Senior LifestyleGames

15 Fun Games for Seniors to Play With Friends

Written by Dayna C
Last Updated :

Playing “sit down” games offers a huge benefits, for seniors by keeping them active without requiring intense physical exertions.

It presents an opportunity for them to sharpen their skills and memory while enhancing their concentration levels. Card games,puzzles and board games are all examples that can stimulate the brain and potentially slow down the development of disorders such as dementia or memory decline.

Regular engagement in these brain exercises through these games helps problem solving abilities and critical thinking skills that are important for preserving mental sharpness.

Social interaction is another crucial benefit. Emotional well-being among seniors who may be experiencing loneliness or isolation in their living situations.

For those living alone or in assisted care facilities, chess and bingo games can foster social connections and group activities can build stronger relationships and friendships among the older population

Games for Seniors

This active engagement promotes a sense of belongingness and contributes to overall emotional wellness.

Sit down games can be adjusted to suit capabilities so that older adults dealing with mobility or balance challenges can join in engaging activities too.

These games focus on enhancing hand eye coordination and fine motor skills which can aid in boosting dexterity and keeping muscles active, for well being.

There are a variety of options that cater to levels of skill and preferences and sit down games offer a welcoming and enjoyable way for seniors to maintain both physical and mental health.

READ MORE: Mardi Gras Games for Seniors

Check out this video for a quick rundown:

15 Entertaining Sit Down Games for Seniors

1. Cup Stacking

Cup stacking can be an exciting game since it involves speed. This game helps maintain cognitive skills by encouraging seniors to stay alert during the game.

Check out this video for cup stacking basics.

Make sure to also check these Nintendo Switch Games for seniors:

2. Bingo

Bingo is a game that is commonly found in assisted living homes. It may be one of the most popular indoor games for seniors. Some might wonder, “Why do old people like bingo?”

A study in 2015 has shown that a combination of health education, exercise, and bingo improved the life quality of many seniors significantly. (1)

It also helps improve hand-eye coordination so that this does not rapidly decline in old age.

This game of luck is usually played in groups, so it highly encourages social interaction as well. 

If you are not familiar with how the game is played, you may want to check out this video to know the basic rules of bingo.

Are you interested in buying your own bingo set?

3. Jigsaw Puzzles

Another activity that is usually organized in senior homes is jigsaw puzzle night.

Solving jigsaw puzzles keeps the mind active and can significantly maintain cognitive function (2), especially if you have a senior in the early stages of dementia.

Jigsaw puzzles also help maintain fine motor skills as the individual handles the jigsaw puzzle pieces.

When done in groups, solving jigsaw puzzles also encourages social interaction.

Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces Great Birthday under title SIT-DOWN GAMES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

This 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle is filled with lively colors that will be a pure delight.

CHECK: Games for the Blind Elderly

4. Taboo

Taboo is a classic game that can be played the traditional way as a card game or as an online game.

Taboo is a game where players are made to create phrases to describe specific pictures. This serves as a great mental exercise that can help maintain brain health.

This video easily explains the game rules.

5. Boggle

Boggle is another game that is also a tremendous cognitive exercise since it requires the players to look for words in a group of letter tiles within a minute.

Social skills are also maintained since this is played in groups.

Learn more about the game by clicking this link.

READ MORE: Hobbies for Disabled Seniors

6. Scrabble

Scrabble is another word game for seniors, usually played in retirement homes. Scrabble nights are pretty standard in these homes.

Scrabble is one of many board games that also targets the cognitive skill of individuals. 

Just like boggle, scrabble is a word game that is quite similar to crossword puzzles. This makes individuals think and is a great mental exercise.

Here is a simple video about the game and its rules. And if you’re struggling or intimidated by the game, try a tool that can unscramble letters from words, like Unscrambled Words.

7. Monopoly

This is another popular game for many seniors needing strategic skills and cognitive benefits.

This is considered an enjoyable game that highly encourages social bonding.

Players are encouraged to acquire property and money to win the game. Rolls of the dice can send players to jail or earn them additional bucks.

If you haven’t played Monopoly, check out this video to learn more about the game.

8. Clue

Clue is a logic game that requires players to solve a mystery murder. It’s another popular board game that continues to capture the interest of many seniors.

To learn more about this game, check out this video.

9. Memory Game

The memory game is simple and uses a deck of ordinary playing cards.

This game can be pretty challenging since, as the name implies, it is meant to enhance the memory skills of aging individuals.

This game lays All playing cards on a table face down. These are then opened in pairs to make a match. The player with the most number of matched cards wins.

Here is a fantastic video for more about the memory game.

10. Card Games

Various games can be played using ordinary playing cards.

Poker nights are pretty standard among men in senior homes. Gin rummy, old maid, and hearts are just some of the many games that can be played to encourage social interaction among seniors in long-term care.

Check out this video to see some of the most famous card games that can be played in senior homes.

11. Uno

Uno is a unique card game that requires matching cards by either number or color until not a single card remains on a player’s hand.

This game is usually played by groups of four and is an excellent replacement for those already bored of poker every Wednesday night.

Familiarize yourself with the game by watching this video.

12. Simon

This memory game is excellent for enhancing memory skills for those who aren’t into group games.

Online games can be downloaded to mobile devices.

Here is a brief idea of how you can play the game, Simon.

13. Mobile Games

There are several mobile games that you can download on devices that can be enjoyable for seniors.

Solitaire and Candy Crush are the more popular games among seniors since they use logic and some bit of strategy.

Many seniors find these enjoyable due to the colors and challenging due to the games’ level of play.

If you are unfamiliar with Candy Crush, check out this video.

14. Pencil Puzzles

Puzzle books by Penny Press and Dell Puzzles are another option for those not fond of group games. These provide hours of pleasure and challenge so that mental health is maintained.

There are puzzle books that have purely crossword puzzles. Some have different kinds of word games like acrostics and fill-ins. 

There are puzzle books with word searches, and for those who aren’t really into word games, there are puzzle books for logic puzzle lovers.

Sudoku and math puzzles are also there for number lovers as well.

a person filing out sodoku

15. Charades

Charades are part of the many fun group games that can be done during a birthday party celebration or just during any simple evening.

This is usually done in teams. This game aims to guess a word through actions performed by a single team member.

This game always thrills anyone and is simple to play without needing any special equipment or gadget.

Check out this fun video on how to play charades.

FAQs

What can bored seniors do?

Bored seniors can engage in different activities that their senior homes offer, such as dancing or doing senior exercise classes. There are also movie nights and game nights that can keep them busy and active.

How do you entertain an elderly person with dementia?

You can entertain a person with dementia by engaging them in simple activities like listening to music or watching a movie. Have them engage in simple crafts that help maintain their cognitive abilities.

What other activities help maintain a person’s cognitive ability in old age?

Engaging in arts and crafts is recommended for seniors, especially those with dementia and Parkinson’s disease. These activities help delay the onset of symptoms such as memory loss.

Conclusion

Research has shown that playing games are great for senior citizens. They help improve cognitive function, provide socialization opportunities and improve their quality of life.

If you have a loved one who is a senior citizen, we encourage you to introduce them to some of the great sit-down brain games highlighted in this post.

Not only will they enjoy themselves, but you can rest assured knowing that they are also benefiting from playing these fun games!

2 senior ladies laughing while playing card games under title sit-down games for seniors

What are your favorite sit-down games for seniors? Please share below!

Resources

1. Crandall KJ, Steenbergen KI. Older Adults’ Functional Performance and Health Knowledge After a Combination Exercise, Health Education, and Bingo Game. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. 2015;1:233372141561320. doi:10.1177/2333721415613201

2. Erwanto R, Kurniasih DE. The effectiveness of puzzle therapy on cognitive functions among elderly with dementia at Balai Pelayanan Sosial Tresna Werdha (BPSTW) Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Bali Medical Journal. 2020;9(1):86. doi:10.15562/bmj.v9i1.1628

About Author

Dayna C
Dayna has an incredible passion for helping others and a background as an in-home caregiver for the elderly. She left the field temporarily three years ago to stay at home with her twins, but found that she really missed working with senior citizens. She launched LoAids as a way to help not just her own loved ones and former clients, but ALL seniors live life to the fullest in their golden years.  Follow her on LINKEDIN and TWITTER. Read her LATEST POSTS. Learn more about her HERE.

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