Activity ideas: Card and board games

Tabletop games can be an enjoyable way for a person with dementia to spend time with others, whether discovering new games or reconnecting with older ones. 

The person could teach others about card and other games they played when young. If they can’t recall all the rules, you may be able to find them online or at your local library. 

Themed or local versions of classic games could appeal to individual interests.

If someone spent time in another part of the world, they might like playing games from there. For example, go is popular in east Asia, carrom in south Asia and oware in west Africa. 

Themed or local versions of classic games could appeal to individual interests – anything from Monopoly set in a home city to Beatles or Star Trek editions of Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit.

Some versions of games are made for you to customise with pictures and names. If you have the time and resources, there are also websites that produce games from scratch using your artwork and specifications. 

Some specially designed games, such as Link and Think and Category Snap, are available in our online shop. 

Our new Games Night provides a great excuse to get together to play, as could visiting a board game café or bar – there are more of these opening in towns and cities across the country. 

As dementia progresses, a person may enjoy simpler or simplified games. Some specially designed games, such as Link and Think and Category Snap, are available in our online shop.