There is no dearth of fun activities for seniors and their family members. However, with the impact and presence of COVID still there, we will restrict the fun activities within the four walls of our homes. As they say, precaution is better than cure; this seems more applicable to senior citizens and children. Thus maintaining social distancing and preferring to stay at home is suitable for the two.
In this article, we will enlist the top 10 best fun activities for seniors and the family. Let’s start:
1) Virtual Meet-ups
We know seniors love to spend time with their friends and relatives. Ironically, this is still impossible as the COVID times have affected the physical meetings and gatherings at home. This has caused mental health issues as they feel lonely. However, seniors still have the chance to have some fun activities.
They can connect with their friends, relatives and children via virtual meetings. A simple video call can suffice this requirement, and they can have a good time on a regular basis. Arranging once or twice a week can offer the seniors the fun element with this activity.
2) Learning Arts & Crafts
This is interesting as you can find several YouTube channels to share with your hundreds of simple DIY art and craft activities. These are simple to follow, and you just need some easily available in homes. The activity with art and craft remains the perfect choice for seniors, offering them fun with their family members. They can get engaged in making different crafts and some home detector items. The elders may find difficulty in running the videos on smart TV or phone; you can quickly help to find out the relevant videos on YouTube on the chosen device.
3) Reading
Reading often excites the seniors. They usually have a small collection of their favorite authors in their collections. You can always order books of their favorite author or genre and gift them. This activity will keep them busy by keeping boredom at bay. You can make it more interesting by sitting with them on your recliner and hearing what they have read so far. They love sharing, and it often becomes a fun-fill session with the elders. Also, you will be able to understand their choices and thoughts with this activity.
4) Board Games
Yes, you read it right. The board games you often bring out during vacations can be helpful for seniors. Some of the common board games include Uno, Ludo and Chess. You can easily play these games and keep the ball rolling for the fun elements. Children too have a good time playing with their grandparents. It will keep the seniors involved and make them feel relaxed as well.
5) Virtual Travel
Many known tourist places are still locked due to the garb of COVID-19. However, you can still visit them by having a virtual trip. It is possible to have a virtual tour through some of the latest features, including Google Arts and Culture. You can facilitate the virtual tour for the seniors, giving a good experience of these famous places amid the home comfort. You can also connect their childhood home and other memorable sites with Google Earth.
6) Movie Night
Elders enjoy catching up a good movie; however, going out for a film in a theater is a daunting task. The best option is to catch a movie in your theater room with a projector showing the movie on a large screen. This can give them a joyous experience. If you know their genre likes, then showing them those classic movies of their time will allow them to go in their memory lane, making this activity fun-filled.
7) Gardening
Although the seniors may not be able to carry out all the activities in gardening for being strenuous, you can still engage in some interesting things to keep them engaged. Gardening can keep them active and busy, adding some fun elements. At the same time, gardening is a relaxing activity as it gives some peace of mind while we stay amid the green plants, grasses and trees. Getting them some simple manual gardening tools can help them get engaged.
8) Exercise and Yoga
Generally the seniors have some daily routine, which contributes to some good physical exercise. However, they have limited options to try. You can add some fun elements by making their exercise and yoga activities fun. Giving them some simple yoga asanas can give them a change thus adding some fun elements in it. Engaging them into Yoga and exercises can keep them engaged and do not feel isolated or lonely.
9) Go Electric
You can engage the senior members in a few video games to add to the fun activity. It can be a real lifesaver experience for them. However, you need to do this slowly and steadily. As per studies, video games can add value to an aging brain’s prefrontal cognitive control system. It acts as a powerful tool for cognitive enhancement. You can try some of the following games for the elders:
- Solitaire
- Crosswords
- 3D driving games,
- NeuroRacer
- Sudoku
- Wii interactive games
- Tetris
10) Spend Time Together – And Enjoy Every Moment
Even if you are sitting with your elders with your rest of your family members, it is a moment of joy for the seniors. Spending quality time together to make sure to enjoy every moment is also one of the best ways to engage them with verbal games. Share your day-to-day activities, jokes and other things with them. It will keep them happy and feel the fun with you.
All these activities can help seniors engage in this busy life. It will also help kick off consistent communication, which is the key to their happiness. Take time to try out these fun activities for seniors and the family to keep everyone in your family happy. Enjoy!
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