Are you searching for the best memory games for seniors? As a senior, Keeping your mind active is as important as maintaining your strength and physical fitness. Keeping a strong memory is important as it is contributes to helping make us happy and helps us live independently as we grow older.
Memory games for elderly adults are not only entertaining and exciting, but they can also improve daily life skills, overall mental health, and memory. You need to challenge the brain every day to ensure that it works as best as it can.
We have compiled a list of some of the ten best memory games for seniors. Besides that, we have also prepared a buying guide to help you understand the features of a valid memory game.
Table of Contents
Top Memory Games For Seniors
Here are some of our top games we found fun for you to try.
1. Qwirkle Board Game
A game that gives you a hard challenge is perfect for your brain memory. But who said that such kind of games should be annoying. Qwirkle board game features a significant number of game choices.
This game is suitable for enhancing the memory of people of all ages, including seniors. Besides that, it is a good game for bringing all the family members together. Qwirkle board game is also perfect for honing the player’s forward-thinking, tactical maneuvers, and strategic planning.
Seniors can also play this game with younger people because it contains easy to follow instructions. Furthermore, it contains fundamental rules, which are building lines using matching tiles, either based on shape or color.
This game will keep senior people more interested and engaged because of the urge to build more complex combinations. Also, the match is perfect for families because it can involve a wide range of ages.
Pros
- High-quality wood tiles
- Competitive fun
- Award-winning board game
- Easy to follow rules
- Suitable for the whole family
Cons
- No tile racks
2. The Green Board Game
Why should seniors not have more fun like youngsters? This unique brainbox version will help train your memory and take you back to the old days where people spoke face to face, and fashions were funky.
From the swinging sixties to school times, this game will offer you a great chance to have fun as you reminisce about the old times. Besides that, you can play this game by yourself or with more other players.
This game is specially created for seniors.
Pros
- One or more players
- Visual memory game
- Fun and learning
- Easy to learn
- Affordable
Cons
- Some say it’s simple
3. Thinkfun Distraction Card Game
Memory games are supposed to be fun so that seniors can have the urge to play them again and again. Who likes a boring match, anyway? Thinkfun distraction card gamed is made for seniors, and it’s fun to play.
It’s one of the best memory games for seniors, but it can also be played by other family members too. Besides that, this is an excellent game to improve your recall and strengthen your working memory.
This distraction game features a deck with rectangular distraction cards and 54 round number cards. Also, square distraction cards contain more than 100 questions.
The game is suitable for helping seniors with memory problems. In addition, it helps seniors learn how to concentrate on one activity without losing focus. Another great advantage is that seniors can also play with children as young as eight years.
Buy this laugh out card game to strengthen your memory. Besides, you can play with family or friends. Playing is quite easy and fun all you need to do to take turns with your friends as you draw number cards. You are supposed to recall the growing sequence of numbers for you to win.
Distraction is among the best ways for any young or older person to improve as they have fun.
Pros
- Two or more players
- 100 distraction questions
- Ages 8 to adult
- Fun
- Affordable
Cons
- Requires an extra judge
4. Mastermind Game
If you are looking for a fast strategy game, consider this strategy game. Besides, it’s one of the best-selling games of all time on Amazon.
You will never get bored because there is more than 2000 combination in this game. This is the main feature that makes the mastermind game very exciting. In addition, the game is different every time you play it because of the 2000 possible outcomes
Mastermind is among the top memory games for seniors because it teaches steam and stem principles. For example, reasoning and logic which can be very useful to both the young and the seniors
This challenging game for deduction and logic aims at testing your code-cracking prowess. The code maker sets a secret code then you try matching the code as a code breaker using deduction and logic.
Pros
- Fast and straightforward strategy game
- 2,000 possible combinations
- Affordable
- Comes with complete instructions
Cons
- Poor build quality
5. How Do You See The World Game
Easy memory games make seniors interested in playing. Besides, any other family member can join in a bid to share the fun. This card game has proven to be very efficient in creating connections and starting conversations.
It brings the whole family together, making both the young ones and seniors feel loved. Furthermore, this game will always surprise you each time you play. An excellent game to experience authentic interactions, challenge your perspective, or having fun with endless conversations.
You can take this whole game in many places, such as road trips, your summer vacation, or even add it in your night mix. Furthermore, as you roll the dice, you will get to know your colleagues, strangers, or your friends well.
The most fantastic thing about this game is that an unlimited number of people can play it. Besides, it has 500 questions based on five different categories.
Pros
- Play anytime anywhere
- Unlimited players
- 500 questions
- Fun game
- Affordable
Cons
- Addictive
6. TaliCor Pocket UnGame Seniors Edition
If you are looking for a game that has been developed specifically for seniors, then this is the best option. UnGames has been in the industry for many years now. Furthermore, they have managed to sell over 4.7 million copies of their worldwide.
Talicor packet Ungame senior revolution is good for starting conversations with friends and family. The incredible advantage of this game is that you can carry it anywhere because it’s small and compact.
Playing this game with seniors that have memory problem will help to enhance your conversation. For example, the senior will get equal time to lay down a structure conversation. Others will be able to remember the things that they have forgotten faster enough.
If you are looking for a friendly way to have a good conversation with the seniors, then it’s good to carry this game. It is not very competitive; hence you can have an excellent open talk with senior people.
Pros
- Travel size
- Friendly
- Affordable
- Conversation starter
- Good for seniors
Cons
- Some questions are inappropriate
7. Forbidden Island
How would you like a combination of elements from popular strategy games such as Sudoku? This board game uses such unique features to remain exciting. Besides being fun, this game is also educative and also beneficial to people’s memory problems.
Every time you get to play this game, then you are also exercising and reinforcing critical mental skills. Furthermore, this is an award-winning game; hence high quality is assured for you.
The game is easy and requires a short time to set it up. Besides, the components are easy to learn; hence you will be able to focus more on playing the game.
You can play head to head against your friend or form two teams to compete. Seniors with short time memory problems will be able to sharpen their minds as they play the back and forth moves.
Pros
- Award-winning
- Affordable
- Easy to setup
- Good for seniors
- Multiplayer
Cons
- Dry eraser
8. Ungame
Pocket fun game for all ages helps both the adults and young people to express their true selves. This brand has another game purely designed for seniors, but still, this one is also beneficial.
It’s non-competitive hence a perfect way to start friendly conversations with both the seniors and children. Besides, this game has been endorsed by many experts
An excellent ice breaker, especially for those people that are afraid of opening up. Another great advantage of this game is that you can order a version for seniors or teenagers independently.
Pros
- Ice breaker
- Good for mental health
- Great tool for therapists
- Affordable
- Fun to play
Cons
- Some questions are not usable
9. Latice
Brain teasing can be very helpful when it comes to boosting memories for seniors. Lattice Hawaii game has been developed following simple rules that contain evolving complexity. This is what makes the game exciting.
Also, the game is easy to learn and play; hence seniors can play comfortably. For instance, it takes about 3 minutes to learn the game and 20 minutes of playtime before winning. The game is also entertaining when played with friends and families.
Another great advantage of this game is that 2-4 people can play it. Additionally, the game comes with English instructions while other languages can be easily accessed on their website
Playing this game will boost your strategic thinking capabilities, communication, and spatial recognition skills. Also, the game can be played by adults and the kids too.
Pros
- Accessible for all
- Timeless components
- Good for the brain
- Easy to learn
- award-winning game
Cons
- Expensive
Other games
Board games are the best options, especially when dealing with seniors. Most of the seniors do not have the necessary skills to play computer or android games.
Besides, some of these devices will deteriorate their social skills. For example, it’s tough to interact with other people while you sit behind the screen all day.
Playing against the computer makes the games boring sometimes. That is the reason why we recommend board games such as the ones listed above. However, there are a few computerized games that offer digital brain training.
These brain training apps include:
- Elevate
- Cognito
- Peak
- Lumosity
- Peak
- Personal Zen
Some of them are fun memory games for seniors, while some are designed for brain training. In addition, these games are highly engaging; hence seniors are more likely to be more involved.
Other top memory games for seniors include chess, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, and card games. All these games stimulate the brain hence improving basic memory functionalities.
Things to consider
Platform
The first thing to consider as you purchase a memory game for seniors is the platform. For example, you must decide whether you want a board game, trivia questions, electronics, or cards. All these platforms have their advantages and disadvantages.
But they serve the same purpose of brain training. Board games and cards are good, especially when you want to have friendly conversations with the seniors.
Electronic and trivia questions are also useful because they keep seniors more engaged. The best thing about these electronic games is that they save the progress of the game.
Levels
Some games may be hard or too easy for seniors. A hard game can make people lose interest fast. Also, the most accessible games can become tedious, making them lose interest.
A game that is challenging but has some sort of rewards is the best to choose. This is because such types of games enhance basic brain functionalities.
Components
If you are headed to buy an expensive game, then it should be made using long-lasting materials. In addition, it should have components that are easy and fun to play. Board games should have words that are easy to read because most senior people experience eye problems.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer games are usually fun because people get a chance to compete with each other. Furthermore, they bring a group of friends and family together. Seniors feel loved, especially when they participate in family games.
Because of its competitive nature, multiplayer games are good for boosting brain functionalities. You must think fast to beat your friend.
Summary
As we age, sometimes we may find ourselves misplacing things or being a bit more forgetful. Being forgetful is not something that we can prevent, but we can do things that slow it down. For example, playing memory games help in slowing down all memory loss issues.
Besides that, playing the best memory games has other advantages, such as improving our social skills and strategic thinking. Living your best life after 60 is possible with fun mind games like mentioned above, proper diet and exercise.