5 fun ways to connect and play with family and friends for the holidays
At the holidays, it may be the first time you’ve seen loved ones in quite a while. Here are some fun ways to enjoy your time with them, as well as keep everyone’s brains active and healthy.
We enjoy many of these games at Marama as part of our fun and stimulating activities.
1. Uno
Uno means “number one” for a reason! This internationally popular card game is very easy for everyone to play. And it’s a great way to maintain or regain your strategic thinking skills. Uno is a favorite game here at Marama.
2. Trivial Pursuit
We also love Trivial Pursuit — especially the “classic” editions covering the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Stimulating memory is a great way to keep yours fresh. The game’s “oldies” trivia is guaranteed to make people smile, laugh, or reminisce about happy memories.
Don’t have a Trivial Pursuit classic edition? Borrow one from a friend and invite them to play! Or look for it, and other board games, at your local thrift store.
3. Scrabble
We all forget words sometimes. Scrabble helps us recall words, reach for unusual words, and sharpen our verbal skills. Because Scrabble is both challenging and creative, it’s still everyone’s favorite word game. (Sorry, sudoku and crosswords.)
Like with Uno and Trivial Pursuit, you can choose to play Scrabble solo or in teams. Here at Marama, we like to play the version with extra large, easy-to-see tiles.
4. Puzzles
Remember how you wanted more and more complicated jigsaw puzzles as you grew? Puzzles are perfect for exercising our spatial abilities. Plus, you can attempt a single jigsaw puzzle by yourself, or multiply the fun with family and friends.
5. Giving Thanks
Gratitude is also a daily practice at Marama, and Thanksgiving is a perfect time to practice it. Being thankful out loud not only helps you feel better — it also inspires others to be thankful, too.
So at your next gathering, ask each person to take a minute to share one or two things they’re most thankful for. This is a sure way to stimulate smiles and conversations.
Here at Marama, our residents like to write in their daily journals about what makes them happy. We know how great it feels to give thanks all year — not just on Thanksgiving.
Bonus tip: “KISS” Keep It Super Simple
We all get overwhelmed sometimes. So when choosing group games and activities, it’s best to “Keep it Super Simple” (KISS). Pick games that are super simple to play, so even those with wandering focus can enjoy the group experience. The activities we’ve listed here are all perfectly KISS-able, so all our residents enjoy them.
Do you have other favorite activities or games? We’d love to hear about them! Write to education@maramaexperience.com
However you celebrate, the family at Marama wishes your family a happy start to your holidays. You can find more tips, like our quick Conversation Guide on our website.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Marama Family
