Puzzles and Games for Dementia: Choosing What Suits

In short: The right puzzles and games for dementia are the ones the person can start, enjoy and finish without feeling tested, which usually means familiar, simple and easy to see and handle. Match the difficulty to today’s ability, not last year’s, and stop or switch when enjoyment fades. This guide covers jigsaws, cards, dominoes, sorting, music quizzes and tablets.

Choosing the right difficulty for puzzles and games for dementia

A game is at the right level when the person can take part with little help and finishes it feeling capable. Alzheimer’s Society advises building activities around what someone can still do, because a task that highlights what they cannot do is far less enjoyable.

Some practical ways to judge difficulty:

• Watch the first few minutes. If the person hesitates, repeats the same move or looks anxious, the task is probably too hard.
• If they finish in moments and look bored, it may be too easy or too childish. Adults generally dislike material that feels patronising.
• Look at the practical side: can they see the pieces, grip them and understand the rules in one sentence?
• Expect good days and bad days. The same game can suit one afternoon and not the next.

Choosing puzzles and games for dementia is partly trial and error, so keep a small selection at several levels and offer only two choices at a time.

Set the scene before you start. Clear the table, make sure the light is good and put out only what you need. Introduce the game in a sentence, such as “Shall we do this jigsaw together?”, and sit beside the person, not opposite, so you are working together instead of competing. Many families find that the best puzzles and games for dementia are ones that simply sit on the table all day, so the person can pick one up when they feel like it.

Jigsaws and piece counts by stage

Jigsaws for dementia are popular because many people find them absorbing, and there is no single correct piece count. The numbers below are a general suggestion only, not clinical advice or figures from a published standard. Abilities vary a great deal within each stage, so use them as a starting point and adjust.

• Early stage: many people manage 100 to 300 pieces, or whatever they were comfortable with before. Alzheimer’s Society has described 100-piece puzzles with easy-to-hold pieces working well for a group.
• Middle stage: try 12 to 63 pieces, with large, sturdy pieces and a clear, colourful picture.
• Later stage: very large chunky pieces, a handful of pieces, or simply handling and matching shapes may be enough.

Look for good-quality pieces that stand up to handling, bright pictures with plenty of detail to talk about, and a finished picture on the box lid so the person can see the goal. A puzzle made from a meaningful family photograph can prompt conversation. Working side by side often makes it more enjoyable, and having a second puzzle ready helps if the person wants to carry straight on.

If the person was a keen jigsaw fan before, they may be insulted by a very simple puzzle, and a larger one with a familiar picture, such as a village scene or a favourite animal, is often better than a childish design. Puzzles and games for dementia do not need to look like children’s toys. Designs made for adults, with large pieces, are available, so it is worth looking for these.

Card games, dominoes and board games

Dementia friendly games do not have to be special products. Board and card games can become harder as dementia progresses, but there are ways to keep everyone involved. Alzheimer’s Society notes that games such as dominoes, four in a row, shove ha’penny and block-tower games may suit abilities the person still has.

• Dominoes: matching spots is a familiar pattern that many people retain. Use a large set and play open-handed so the person can see every piece.
• Cards: simple games such as snap, pairs or matching suits and colours need fewer rules than rummy or bridge. Large-print cards are easier to read.
• Word tile games: pick letters at random and see how many words the person can make. For a greater challenge, link the words together in a crossword shape.
• Property trading games: simplify by agreeing a set number of notes for each action and ignoring the denominations.

Keep rules short, agree them before you start, and be relaxed about breaking them. The conversation matters more than the score.

When choosing card and board puzzles and games for dementia, check the practical details too. A game with a long set-up, tiny pieces or complicated scoring tends to lead to frustration. Sit where the person can see the whole layout, and use a tray or a non-slip mat so pieces do not slide away.

Matching and sorting games

Matching and sorting use skills that often last well into the middle stage, and there is no right or wrong way to do them, which reduces pressure.

• Sort buttons, coins, cutlery or socks into groups by colour, size or type.
• Match pairs of cards or photographs. Start with four or six cards and add more only if it goes well.
• Sort a pack of cards into suits or colours.
• Match proverbs with their endings. Completing familiar sayings often leads to chat about sayings from younger years, and it can be played as a bingo-style game.
• Play a feely box game: guess an object by touch, or guess scents from small containers of herbs or toiletries.

Music quizzes and memory prompts

Music is often remembered when other things are not, so music quizzes tend to go down better than factual quizzes.

• Play the opening of a well-known song and see whether the person hums, sings or taps along. Treat identifying the title as a bonus, not the aim.
• Sing the first line of a favourite song and let the person finish it.
• Pick songs from their teens and twenties, which are often the best remembered.
• Combine songs with photographs, or ask about where they were when they first heard it.

Do not test the person’s memory. Alzheimer’s Society suggests talking about shared or past experiences so the person can recall things without pressure. If they cannot name a song, simply enjoy it together and move on.

Music quizzes work well in a group, so they are a good choice when family visit, as everyone can join in without anyone having to know the answers.

Tablets, apps and online games

Touchscreen tablets and smartphones are often easier to use than desktop computers, and online games and puzzles are among the options listed by the NHS and Alzheimer’s Society.

• Look for apps made specifically for people with dementia, with large buttons, simple screens and no timers or penalties.
• Choose digital jigsaws, matching pairs, colouring and simple word or picture games, which can be adjusted to suit ability.
• Use the tablet for photographs, video clips of places visited and music playlists, which suit reminiscence.
• Ask a friend or relative to help with setting up, and switch off notifications and in-app adverts.
• Sit alongside the person at first. Some people enjoy digital games but find an unexpected screen change distressing.

Screens work best alongside real objects and people, not instead of them.

A tablet can also play a supporting role in setting up other games, for example by showing the picture of a finished jigsaw or playing a song to prompt a quiz. Keep the screen at a comfortable height and angle, and be aware that glare and reflections can make screens harder to read.

Avoiding frustration

Frustration is the main sign a game is not working, and a few small changes can prevent most of it.

• Set up in a quiet, well-lit space, with the television and radio off.
• Limit options: a small number of pieces or cards on the table, not the whole box.
• Give support without taking over, for example pointing to the area where a piece might fit.
• Do not correct mistakes unless they cause harm. Let a wrong move stand.
• Skip scoring, timing and competition unless the person clearly enjoys it.
• Keep sessions short and stop on a good moment.

Signs it is time to switch puzzles and games for dementia

Be ready to finish early or change activity when the person seems to be losing interest. Other signs that puzzles and games for dementia are no longer helping include:

• Pushing pieces away, sighing or becoming tearful or irritable.
• Repeating the same move without progress or seeming confused by the rules.
• Restlessness, wandering from the table or looking for something else to do.
• Tiredness or a sudden drop in ability. A change over a day or two should be checked by the GP, because it can signal a separate problem such as an infection or delirium.

Switching is not failure. Move to a simpler game, a sensory activity such as handling fabric or smelling herbs, or a song. For a diagnosis that is still recent, our page on coping with a dementia diagnosis offers wider support, and meaningful activities in care homes has ideas that also work at home. Dementia varies with its cause, which our guide to types of dementia explains.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best games for someone with dementia?

The best games are familiar, simple and enjoyable. Dominoes, card games with simplified rules, matching pairs, sorting, jigsaws of suitable size, music-based games and feely box games all work for many people. Choose by the person’s interests and current ability, and expect to adjust as things change.

How many jigsaw pieces suit someone with dementia?

There is no official number. As a general suggestion only, many people in the early stage manage 100 or more pieces, middle stage often suits roughly 12 to 63 larger pieces, and later stage may suit very few chunky pieces. Alzheimer’s Society advises choosing a suitable number and size for the individual.

Should I correct mistakes when we play?

Usually not. Correcting can make the person feel tested and lead to frustration or withdrawal. Support without taking over, let harmless mistakes stand and simplify the rules if needed. The aim is enjoyment and company, so keep the focus on taking part, not on getting it right.

Are tablets and apps suitable for people with dementia?

Often, yes. The NHS lists online games, puzzles and dementia-specific apps among activity options, and touchscreens are usually easier than computers. Choose simple apps without timers, sit alongside at first, and watch for confusion or upset. Screens work best as one option alongside real objects and people.

What if the person gets angry or upset during a game?

Stop calmly, without comment on the game, and offer a drink, a seat in a quieter space or a different activity. Check for tiredness, pain or hunger. If you feel frustrated yourself, step away for a moment if it is safe. Persistent distress is worth raising with the GP.

Can puzzles and games prevent dementia progressing?

No, there is no evidence in the sources used for this guide that games slow dementia. They can still support mood, confidence, social contact and enjoyment, which makes them worthwhile. Treat them as a pleasant part of the day, not as treatment.

What games suit later-stage dementia?

Later on, people often respond to senses more than rules. Alzheimer’s Society suggests familiar music, soft fabrics, scents, pictures to look at and being read to. Handling objects, simple sorting by touch and feely box games can also work. Watch small responses such as expression, a sound or movement.

Official sources

• Alzheimer’s Society: Indoor games for people with dementia
• Alzheimer’s Society: Games and puzzles designed for people with dementia to enjoy
• Alzheimer’s Society: Jigsaws and other products designed for people with dementia
• Alzheimer’s Society: Choosing activities to do with somebody living with dementia
• Alzheimer’s Society: How to communicate with a person with dementia
• NHS: Activities for people with dementia

This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. The Care Panel is an independent guide and is not part of any government body or care provider. Last checked 9 November 2026.

Related: Dementia aggression and agitation · Meaningful activities in care homes · Coping with a dementia diagnosis

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.