70 Exciting Sit Down Games for Senior Citizens and the Elderly

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According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion staying active in your old age can lower your risk of heart disease and many other conditions. It improves your strength and balance and prevents injuries. Whenever you’re not out and about, you can play some sit-down games and socialize with other seniors.

Sit-down games are popular amongst seniors because they are safe and fun to play. If you have limited mobility, are disabled, or simply want games you can play while sitting down, you’re in the right place. Pick a game from our list that exercises your mental and emotional capabilities. You’ll have more fun as you play. Here are 70 sit-down games we highly recommend for seniors and the elderly.

Board Games

1. Chess

According to doctors, playing chess improves cognitive skills like memory and problem-solving. It can also help minimize symptoms of certain brain conditions. Chess calls for two players, and each starts with 16 pieces. The game’s objective is to checkmate your opponent’s king, putting it under attack so it cannot escape capture.

2. Checkers

This board game for seniors is all about logic and simple hand-eye coordination. It’s usually played by two persons who oppose each other on a board of 64 colored squares. Players jump to capture checkers until one color remains on the board. Whoever captures all their opponents’ checkers wins.

3. Scrabble

Scrabble is a wonderful game for word-loving seniors. Players spot letter patterns and connect different words to win points. The game can be played by two to four people. Scrabble helps you exercise your memory and builds your vocabulary. It’s also a social game because it’s played by at least two people.

4. Backgammon

The main objective of this game is to be the first to bear off—remove them from the board. Players move the fifteen pieces around the board to achieve this. Your goal is to achieve this while your opponent is still a long way behind to scoop a triple win known as a backgammon.

5. Monopoly

In monopoly, players buy and trade properties and develop them with houses and hotels. The aim is to remain financially solvent while forcing opponents into bankruptcy. Bankruptcy results in elimination from the game.

6. Codenames

This game is played by four or more players split into two teams. Players guess words based on clues from their teammates. Each team has one spymaster, while the others play as field operatives. The winning team is the one that places all of its agent tiles.

7. Ticket to Ride

In this cross-country train adventure, players match train or ship cards to claim railway/ship routes connecting cities throughout Europe,  North America, and other areas. There are many variations of the game, and it’s ideal for seniors who like a more relaxing game.

8. Betrayal at House on the Hill 

This game is played by three to six people who play one of six possible characters. One of the players betrays the rest of the party secretly, and the other players/characters must defeat the traitor in their midst before it’s too late!

9. Scythe

This board game is set in the 1920S era in Eastern Europe—a time of war, broken hearts, farming, and valor. Each player represents a fallen leader looking to restore their honor and lead their group to power.

10.  Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective

In this cooperative game, players try to solve mysterious cases by walking the streets in search of clues. Answer questions, unravel intrigues, and compare your detective skills to those of Sherlock Holmes.

11. Quacks of Quedlinburg

In this game, players are quack doctors who make secret brews by adding different ingredients. compete with other players to brew the best potions to build their engines and score the most points. After 9 rounds of play, the biggest quack is crowned.

12. Trivial Pursuit

In this board game, players must be able to answer trivia questions to win. They move their pieces around a board, and the squares they land on determine the subject of the question they get asked. To win, you (or your team) must return to the hexagonal hub and correctly answer the game-winning question in a category chosen by the other players.  

Puzzle Games

13. Jigsaw Puzzles

Research has shown that jigsaw puzzles can help combat cognitive decline and reduce the risk of developing dementia. A jigsaw puzzle gives your brain a mental workout and improves your problem-solving skills and attention span. It’s also a great stress reliever.

14. Ubongo

This geometric puzzle game can be played by two to four players. You race against the timer—and each other—to solve a puzzle comprised of interlocking shapes. You get gems for each quick puzzle you solve. If you have the most valuable gem treasure after nine rounds, you win!

15. Blokus

This abstract strategy board game is for two to four players. Each player tries to earn points by occupying most of the board with pieces of their color. The game ends when players can’t fit more pieces on the board, and the player with the lowest number of pieces wins!

16. Cluedo

This murder mystery game was first manufactured by Waddingtons in the UK. Each player tries to crack a murder case alone by using logic to identify the murderer, the weapon, and the location. Many versions of Cluedo exist on the market, so pick the one you like.

17. Cranium

If you usually play games as a group, this is a fun game to try. It comprises 600 mind (and body) challenges. Team up with other players to complete hilarious activities from 4 categories. The activities span talents, so each one of you can show off what you’re good at— whether it’s spelling, acting, or puzzling.

18. FITS (Fill In The Spaces)

In this multiplayer Tetris game, each player has an inclined board to place different polyominoes. Players draw cards from a pile and try to build on their board skilfully, piece by piece. The first player to make all pieces fit on his board wins.

19. Gemblo

This is another abstract strategy game made up of a hexagonal board and chips in six colors. Small hexagons aligned in different ways from each tab. Players place their pieces on the board, trying to limit the maximum space available for other players. Once the board is full, players count their pieces, and the one player with the lowest number wins.

Card Games

20. Gin Rummy

This game’s objective is to be the first to reach an agreed-upon score, usually 100 points. The basic game strategy is to collect cards into melds and have as little deadwood (non-value cards) as possible at the end of a game.  The game ends when one player reaches 100 points.

21. Bridge

Bridge is a four-player trick-taking game. Each player is dealt thirteen cards from a standard 52-card deck. Each player must play a card of the same suit as the player before them. If unable to, they may play any card. A trick is won by the highest card or the highest trump of the suit led.

22. Old Maid

Old Maid is a card game in which three queens are removed from a standard pack of 52 cards, leaving the “Old Maid,” the fourth queen. Each player tries to avoid being stuck with the Old Maid or the unpaired queen.

23. Hearts

The game is usually played by four players. The objective is to avoid taking any cards of the heart suit in tricks. Each player takes turns playing one card, and whoever plays the highest card in the suit gets all the cards played. The trick winner leads a card to the next trick but can’t play a heart until another player discards it. 

24. UNO

UNO is an easy game to pay for seniors. In the colorful card game, the objective is to be the first to discard all the cards in your hand. Each player gets 7 cards initially, and they take turns drawing cards from the deck.

25. Solitaire

If you like solo games, then this one’s for you. In the game, you play to get rid of your cards and build the deck into a sequence from ace through king. You win the game when you build the whole deck of cards into the foundation.

26. Cat in the Box

Cat in the Box is a trick-taking card game. The color of each card is uncertain, and when a card is played, it’s treated as the color declared by the player. After each player plays a card, the winner is usually the player who plays the strongest card. A card’s strength depends on its color and number.

Dice Games

27. Bunco

The objective of this game is to be the first person or team to reach 21 points. Players take turns rolling three dice to try and earn points. They try to roll the same number on the dice as the round’s number. For instance, rolling three 4’s in Round 4 earns a player points.

28. Mexico

In this game, players agree to play a set number of rounds. They must avoid rolling the lowest dice score in a round to be the last player standing. When all players but one have been eliminated, the remaining player is the winner.

29. Sevens Out

This is a very simple game that can be played by many people. The objective is to avoid rolling a seven (7). You’ll end your turn if you do so and give other players a chance to get to the highest score first. 

30. Yahtzee

In this game, you score points by rolling five dice to make certain combinations. You can roll the dice up to three times to try to make different scoring combinations. But the dice must remain in the box. 

Tile Games

31. Dominoes

This is one of the most popular tile-based games for seniors. Players begin by drawing a hand of seven Dominoes (two players) or (five Dominoes) three or four players. Most domino games are blocking games, your objective is to empty your hand while blocking the opponent’s. The winner is the player with no tiles left or the one with the smallest total.

32. Qwirkle

In Qwirkle, players make lines with six tiles that are either one color or one shape. They get points for every tile they play, and the player with the most points wins the game.

33. Mahjong

The Chinese Mahjong game is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation, but it also involves a degree of chance. Each player gets 13 tiles at the start, and they keep playing until they complete a hand using the 14th drawn tile. The winner is the first player to hold a complete hand—four sets and a pair of like tiles (a total of 14 tiles).

34. Rummikub

Rummikub combines elements of the card game rummy and mahjong. Your goal is to get rid of all your tiles by making groups. You can do this in two ways: by making runs (creating several tiles of the same color in numerical order like 1,2,3,4) or groups (creating several tiles of the same number).

35. 2048

This is a single-player puzzle game that was created by Gabriele Cirulli. It has one main objective: move numbered tiles on a grid until you create a tile with the number 2048. But doing that isn’t easy.

Number Games

36. Soduku

The rules for sudoku are simple. Fill a 9×9 square with numbers 1-9 without repeating numbers in each line, vertically or horizontally. 3×3 squares are already marked out on the grid, and these can’t have repeat numbers either.

37. Memory

All cards are laid face-down on a surface, and two with the same image remain face-up in each turn. Players must find all the matching image pairs with the least number of tries. The lower number of tries, the higher the scores.

38. Minesweeper

Minesweeper is a  logic-based computer game played on a rectangular board. Players must employ logic and open all the squares in the grid while avoiding the squares with mines. Clicks on a mine, and the game ends.

39. Battleship

In this two-player game, each player secretly deploys his ships on a square grid. Then, you shoot at the opponent’s grid by calling a location. The other player responds by saying, “Hit!” or “Miss!” You use probability to deduce where the enemy ships are and sink them.

Word Games

40. Hangman

Hangman is a word-guessing game played by two or more people. One player picks a secret word, and the other players try to guess it. A point is lost for every letter guessed that isn’t in the word. For each wrong guess, the first player draws part of a hangman until it’s complete.

41. Crosswords

Crosswords typically have a grid of black and white squares, into which solvers enter words or phrases. They range from cryptic crosswords to simple newspaper crossword puzzles. You can buy a newspaper every day and tackle the daily crossword puzzle, play crosswords online, or buy a crossword puzzle book to keep you entertained.

42. Articulate

Players work in teams to describe cards in 30 seconds without saying the word on the cards. They describe words from six different categories (Nature, Object, Person, Random, World, and Action). The teams progress based on the number of words they’ve correctly guessed and occasional spinner bonuses.

43. Boggle

In this game, Players take turns shaking a 16-letter dice and then trying to spot words before the timer runs out. Points are given for each word, and the longer the word, the more the points!

Memory Games

44. Flags of the World Game

Test your geography skills by playing this thinking game. You’re presented with random flags, and you must guess which country they represent. There are six main game modes. You can also play the flag game on your smartphone.

45. Card Matching

This game can be played individually or in a group. Place a deck of cards face-down on a table, and then take turns to turn over two at once to find matching pairs. The objective is to match all cards by locating matching pairs until all cards are matched.

46. Wordle

Wordle is a browser-based word game that requires players to figure out a secret word. They play by guessing different words. To win, think of the frequency of letters and also how they are arranged.

47. The Tray Game

This game is great at improving your memory skills. To play, the leader puts different objects on a tray and gives participants time to look at them. Then they cover the items with a cloth and ask participants to name the items in a set time limit. The one who can recall most items is the winner.

Social Games

48. Bingo

Bingo helps your brain stay active in old age. You have to remember numbers, identify different sounds and images, and think about patterns required for winning. This mental stimulation boosts and maintains your cognitive abilities.

49. Name that Tune

In the mood for a nostalgia trip? Gather your friends together and divide them into two groups. Appoint a leader to take turns playing the first few seconds of a song and then pause it to let the groups guess the name. The group that guesses correctly.

50. Lucky Dip

Fill a small bag with items and then tell players to take turns dipping their hands, grabbing an object, and trying to guess what they’re holding. Once they’ve guessed, they should pull the item out of the bag to see what it is. If you’re playing this game with dementia patients, fill the bag with sensory and reminiscence items to create a similar effect to reminiscence therapy.

51. Guess the Food

Put fruits or vegetables in a non-see-through bag and blindfold the players. Let each player touch what is in the bag and describe it. After everyone makes a guess, remove their blindfolds and let them see if they guessed right. If you’re playing the game with seniors, you can pick nostalgic foods that may trigger memories. It will help them reminisce about past experiences and fond memories, which is beneficial for boosting memory.

52. Charades

This energizing party game can be played by seniors and anyone looking for a fun game. It gets everyone on their feet and moving. In the word-guessing game, one player acts out a word or action without speaking, and other players have to guess what it is.

Sporty Games

53. Ludo

This is a strategy board game for two to four players. In the game, players roll a single die and then race their four tokens from start to finish according to the rolls. The first player to bring all their tokens to the finish wins the game. 

54. Carrom

This tabletop game is a lot similar to snooker or billiards. Players propel discs and pot them into the four corner pockets on a wooden playing board. It’s mostly played by hand, but some versions use small cues.

55. Sports Jigsaw Puzzles

Indulge in your love for sports with different sports jigsaw puzzle collections. Each individual game captures the thrill of the game. The puzzles range from football to tennis. You can choose from 30-piece, 100-piece, 250-piece, 500-piece, and even 1000-piece puzzles.

Online Games

56. Lumosity

Lumosity can be found on the App Store or the Google Play Store. The brain-training game helps you learn about how your mind works. Its program consists of games that exercise memory, speed, flexibility, and problem-solving.

57. Mahjong

Mahjong is a Chinese tile game similar to Scrabble that can be played in person or online. Players take turns to roll the dice to group tiles of different symbols and characters and build a winning combination of tiles. Each player gets 14 tiles and Mahjong is achieved by grouping all 14 tiles into four sets and one pair. Points are awarded based on the moves made and the speed at which correct moves are made.

58. Elevate

You’ll need to download an app to play Elevate on your iPhone or Samsung phone. The app has more than 35 brain training games which focus on reading, writing, speaking, and math. You can also customize it to focus on the areas you prefer. 

59. Crossword Puzzles

A past study found that individuals who did web-based crossword puzzles improved their cognition and experienced less brain shrinkage. Crosswords train the brain, particularly verbal language and memory. There are many crossword puzzles online you can play for free, and the AARP website also offers a daily crossword that’s free to everyone.

60. Happy Neuron

Happy Neuron is an online game that works on five critical brain areas: memory, language, attention, executive functions, and visual/spatial. Like Lumosity, the game is based on scientific research. It customizes the training to fit you and tracks your progress. But it is a paid web and mobile app.

61. Online Escape Rooms

An escape room experience is good for the brain. Players solve puzzles and remember clues to win, which helps improve memory capacity over time. These games are beneficial for older adults because research has shown that mentally challenging activities can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in the elderly.

62. Braingle

This free website houses the world’s largest collection of brain teasers, from puzzles to trivia games. Test your gray matter daily with optical illusions, codes and ciphers, trivia quizzes and more. The website also has a vibrant community of enthusiasts. You can also make your own puzzles to give your brain a super workout.

63. BrainGymmer

This online brain training program offers brain games, brain teasers, and brain tests to train your brain. These work on your thinking speed, helping you to come up with solutions or ideas as fast as possible.

Video Games

64. Tetris

In Tetris, players complete lines by moving differently shaped pieces onto the playing field. You earn points for the lines you completed, and the game ends when uncleared lines reach the top of the playing field.

65. Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!

This fun and rewarding game helps you flex your mental muscles with quick activities. It’s the brainchild of Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, a prominent Japanese neuroscientist. Play one game a day and earn a stamp on the doctor’s calendar. 

66. Minecraft

Players in Minecraft place blocks and go on adventures. They can craft simple items like containers, building structures like houses, and even make complex mechanical devices. Spending time in the blocky, pixelated world of Minecraft can enhance your problem-solving skills and boost your creativity.

67. Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley puts players in charge of running a farm. You inherit your deceased grandfather’s dilapidated farm in a place known as Stardew Valley. Activities involve raising livestock and growing crops. Engaging in relaxing activities, such as fishing or tending to crops, will help you feel more relaxed and less stressed.

68. Rise of Nations

This is a historical real-time strategy game that centers around the concept of “territory.” Players deploy forces to lead their nations to global prominence. The video game can help improve learning and memory.

69. Peggle

In Peggle, you fire a ball into a screen full of pegs, and those you hit are removed. Focus on getting rid of the orange ones, as that’s how you progress to the next level. Playing Peggle is a great way to exercise the brain and improve cognitive abilities.

70. Humankind

This game lets you rewrite the entire narrative of human history and combine cultures to create a civilization. Create different historical cultures and lead your people from the Ancient Age to the Modern Age. Humankind enables creativity and problem-solving.