Games are a good way for people to bond with each other. However, what interests a child may not excite a grownup. To spend quality time, you need to find games that appeal to people of all age groups, especially seniors if you have grandparents at home. You don’t want them to feel left out, do you?
Moreover, research has proved that playing brain games with seniors can delay the onset of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. These are a great way to spend time and help seniors feel connected with others in the house.
Here’s a comprehensive list of games that can be played by children, adults, and even seniors:
- Call-To-Mind: It’s a communicative game meant for people who are on the threshold of dementia. The game is easy-to-play, with questions that help players remember moments in their past. When seniors play this game, they get to know more about each other and start conversing on different topics, which helps to reduce feelings of isolation.
- Scrabble: Word games are fun for everyone, especially for seniors, because they keep their brains sharp and active. In this game, people have to make words from letters they get, and the overall experience is engaging. You can even have teams and make the game more competitive and exciting.
- Trivial Pursuit: This is good for those who don’t suffer from memory loss. It’s easy to play, and you can make teams involving children and seniors.
- Chess And Checkers: Chess keeps the brain active for kids and seniors because this game demands much focus and strategizing. It can prevent the onset of cognitive problems for the elderly. In case the elderly at home already suffer from conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s, you can engage them in checkers that is simpler to play.
- Puzzles: Working on jigsaw puzzles is a good way of bonding with seniors. Not only does it keep their minds sharp but makes them use their power of logic and creativity. Puzzles can boost short-term memory and visual concentration, helping children and adults to enjoy and unwind.
- PicLink: This is a relatively simple game that is ideal for people with dementia who cannot play games like chess or Scrabble. It has 36 photo tiles to be grouped according to subjects, colours, and other factors.
- Pictionary: You can team up with seniors to play this game because it isn’t easy for them to draw pictures if they have shaky hands. At the same time, this game is fun and engages the brain. People of all age-groups can play Pictionary, and you don’t have to be an artist to win it!
- Card Games: These are always exciting, no matter how young or old you are. You can choose to play different types of games, like Rummy, Pinochle, or Cribbage. There’s enough variety to keep you engaged and test your skills and cognitive functions.
- Shake Loose A Memory: This game makes people remember memories and start conversations. Every card instructs a player to keep it only if they have done a particular thing in the past. The best part is you can never give a “wrong” answer, and you can win it when you remember things from the past.
- Yahtzee: This is entertainment for the entire family and appeals to kids and seniors alike. It has a simple goal; to score points through specific combinations of rolled dice. The dice must, however, stay in the box. Every game has 13 rounds, and players can choose scoring categories. The one with the most points is the winner.
Try playing any of these games with family members, and you will find the experience rejuvenating and memorable.