Sometimes, flipping through channels and scrolling through social media can get repetitive. But when you're craving social interaction, mental stimulation, and an hour of fun, playing games checks all three boxes. Below, we share our favorite games for seniors so you can piece together your own game night.
Playing games offers a number of benefits (no wonder why 58% of Snug’s community report playing video games in the past week). Not only is it an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon, but studies show that playing video games, putting together puzzles, or doing the occasional crossword helps stimulate the cerebellum and hippocampus, which play crucial roles in short- and long-term memory, motor control, and balance.
In addition, since many games are available online, playing games is a safe, enjoyable activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, we offer a number of in-person and online games for seniors.
Please note: When playing games online, never give out personal information — even if it seems harmless at first.
5 Board Games for Seniors
Playing board games teaches strategic thinking, problem-solving, and short-term memory. Plus, a British Medical Journal study found that dementia was 15% less likely to appear in board game players compared to non-board game players, showing these activities might help prevent cognitive decline.
Here are several board games you might enjoy playing with a friend, family member, or caregiver:
Scrabble: Scrabble helps improve spelling, vocabulary, and word retrieval — which can often decline as you age. If you're looking for an online version, Words With Friends is a smartphone app you can play against your friends.
Monopoly: Monopoly teaches the basics of trading and negotiation and is a fun game to play at any age. BoardGamesOnline.com offers "RENTO" or an online Monopoly game, for free — which you can play solo or with friends.
Chess and checkers: Chess and checkers are two fun activities to play for older adults. Plus, unlike other board games, you only need two players to play. Online Board Games offers a smartphone app where you can play either game with friends.
Yahtzee: This classic board and dice game is fun to play with one other friend or a group. Download the Yahtzee with Buddies Dice app to play on your phone against your friends or to compete in daily tournaments.
Cranium: Cranium involves traveling around a game board and stretching your cognitive skills with puzzles and challenges. While there isn't an online version of Cranium, you can arrange a game with friends using Zoom, Google Hangouts, or the HouseParty app.
5 Card Games for Seniors
Card games are great activities for seniors, as they provide social interaction while testing your critical thinking skills. Older adults who play card games show less cognitive decline in the 70s, as written by US News and World Report. In fact, playing card games might help improve brain health and slow the onset of Alzheimer's.
Here are several card games you can play with friends or online:
Solitaire: Solitaire is a simple game you can play on your own. Many computers come with Solitaire already installed, or you can play online.
Crazy Eights: If you have a deck of cards and a friend, you can spend an afternoon playing Crazy Eights. PlayingCards.io allows you to share a link to your card game with loved ones, so you can play together online.
Rummy: Rummy is a great indoor game to enjoy — plus, you only need one other player. PlayRummy-Online offers an online version to play, either with friends or with strangers.
UNO!: UNO! can be played with anywhere between two to 10 players. To play on your smartphone, you can download the UNO! app. Simply click on the "social" button on your screen to text your game link to a group of friends.
Bridge: Bridge is a classic card game that's been around since the 1920s. To play online, try BridgeBase.com, which offers free, unlimited Bridge games between you and their larger community.
5 Brain Game Apps for Seniors
If you prefer an afternoon to yourself, you can put together a crossword puzzle, try your hand at Sudoku, or complete a word search. These puzzle games are incredibly beneficial for senior citizens, helping to enhance memory skills and (if you're putting together a jigsaw puzzle) increase dexterity in your hands.
There are plenty of print books filled with word searches, Sudoku, and other puzzles available on Amazon. If you have limited mobility in your fingers, you might prefer to play these games online. Here are several apps with various brain training games for seniors:
Word Search: Word Search is a free app that contains seemingly endless word searches, all ranging in different levels of difficulty.
Sudoku: Sudoku is a free app that contains various logic number games. You can play classic Sudoku or join app tournaments and challenges.
Jeopardy! Trivia Quiz Game Show: Jeopardy! is a free app that brings that popular television show to your smartphone. Answer various trivia questions right from your phone.
Logic Puzzles Daily: Logic Puzzles offers free logic puzzles ranging in difficulty. With over 2,000 puzzles, word games, and logic boxes to choose from, it's a great smartphone app for seniors.
4 Games for Seniors That Improve Hand-Eye Coordination
While many games for seniors are designed to improve cognitive function, there are several games that can improve your motor skills.
Good hand-eye coordination is imperative to maintain as you age. This can help keep you balanced, thereby decreasing your risk of falls and helping you maintain your independence. Below, find several new games that test you physically as well as mentally:
The Wii: The Wii is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. Using the Wii, you can play the same sports and games you enjoyed as a kid — tennis, baseball, golf — in a virtual environment.
Cut the Rope: Cut the Rope is a very simple, quick game you can play from your smartphone. You'll have to swipe your finger across the screen in the right direction to "cut the rope," thereby dropping candy and accumulating points.
Finger Basketball: Finger Basketball is a free app that simulates shooting a basketball. You'll have to swipe and click your screen with the right direction and amount of force to score a basket.
Tangle: Tangle is a game of Twister for your fingers, to help improve hand-eye coordination and mobility in your hands. For older people who suffer from carpal tunnel, this game can help improve dexterity in your fingers.
Games for Seniors: Stay Mentally Sharp
Playing games with friends isn't just a great way to socialize — it's a great way to keep your brain sharp.
Seniors experience various health benefits from gaming. Studies show that people who play various board, card, and trivia games decrease their risk of developing Alzheimer's and dementia. In addition, playing games can improve your word retrieval, finger dexterity, and short- and long-term memory skills.
You can play various party games within a group of friends, or online. There are plenty of websites and smartphone apps that recreate classic games so you can play in a virtual setting.
While you're downloading your new favorite gaming app, be sure to download Snug on your smartphone. Snug is specifically designed for older adults who live alone and want to maintain their independence. With Snug, you'll perform a daily check-in with a simple click of a button. If you ever miss a check-in, we'll text your emergency contact to check on you.