adapting it to the situation.

It’s fun as an individual competition, but if you have a lot of people, forming teams and passing the plate to the next person makes it even more exciting.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Tani Satoko

Report a problem

String Balloon Relay

Recreation for seniors: Simple and exciting! String-and-balloon drop

It’s a game where you work with the person across from you to skillfully control a string you’re holding and carry a balloon to a target location.

Because you can’t move the balloon well with your own power alone, you feel a bit of frustration, but also the fun of cooperation.

If you make it like a relay where you pass the balloon to the next person, not only coordination with the person opposite you but also strategy with the person before and after you is tested, which makes the game even more engaging.

It’s a game where the spirit of cooperation is key, including how you tension and move the string.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Ehomaki Game

Day service, Setsubun, recreation, Ehomaki game, rec, caregiving, elderly, party, game, finger exercise, setsubun

A fun recommendation for the Setsubun season is the Ehomaki Roll Game.

Prepare ingredients like nori, cucumber, and egg using construction paper, and use white hand towels as the vinegared rice.

For the fillings, just fold strips of paper in half.

Roll the fillings into the “rice,” then wrap with the nori and secure it with a rubber band to finish! You can compete to see how many you can make within a time limit, measure your speed, and enjoy it in lots of different ways.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Tani Satoko

Report a problem

Sugoroku

Perfect for seniors! Introduction video of Gobou-sensei’s Exercise Sugoroku 2017 — a big hit in recreational activities!

If you’re looking for a game that many people can join, Sugoroku is a great choice! Instead of making it on a large poster sheet, try creating it on A4 sheets divided into several areas.

By swapping the sheets up, down, left, and right, you can increase the variety of course layouts.

For the spaces, it’s good to include actions that encourage interaction and a bit of brain exercise, such as “Play rock-paper-scissors with the person next to you” or “Name three vegetables of a certain color.” It takes time to make, but since you can rearrange the course, you can use it over and over.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Tani Satoko

Report a problem

Shoo Away Game

Hands full—lol! ✋😂 So much fun and excitement! #dayserviceRecreation #elderly #rec #shorts #dementiaPrevention

Let’s play a fun game using balls made from crumpled paper.

It’s called the “Shoo-It-Away Game.” Crumple up sheets of paper or newspaper into balls and place them in a horizontal line in the center of the table.

Before you start, put a strip of tape across the middle of the table to mark the center line.

This tape divides the table into your side and your opponent’s side.

When the game begins, use your hands to push the paper balls into your opponent’s territory on the opposite side.

The rules are simple, but it sounds like it could get exciting.

If you make the paper balls pink, they’ll look like cherry blossoms—perfect for an April game.

It also encourages conversation among participants and can help promote communication among older adults.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem

Beanbag Tower

Senior recreation! Everyone’s hooked! Beanbag tower!! #shorts #seniorRecreation #dayService #recreation #heartwarming #hilarious #beanbag

Many older adults may have played with beanbags when they were young.

Some may have also played beanbag games with their own children or grandchildren.

Here’s a game that uses those beanbags to build a tower.

The rules are simple: compete to see how many beanbags you can stack on top of an upside-down paper cup.

By holding and stacking the beanbags, you can expect to improve or maintain fine motor balance and concentration.

You can focus and play on your own, or make it a team competition for extra excitement.

If you like, please give it a try.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem

Rhythmic exercise with a New Year’s song

Brain-Training Singing Exercise You Can Do While Seated: Nursery Rhyme “New Year’s Day.” Simple Rhythm Exercise for Seniors and Older Adults, Beginner-Friendly—Ready to Play As-Is at Home, in Senior Facilities, or Day Services.

We’d like to introduce a fun way to enjoy the season: “New Year’s Song Rhythm Exercise”! You’ll fold your fingers to the music of the children’s song “Oshogatsu.” Because this finger-folding rhythm exercise can be done seated in time with the music, anyone can do it easily.

Start by folding the same fingers on both hands, and once you get used to it, try folding different fingers with each hand—it also works as brain training.

In the cold season, fingertips tend to get chilly.

Many older adults report difficulty moving their fingers in winter, so this exercise is perfect for chilly January!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Kawamura Mina

Report a problem