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Games to Teach a Group of Older People

The main goal of any self-respecting group of seniors is to relax and enjoy themselves, and playing games is one of the best ways to accomplish it. Games that exercise the brain or body are always good, as are those that stimulate the competitive edge. But the biggest benefit we get from playing games is the time we spend with old and new friends.

Dictionary Game
- The dictionary game (4 to 12 players) is exciting because of the bluffing involved. You'll need an unabridged dictionary, small squares of paper, and pencils for everyone. An unusual word, unknown to the players, is chosen from the dictionary by the appointed "reader." Each player makes up a plausible definition for the word, writes it down on a small piece of paper, folds it up, and hands it to the reader. The reader reads all the definitions, including the real one, and each player chooses the one they believe is real. Players whose definition is chosen get a point. Players who chose the correct definition get two points. The reader gets two points if no one chooses the correct definition.
Poker
- A "poker face" is a good asset in this high stakes game.
  
  Poker is a card game for 2 to 10 people. It's a game of drama and suspense, made even more exciting by the stakes. Poker chips, backed up by cold hard pennies for the cautious, or by dollar denominations for those with their blood pressure under control, provide impetus for the game. People also play for chocolate drops, peanuts, or a free lunch at the corner eatery. Players of similar skill levels should be grouped together.
Active Games
- Bocce ball is a relaxing outdoor game of skill.
  
  Duckpin bowling (3 to 6 players), shuffleboard (2 to 4 players), bocce ball (2 to 8 players), and golf (up 4 players) are all mildly active games that get seniors out of the house. If the group of seniors is large, they can be broken into teams. Teams can compete against each other in tournaments. Badminton and table tennis require two to four players, are more aerobic, and can also be played in tournaments to accommodate a larger group.
Chess and Checkers
- Chess is a game of skill and strategy.
  
  Chess and checkers are board games for two that can be played on long tables of side-by-side pairs. Players can change pairs after their first game is complete. Chess, along with other mind-fitness games, is often recommended to keep the aging mind in shape. Checkers is a faster, less challenging game and some people prefer this lighter diversion.
Decades of Yore Question Box
- This is a homemade game for 2 to 15 players that participants can help create. Depending on the age distribution of the group, choose two or three decades to focus on, for example the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. Write factual questions about famous people, events and songs on colored index cards, one color for each decade. Make three similarly color-coded oatmeal bins. There should be 25 to 50 question cards in each bin before starting.The first player draws a question and gets a point if he answers it correctly. Then he chooses the bin for the next player to draw from, and so on around the circle.

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