These board games for seniors with dementia were selected because they’re fun, simple and easy to understand without any majorly complex rules. Many of them can be modified to be made even simpler…
Yahtzee
- Fun dice game is enjoyable for players of all ages.
- Small enough to pack up and take with you when visiting people.
- The sound of the dice in the can is very appealing to some people and engages another sense, which is a great way to help keep the mind sharp.
- There are more choices in this game as you mark your scorecard, which is great for players who are in the early stages of dementia.
- Some math is included, and this helps players practice their math skills without realizing that they are doing so.
- Great game for taking turns, and can be played with as few as two people or as large of a group as wants to play.
Connect Four
- Fun game that can be played with multiple generations.
- The rules are very simple and easy for most people to understand.
- Since the games are so short, there is not a lot of pressure on players when they lose.
- The pieces have bright colors, making it very easy for players to identify which color pieces they are using.
- Players must take turns, but as the turns are so short and the game progresses quickly, there is very little pressure on players to move quickly.
- Does allow for some strategy, which is great for helping players hone their skills and keep their minds sharp.
Finders Keepers!
- Visual game doesn’t require players to do any reading, which is great for players with more advanced dementia.
- Fast-paced game can be played by two to four players, although one person could play by themselves if they simply wanted to match the pictures that they were looking for.
- Game can be as short or as long as players want, which means that there is very little stress or pressure on players who want to stop.
- Using colored chips makes it easy for players to keep track of what they have seen, and the bright colors are very easy for most players to recognize when looking for their own pieces.
Blokus
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- Strategy is required for the best possible outcome of this game, but thinking ahead is fairly easy due to the design of the board.
- Brightly colored pieces are all different shapes, causing players to really have to think about how they will fit them on the space.
- The pieces are easy enough to pick up, but small enough that they are great for helping improve fine motor skills in all players.
- With a play time of under 30 minutes, this game is perfect for players who may not have the best attention span and will want to move onto something else.
Say Anything
- Perfect for getting a larger group of people involved in a game.
- There are no wrong answers in this game, which reduces the pressure that players feel when playing.
- Can be simplified so that players only have to answer and they don’t have to judge the answers of other players to guess who wrote it down.
- Can easily be played verbally, without any writing, making it easy to use as an ice breaker for a larger group of people.
- Many different types of questions will appeal to a large group of people, and allow players to speak up when they hear a question they are comfortable with answering.
- Allows players to interact with each other in a safe space.
Crazy 8’s
- Helps to improve concentration and focus of all players.
- Players need to be able to focus not only on the cards that they have, but also know how to identify and classify them for best play.
- Bright colors and fun illustrations are engaging and will reduce the stress that players sometimes feel when playing competitive games.
- Offers great chances for social development with other players.
- Helps improve counting, dealing, and remembering different numbers.
- Classic card game has been played for generations and may be easy for people to pick up and even remember playing in the past.
Candy Land
- Because this is more of a luck game, it is perfect for patients with dementia.
- Players don’t have to worry about thinking ahead to future moves, as their moves are all determined by drawing a card.
- It’s easy to know where you will move by matching the color on your card to the next block on the board with that color.
- Players experience some setbacks, but they are easily overcome by drawing another card and taking another turn.
- There is very little pressure in this game, as it is not skills based.
Let’s Go Fishin’
- It’s very easy to set up this game and can be enjoyed by four players at once.
- The spinning of the game makes it much more engaging than other stagnant games that can tend to be a little boring and won’t hold a person’s attention.
- It’s fun to try to catch the fish as they open and close their mouths.
- The brightly colored fish are easy to identify from each other and make playing a lot of fun.
- Short games mean that the game can be played over and over again in very little time.
Checkers
- Made for two players, this game is great for both beginners and more advanced players.
- There are only a few rules to remember, making it perfect for people who have memory loss.
- The bright colors will help to hold a person’s attention.
- The texture of the pieces make them much easier to pick up and to move than other types of game pieces.
- Come in multiple sizes, which is great if you need a game that has larger pieces so that they will be even easier to handle.
- Doesn’t feature an overwhelming number of moves or colors that you have to handle looking at for long periods of time.
Bingo
- Great for helping players remember their numbers and their letters.
- Plastic chips can be thrown away and large markers can be used instead if the smaller chips are too difficult for players to be able to easily manage.
- Interactive game allows for multiple people to get to play at once, which is great when you are playing with a group.
- There isn’t a lot of personal pressure on any one player, as their card is private until they decide to show it to the group.
- The caller can be someone of any age or ability, which means that this is a great cross-generational game.
- Can be played for a long time or enjoyed as shorter and faster games.
Dominoes
- The pieces are easy to handle and to manipulate, making it simple for most players to put them down on the table.
- Matching the number of dots on each piece to the dots on another is fairly easy and requires minimal counting, making it simple for most people to play.
- The rules are easy to explain and to follow.
- Dominos with colored dots are even easier to use as players can focus on matching the color of the dots if they have problems with counting all of the dots.
- Great game for multiple people to play in a larger group.
Uno
- Players work to get rid of the cards in their hands by matching cards that were played or using special ability cards to change the gameplay.
- Can be made easier to play by removing the special ability cards if they are too difficult to understand.
- Very simple and basic rules that most players can easily grasp when they start to play this game.
- Ideal for a number of players, and players can easily team up together if someone is struggling.
- Perfect for on the go as it can easily slip into a purse or pocket.
- Bright colors are engaging and add another level of gameplay as the colors can be matched, as well.
Qwirkle
- Slower gameplay makes this a great option for playing with players who aren’t interested in fast paced and highly competitive games.
- While you can keep score, it is optional, as the score isn’t obvious on the pieces, which will reduce a lot of the stress that players have about their performance.
- The tiles are large enough to be easy to hold, but aren’t heavy, which could make them more difficult for players to lift and to move.
- Thanks to the simple rules, this game is easy to understand.
- Requires some strategy for the best gameplay, which keeps players constantly thinking about what their next move will be.
- Can be made more or less difficult by playing with hidden or open tiles.
Jenga
- Work on fine motor skills, as well as decision making skills, with this classic tower stacking game.
- Offers plenty of wooden pieces that are easy to move and hold, making putting them on top of the tower fun and easy.
- The risk of the tower falling is fun for many people.
- With limited rules that have to be followed, this game is easy for most people to pick up and start playing without frustration.
- When the tower falls, the loud noise engages another sense, making this game perfect for touch, sight, and hearing.
- Games aren’t very long, which is great for players with shortened attention spans.