In today’s digital age, online games are a great way to kick back, relax, and have some fun! Depending on the games you choose, they can even help you stay connected with your loved ones, satisfy your competitive nature, and stay mentally sharp. Here are the top online games that seniors are sure to enjoy.

1. Candy Crush 

Similar to the famous “match-three” game, Bejeweled, Candy Crush features rows of colored candies that you have to match, with the goal of clearing the board. You can match three or more of the same pieces of candy in a row. You may even come across certain “special candies” that, when you use them as part of a row, unleash their special, candy-crushing effects.Both of these games are fun ways to keep your mind sharp – and they have multiple levels, so you’ll never be bored.

2. Words With Friends 

Words With Friends is one of the most popular online word games. Similar to scrabble, in this game, you test your vocabulary in a crossword-puzzle-style word board game with the goal of getting the most points for each word you create. Challenge a friend, family member, or an automated robot. You can play on their website, or download their app.

3. Solitaire 

This single-player online card game is a classic. Solitaire can help you keep your mind sharp by testing your strategic thinking and pattern recognition skills – and it’s a surefire way to combat boredom.

4. Chess 

Sharpen your strategic thinking skills (and that competitive edge) with a game of virtual chess – against friends, strangers, or a computer. Chess may also help you improve your creativity and ability to focus. In some cases, this game may even act as a protective factor against dementia and cognitive decline in older adults.

5. Digital Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles are fun, visual brain-teasers that are both relaxing and entertaining. The Washington Post puts out a daily jigsaw puzzle for their readers to do, where you can select the picture you’re putting together and the puzzle’s level of difficulty. National Geographic also provides free online jigsaw puzzles where you can put together some of their beautiful photos.

6. Mahjong

If you love puzzles, mahjong may be for you. Mahjong is an ancient Chinese strategy game that’s great for improving memory skills. You can play this game alone, against a computer, or with up to four players. The goal of this game is to match tiles until you get four sets of three and one pair, which you can make with identical tiles or by lining up consecutive numbers.

7. Trivia 

Trivia is a fun way to exercise your thinking and memory skills – and can be particularly enjoyable for those who have a competitive nature and like to learn new things. You can play trivia alone or with a group of your family and friends – both virtually and in person. Find fun trivia apps through your app store or choose from a wide range of virtual trivia websites, such as:

• Random Trivia Generator 
• Crowdpurr 
• Sporcle
• Jeopardy

8. Crosswords

Crossword puzzles are a great way to boost your vocabulary and critical thinking skills. USA Today, Washington Post, Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster.com, and more websites offer fresh crossword puzzles daily. You can also download crossword puzzle apps like Crossword Unlimited or The New York Times Crossword.

9. Fun Bridge

Through Fun Bridge, Arkadium, and other websites and apps, you can play a good game of bridge any time, anywhere. Play against computerized opponents or add and start a game with your friends.AARP has a wide selection of free online games for seniors, including some of the games listed above. All of these games can be found through a quick Google search, where you can play online through a website. In this day and age, there’s also an app for everything. Browse your app store’s selection of online games to see what’s new or play these popular favorites.These online games are a great way to stay entertained – and so is living in a senior living community that cares about your enrichment. If you’re trying to find a senior living solution for yourself or a loved one, contact us today. Our team at Aviva Senior Living is happy to help you explore the exciting adventures that our community has to offer!