For Seniors: Festive Attractions to Liven Up Festivals—Games and Recreational Activities

Bingo game

A bingo game you can play with paper and pencil

A familiar sight at events: Bingo with fabulous prizes! While bingo usually uses a dedicated bingo machine, this version is played with paper and pencil.

First, draw two lines vertically and two lines horizontally on a sheet of plain copier paper to create nine squares.

Then choose nine numbers from 1 to 15 and write them randomly in the squares.

Once everyone is ready, decide the order, and have each participant call out one number at a time so they can aim to get bingo.

It’s also recommended for seniors, as it helps with finger exercises and mental stimulation.

Prepare some delightful prizes and have fun!

Uchiwa Balloon Relay

[Physical Play] Fan the uchiwa and do a balloon relay!

This is a relay-style game where players move while keeping a balloon bouncing with a handheld fan (uchiwa), go to a target point, and come back.

Competing in teams helps build strong focus on the balloon and good movement speed.

If you skillfully incorporate a forward flick with the fan, you can gain speed, but quick forward movement is also required, so good judgment is key.

If keeping the balloon bouncing while moving is too hard, another recommended rule is to keep the balloon resting on the fan as you go.

By alternating your gaze between the balloon in your hand and the direction of travel, you can also sharpen your visual focus.

Stacking empty cans

120826 Can Stacking Competition

The can-stacking contest at summer festivals enriches communication.

Its appeal lies in simple, easy-to-understand rules that anyone can enjoy casually.

Even if the stacked cans collapse, we hope participants will keep trying again and again in a warm, cheerful atmosphere full of smiles.

We also prioritize environmental care by ensuring used cans are recycled to keep the venue clean.

By incorporating eco-friendly practices, it becomes a wonderful opportunity where everyone takes center stage and enjoys connecting with others.

Newspaper ball rolling relay

Two-person teamwork, everyone teamwork: 'Newspaper Ball Rolling Relay'

This is a recreation activity where you compete to see how fast you can roll a ball placed on a sheet of newspaper.

It’s suitable for small to large groups, so it’s also recommended for situations where you want to promote interaction among older adults.

Arrange chairs facing each other in alternating rows, and have two people hold the ends of a sheet of newspaper.

Roll the ball you’re given onto the next person’s newspaper, and if it makes it into the basket, that’s a goal.

You can enjoy variety by rolling different types of balls, such as a regular ball, beanbags, or a beach ball.

Give this event a try to experience the fun and sense of unity that comes from doing an activity together.

smart ball

Recreation day service smart-ball style elderly care

“Smart Ball” is a game where you roll balls on a board set at a slant, kind of like a pachinko machine laid on its side.

You used to see it a lot at festival stalls.

This version shows you how to make a DIY Smart Ball game.

It’s an easy craft: just take a table with one leg folded to create an incline and stick on halved styrofoam bowls.

If a table won’t work, you can build an inclined surface with a large cardboard box instead.

Then compete to see how many balls you can land—or tally points and play for a high score!

Bowling

On hot days, indoor play is the way to go☆ Plastic Bottle Bowling

Let’s enjoy bowling using plastic bottles! Prepare empty plastic bottles and put a little water inside, then wrap colored construction paper around them.

Make them in various colors.

Use them as pins and try to knock them down.

The amount of water changes the difficulty—more water makes them harder to topple.

Have fun by adjusting the water levels and the length of the lane.

Using plastic bottles of different sizes will make it even more exciting!

Balloon basket

Senior Recreation: Build responsiveness to unexpected movements! Balloon-based activities for day services and elder care

This activity has participants gently hit a balloon and try to land it in the basket in front of them.

Encourage them to pay close attention to the direction they hit the balloon and how much force they use.

In addition to aiming to get it into the basket in a single hit, it’s also recommended to add a variation where they bounce it upward a few times before aiming for the basket to develop their sense of balance.

By thinking about the direction to bounce the balloon and moving to retrieve it, they can train not only their bodies but also their reflexes and decision-making skills.

It would also be exciting to turn it into a cooperative game where everyone stands in a large circle and targets a basket placed in the center.