Last Updated: August 13, 2026
We all know that exercise is important to maintain good physical health, but what about exercising our brains? There is a body of research that suggests brain games and memory games can be beneficial, particularly as we age. But how much can brain games help older adults? Can they improve memory skills? Can they help prevent dementia?
Although the impact of brain games is still being studied, emerging evidence highlights some encouraging benefits.
While there is little definitive scientific proof that exercising your brain can stop dementia, researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London have shown that brain training can not only improve memory and reasoning skills – but also how well older people carry out everyday tasks such as navigating public transport, shopping, cooking and managing personal finances.
With evidence pointing to the positive effects of brain training, incorporating simple, enjoyable activities into daily life can be a great way to support cognitive health as we grow older. Discover five engaging memory games tailored for older adults to boost cognitive health and enhance memory retention. Stay sharp and have fun with these activities.
1. Crossword Puzzles
Benefits of crosswords for cognitive health
Are crosswords a good type of exercise for your brain? In short yes! They promote active engagement with language and memory.
Incorporating crosswords into daily routines may support cognitive health and potentially delay the onset of cognitive decline in older adults. Research from the University of Exeter Medical School and Kings College London involving over 19,000 participants aged 50 and above indicated that individuals who frequently engaged in word puzzles, such as crosswords, performed better on cognitive tasks assessing attention, reasoning, and memory. Regular puzzle users exhibited brain function equivalent to 8-10 years younger than their actual age.
How to get started
Crosswords are word games played on a grid of white and black squares. The aim is to solve the clues, and enter these words in the white squares. The answers ‘cross’ each other horizontally and vertically.
This type of word game is easy to get into and readily available. You don’t need anyone to ‘play’ against.
Resources for free crossword puzzles
If you have access to the internet you can take advantage of numerous free puzzle sites. Boatload Puzzles has a library of 40,000 free online puzzles and doesn’t require you to register for an account.
If you are looking for something in print, you can buy puzzle magazines for a small cost. Many newspapers – including free local papers and community magazines often include crosswords.
2. Sudoku
Enhancing logical thinking through Sudoku
Sudoku is a memory-training activity based on numbers in a grid. It encourages you to think a few steps ahead to your next move, which is a good exercise for the brain.
Having to keep track of numbers and their location as you play can help sharpen your memory. This type of game also requires a lot of concentration, and focuses on critical thinking and deductive reasoning. You are forced to problem solve and think logically to find the right solutions.
Step-by-step guide to playing Sudoku
Sudoku is played on a grid of 9 x 9 spaces. The aim is to enter numbers into the spaces so that each row, column and 3×3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 without repeats. To help you get started, some correct numbers are already filled out. The fewer of these, the tougher the puzzle!
By seeing which numbers are missing from each square, row, or column, you need to use the process of elimination to decide which numbers need to go in each space.
Some key things to remember… Use the numbers 1 – 9, don’t repeat any numbers, don’t just guess!
Online platforms offering Sudoku puzzles
There are a number apps and websites where you can play Sudoku (we’ve listed a couple below), but if you feel more comfortable with paper and pencil, or don’t have access to a tablet, smartphone or other device to play online, you can purchase Sudoku puzzle books, or find them in many newspapers including: The Times, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail, and The Express.
- Download free app Sudoku by Brainium. Available on Apple and Android. It features a smart hint system to help teach you as you play.
- Play free online at Sudoku.com. They offer free daily games as well as free daily printables
3. Chess
Strategic thinking and memory improvement with chess
Much like Sudoku, chess is a game that requires critical thinking. It requires concentration, reasoning and strategy – all of which stimulate the brain. To win, you need to stay two steps ahead of your opponent. What’s more, chess is a social activity
Basic rules and strategies for beginners
One of the oldest and most popular board games, chess is played by two opponents on a chequered board. Each player has a set of specially designed pieces in either black or white. The objective of the game is to capture the opponent’s king.
The different types of chess pieces are: King, Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight, and Pawn and each type moves in a certain way on the board. These pieces also all have a different value, so when you are playing, you’ll want to protect your stronger pieces. In a nutshell, the values are as follows:
- Queen: Strongest = Most Value
- Rook
- Bishop, Knight
- Pawn: Weakest = Least Value
This downloadable ‘instructable’ is a great beginners guide which includes illustrations to explain the trickier rules and piece movements. INSERT PDF
Local clubs and online platforms to play chess
There are many local community based chess clubs. A great way to find one near you is by using the club finder tool on the English Chess Federation. It can give you details of both in-person clubs, as well as online chess clubs.
On the website Chess.com, you can play online games of chess for free. Either against the computer or online with others at your level.
4. Jigsaw Puzzles
Visual-spatial reasoning benefits
It is said that doing jigsaws regularly can improve your visual-spatial reasoning. This is because you have to figure out how to fit the pieces into their correct space.
Why is this good? Improved visual-spatial reasoning can actually help with everyday tasks, making things like tying your shoes or finding your way around easier.
Some other benefits include the sense of accomplishment you get when you complete your puzzle, and providing opportunities for social interaction. What’s more, they can be relaxing and therapeutic, helping to lower stress and anxiety.
Choosing appropriate puzzle difficulty levels
There are puzzles for all abilities, with many different styles available. If you are older, have less dexterity, or problems with your vision, start smaller – a 1000 piece puzzle may be too much! You can also try large piece puzzles when starting out. Look for bolder prints with clear outlines. Watercolour style designs can be very difficult by nature as they are blurred and the colours muted.
You can also use aids to make puzzling easier and more accessible – look into things like a puzzle mat so you can puzzle on your lap. this also doubles as storage keeping it all contained. You can also get puzzle torches.
Corner piece – the brand – offer a lot of collage styles, things like tinned food of the 80’s, music styles, or Royal Family themed, these can be good for reminiscence activities.
Where to find and purchase your jigsaw puzzle
You can purchase puzzles online for relatively low prices. But the best bet for value is to buy used from either a second-hand shop or car boot sale.
If you are looking to puzzle socially many libraries, community hubs, and church groups run games events where you can complete jigsaws or other games, there are also lending libraries you can borrow from. There is not a definitive list in one place for these, but a call to your local library or community centre or a search online for ‘local puzzle events/local jigsaw lending libraries near me’ should provide details of what’s about.
5. Bingo
Social interaction and cognitive benefits of Bingo
An activity that combines social interaction and friendly competition, Bingo is a bit like a lottery in a game. Bingo does come with the stereotype that it is an ‘older person’s game’ and one of the reasons it’s popular with the older generation is because it’s so accessible. However, people of all ages enjoy Bingo and it’s a great social experience. You can go alone or with others, and when you get there, a ready made group of people with a common interest are waiting. Social aspect aside, the listening for numbers and scanning cards also provides an excellent cognitive workout.
How to organise a Bingo game
If you fancy hosting your own bingo night, you’ll need to consider how many participants you will have and gather supplies. You’ll need bingo cards, markers, a bingo cage or random number generator, and, if you want to go all out, prizes for your winners. You can buy a variety of Bingo game sets online, with prices starting from about £7.00
Variations of Bingo suitable for seniors
Older people can enjoy traditional bingo with a caller and numbers as much as the next person. You don’t necessarily need to look for a specific variation, however your audience may appreciate certain topics more than others, so trying specific themed bingo games can be a good choices. One specific variation you might like to try – especially for people with dementia, is Musical Bingo. Here, you use songs and music clips instead of numbers, which can be more engaging for those with memory challenges.
You can buy large print bingo cards which can work well for an older audience as well as large counters to help with dexterity.
These are just some suggestions. You may be more interested in word games like Scrabble, card games like snap which can be enjoyed across the ages, board games, video games or word search and brain teasers like you get in the paper, which are all also great options for mental stimulation.
Conclusion
Whether these types of brain games, exercises, and activities go so far as to stop memory loss or not, it is safe to say that keeping the mind active, interested, engaged and interacting with others as you get older is important and contributes to greater sense of wellbeing and good mental health.
