Engage and entertain with fun activities at the right level
Activities for seniors are important for preventing boredom and boosting mood.
And jigsaw puzzles are a great activity for older adults to do on their own or with others.
They also help older adults exercise their fingers and minds, have fun, and feel a sense of accomplishment.
The key is to find a puzzle that suits their ability level and has a picture they like.
To help you find something your older adult will enjoy, we rounded up dozens of fun puzzles with beautiful pictures.
We found options for people looking for simpler puzzles, ones designed for Alzheimer’s or dementia, puzzles for people with impaired vision, and even custom puzzles made from your own photos.
Simpler puzzles for mild cognitive impairment
Seniors with mild cognitive decline can still have fun with puzzles. Start by choosing one with a simple picture and fewer pieces than they used to enjoy.
If you’re not sure, start with a 50 or 100 piece puzzle and see how that goes.
If they find that one to be too easy or too hard, you’ll know to increase or decrease the number of pieces when choosing the next puzzle.
Less challenging puzzles
- Caribbean Smile – an underwater scene with friendly dolphins, 60 pieces
- Lunch Time – two squirrels having lunch, 60 pieces
- Puppy Party – a group of adorable puppies, 60 pieces
- No Dogs on The Beach – a fun group of “cool” dogs hanging out on the beach, 100 pieces
- Good Companions – friendly pets, 100 pieces
- The Solar System – great for people who are interested in space, 100 pieces
- USA State Map – a fun design and nice map of the U.S., 100 pieces
More challenging puzzles
- Tropical Waters – underwater scene filled with amazing sea creatures, 500 pieces
- African Beasts – a lion, leopards, zebra, rhino, gazelle, giraffes, and elephant in the African sunset, 500 pieces
- In The Still Light of Dawn – winter landscape with a snowy barn and birds, 500 pieces
- Mountains on Fire – a gorgeous mountain range sunset, 750 pieces
Puzzles for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia
Puzzles designed for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia have fewer and larger pieces that are easier to grip and see.
The pictures in these puzzles are lovely, vibrant, and perfect for adults – not childish at all.
Some of our favorites
- Blooming Lovely – a lovely gardening scene, 13 piece
- Aquamarine – a peaceful ocean scene, 16 large pieces
- Wildbird Gathering – 35 piece sequenced puzzle with color coding to assist
- Road Trip – vintage cars at a cheerful roadside town, 35 piece
- Beach Day – a beautiful beach sunset, 48 large pieces
- Farm Life – a vibrant fall farmhouse scene, 100 pieces
- Take Flight – colorful hot air balloons floating over a river, 100 pieces
Click here to browse more puzzles designed for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Puzzles for people with vision impairment
Some older adults are doing well cognitively, but their eyesight or hand flexibility has declined.
In this case, a puzzle with larger pieces, but a lot of them, may be just right. That way, the challenge will be in the puzzle itself, not in seeing or picking up the pieces.
Some of our favorites
- Country Meadow – horses, birds, and a farmhouse in a soothing meadow, 300 large pieces
- Songbird Menagerie – a group of beautiful songbirds gather in a meadow, 300 large pieces
- Up Up and Away – hot air balloons over the mountains, 300 large pieces
- Cat’s Got Mail – a group of cats lounging on a bank of mailboxes, 300 large pieces
- Frank’s Friendly Service – a vintage filling station scene, 300 large pieces
- Classic American Country Scenes, set of three (3) puzzles – scenes from the countryside, 300 large pieces each
- Ravensburger Meet You at Jack’s – a nostalgic diner scene, 750 large pieces
Create a custom photo puzzle
It’s easy to turn a custom photo into a fun puzzle. Just choose your older adult’s favorite family or nature photo and upload it to a puzzle making service.
Many seniors, especially those with Alzheimer’s or dementia, really enjoy photo puzzles.
A few options
- Walmart – from $11, 110 pieces and up
- Portrait Puzzles – from $35, 16 pieces and up
- Shutterfly – from $40, large pieces available, 30 pieces and up
Recommended for you:
- Entertain and Engage Seniors with Books on Tape
- Chair Yoga for Seniors: Reduce Pain and Improve Health
- 9 Enjoyable Activities for Seniors with Limited Mobility
By DailyCaring Editorial Team
Image: Origin
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