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The Best Games to Play With the Elderly

The elderly love to play games just as much as children do. To find a fun game to suit a large amount of elderly people can be difficult, since different people may have different interests and/or different mental and physical abilities. Always keep in mind that they do not like to feel left out, so try your best to avoid hurting their feelings.

Memory Game
- Visual recollection games are a great way to exercise and stimulate the aged mind. These games are productive and enjoyable. All it takes to set up a fun memory game is a tray of random items -- for example, a pen, a hair clip and a pencil sharpener. Place the tray of items in front of the elderly group and hand each person a pen and paper. Allow a few minutes for the guests to memorize the items, hide the tray and have them recall the items.
Music Game
- Another fun and popular game for the elderly is one much resembling the music round of any regular quiz show. The elderly are capable of recognizing music from a long time ago, music that was popular when they were young. Find the appropriate music for their age, put a play-list together and make a CD. Arrange your elderly guests in a circle with a pen and paper and play your mix tape from start to finish. The winner is the guest able to recognize the most songs.
Word Game
- Word games are challenging but most importantly, very entertaining. Collect a tray of 16 dice, with different letters on each side. Place the dice in the covered tray and shake them around. Leave the tray open and ask the guests to identify words from the letters left upright on each dice. With the use of a timer this can be exciting and mildly competitive.
Crosswords and Puzzles
- Crossword and puzzle books are a fantastic way to grab the attention of the elderly. Next time you find yourself in a supermarket or a corner store, look around for the many crosswords and puzzles available. These books also contain competitions and prizes which may be of interest. Word puzzles can be a great way to keep the brain active and healthy.

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