Word Puzzles Seniors can benefit from the many word puzzles and games that are available. These word games help retain and even improve vocabulary and assist seniors in maintaining sentence structuring.
Easy games have simple controls, so they're fun to play at any age!
By trying to recall a word, the brain is stimulated; and just like any other muscle, the more it is stimulated, the better and stronger it becomes. A popular word game for seniors is called Anagramania. In this game, a word will come up on the computer screen, but the letters will be jumbled up. Players have a set amount of time to unscramble the letters and type in the correct word. The time limit decreases with each word. Crossword puzzles are another great game seniors can use to keep their brains stimulated.
Spaces for words are placed horizontally and vertically with some words overlapping and sharing a letter. Clues to decipher these words are usually written off to one side of the puzzle. Number Games Number games are also helpful for seniors, as they promote a healthy memory and stimulate regions of the brain that deal with problem solving and logic. One of these games that can be played online for free is called Sumbler.
In this game, the screen shows a grid of numbers and a target number at the top. At the bottom is a space for nine numbers that the player can pick from the grid, which will be added together to try to reach the target number at the top. Another game that is also played online and helps with problem solving and hand-eye coordination is called Number Crunch. This game displays a grid of numbers and the object of the game is to click on the numbers in order from highest to lowest as quickly as possible. Strategy Games Other mentally stimulating games for seniors are strategy games, including games like minesweeper. Here, the object of the game is to find the hidden mines through the process of elimination.
Another popular game is chess, which is a battle strategy game based on medieval characters, where the object is to destroy or capture the opposing King.