Activities for People with Dementia: 101 Simple Ideas

The best activity for a person living with dementia is usually something they already know how to do, made a little simpler and done alongside someone they trust. Below are 101 ideas, grouped by type, each with how to set it up and how to make it easier when it gets harder. You do not need special equipment, and you do not need to finish anything. A good afternoon can be one basket of towels and a cup of coffee together.

How do you choose the right activity?

Choose by the person, not the list: start with what they have always enjoyed and what they can comfortably do today.

• Think about their work and hobbies. The Alzheimer’s Association suggests that a former office worker may enjoy sorting coins or assembling mailings, and a gardener may enjoy yard work.
• Notice what they already do. If your dad sweeps the porch every morning unasked, build that into the day.
• Plan around limits. Tiredness, eyesight, hearing, sore hands and balance all matter.
• Watch their mood. Busy, noisy activities suit some people and frighten others.
• Give it a purpose. Folding napkins for a church supper feels more worthwhile than an exercise for its own sake.

A rough guide by stage

Dementia is often described in early, middle and late stages. These are loose labels, not boxes, and many people have better and harder days, so go by what you see today. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s list by stage follows a similar pattern.

How do you start an activity with someone who has dementia?

Start small, start alongside them, and make it easy to say yes. Many people still want to take part but find it hard to plan or begin.

1. Pick their best time, often the morning.
2. Set everything out first so you can begin right away.
3. Ask for help, not a performance: “Could you give me a hand with these?”
4. Begin it yourself. Fold the first towel and let them join in. Showing beats explaining.
5. Offer one step at a time.
6. Take the hardest part. The Alzheimer’s Association suggests measuring ingredients yourself, then handing over the spoon to stir.
7. Let it be done their way. Differently folded towels are fine.
8. Stop when it stops being pleasant. Fidgeting, frowning or “I can’t” are signs to switch or rest.

See also how to play together and communication tips.

Everyday tasks at home

Household jobs are familiar and useful, which makes them a natural place to begin. The National Institute on Aging lists dishes, setting the table, sweeping, sorting mail and folding laundry among activities people may enjoy. More in household tasks.

1. Fold warm towels. Tip a basket from the dryer onto the table and fold side by side. Later, smoothing and stacking is just as helpful.
2. Pair socks. Start with very different colors. Later, sorting light from dark is plenty.
3. Set the table. Hand over one kind of item at a time. Set one place yourself as a model.
4. Wash or dry dishes. Warm, soapy water and unbreakable dishes. Drying while seated is easier on the legs.
5. Wipe the table. Hand over a damp cloth after meals. It is real work for restless hands.
6. Sort the mail. Catalogs and junk mail into “keep” and “recycle.” Keep real bills out.
7. Clip coupons. Round-tip scissors and grocery flyers. Later, circling favorite foods works too.
8. Sort coins. Sort change into cups or roll it into wrappers. Skip small items if the person puts things in their mouth.
9. Sweep or dust. A light broom on the porch, or a long-handled duster used from a chair.
10. Help make a meal. Washing vegetables, tearing lettuce, stirring. You handle knives and heat.
11. Bake a family recipe. Use the card in their handwriting if you have it. Later, they can be the taster.
12. Do office work. Fold letters, stuff and stamp envelopes, or write the shopping list together.

Music

Familiar music can reach people even when words are hard. The Alzheimer’s Association’s music tips suggest familiar songs, no commercials and the TV off. See music activities.

13. Build a personal playlist. Music from their teens and twenties, their wedding, their church and their culture.
14. Sing along. Start singing yourself. Humming or listening counts.
15. Keep the beat. Clap, pat knees or tap a hand drum. Works seated and in late stages.
16. Dance. Slow dance in the kitchen, or sway seated while holding hands.
17. Play a whole album. A favorite record start to finish, with coffee and nothing else going on.
18. Talk about the music. Invite stories, not facts: “Tell me about the dances you went to.”
19. Watch a filmed musical or concert. A show they loved makes a good evening. Pause anytime.
20. Play a familiar instrument. A former pianist may enjoy simple pieces; later, a few notes together.
21. Hear live music. A short community concert or choir rehearsal. Sit near the exit.

Reminiscence: photos, objects and stories

Enjoy the past together without testing it. Skip “Do you remember…?” and “Who is this?” and use open invitations instead. See reminiscence activities.

22. Look through a photo album. Say what you see: “What a dress. Tell me about this day.” Go along with any names they use.
23. Make a memory box. A shoebox of things from their life, like a work badge or recipe card. Take items out one at a time.
24. Start a life-story book. A few photos per page with large-print captions. It helps new helpers know the person.
25. Use conversation cards. Conversation cards pair a picture with an open prompt.
26. Make a family photo game. Photo pairs turns your own photos into a matching game.
27. Watch home movies or old TV. Comment together rather than asking questions.
28. Handle objects from their working life. A wrench, a stethoscope, a ledger. Hands often lead the story.
29. Cook a childhood dish. They can stir, taste or simply sit in the kitchen with you.
30. Look at a map of places they lived. Trace familiar roads in a large atlas while you talk.

Creative activities

Art is about doing, not the finished piece. Keep materials adult and safe. See arts and crafts.

31. Paint with watercolors. Thick paper, a few colors. If starting is hard, guide the first strokes together.
32. Color adult designs. Flowers or quilts, not cartoons. Our coloring pages work on screen or printed.
33. Make a collage. Tear magazine pictures of gardens, cars or food and glue them down. Later, just choosing pictures is enough.
34. Arrange flowers. A grocery-store bunch and a vase. Later, a few stems in a jar.
35. Knit or crochet together. Simple rows on large needles. Later, winding yarn into balls.
36. Make cards for family. Stamp, sign or decorate birthday and get-well cards for real people.
37. Shape air-dry clay. Press out a small dish. Use non-toxic materials and stay nearby.
38. Sand and finish wood. A pre-cut birdhouse kit and sandpaper, no power tools. See activities for men.
39. Write or dictate a letter. To a grandchild or old friend. If writing is hard, they talk and you write.

Outdoors and gardening

Fresh air and daylight are good company. See outdoor and gardening activities.

40. Water plants. A small can and a few pots. Daily watering gives the day a rhythm.
41. Plant a pot. Set it on a table so nobody kneels. Seedlings are easier than seeds.
42. Weed or deadhead. Gloves on, one small bed at a time.
43. Rake leaves. One small patch. Later, holding the bag open is a real job.
44. Walk a familiar route. Around the block or to the mailbox. Shorter is fine.
45. Sit outside together. A porch chair on a mild day. Watch clouds or passersby.
46. Feed the birds. Fill a feeder together and watch from a window seat.
47. Wash the car. Bucket, sponge, warm afternoon. Rinsing hubcaps is a good one-step job.

Sensory activities

Touch, smell, taste, sound and sight matter more as dementia progresses. The NHS mentions music, objects to handle and hand massage for later stages. Check for allergies and choking risks first; see sensory activities.

48. Give a hand massage. Ask first and use a little lotion. Choose unscented if unsure about skin or allergies.
49. Feel fabrics. A basket of velvet, corduroy, wool and satin to stroke and fold.
50. Smell herbs and coffee. Rub fresh mint or rosemary between your fingers. Skip strong scents with breathing problems.
51. Brush their hair. Slow and gentle, if they enjoy it.
52. Share a warm washcloth. For hands and face on a cold day. Test the temperature first.
53. Explore an activity apron. Large buttons and zippers sewn on firmly. Check nothing can come loose.
54. Taste a favorite treat. A small spoonful, in a texture they can manage safely.
55. Play nature sounds. Rain, waves or birdsong at low volume.
56. Watch something slow. A fish tank, a nature video or falling snow.

Games and puzzles

Games work when there is no timer, score or pressure. If one starts to feel like a test, put it away. See choosing apps and games and brain games.

57. Match pictures. Picture pairs lets pictures stay face up, so it is about noticing, not remembering.
58. Find the same picture. Find the same offers two to four choices. Chat about each picture.
59. Sort into baskets. Sort together is like sorting socks on screen.
60. Do a large-piece jigsaw. Adult images, an easy piece count. Picture puzzle keeps the whole picture visible. More in puzzles for dementia.
61. Play an old card game. Whatever they played for years. Later, sorting the deck by color is a game in itself.
62. Play dominoes. Match the ends. Later, just lining tiles up is fine.
63. Try a large-print word search. Our word search has words across and down only, and prints.
64. Finish familiar sayings. Finish the saying lets you show the ending anytime.
65. Play picture bingo. Picture bingo suits families and groups. Help mark cards freely.
66. Play checkers. Keep the rules loose. Moving pieces while you chat counts.

Movement

The NIA suggests walks, a stationary bike, stretching bands, tossing a soft ball or balloon, lifting soup cans and exercise videos for older adults. Check with a doctor before starting anything new, especially with balance problems.

67. Toss a balloon. Sit facing each other. It moves slowly, so it is easy to catch.
68. Follow a seated exercise video made for older adults, side by side.
69. Stretch with a band. Gentle arm pulls with a light band while seated.
70. Lift soup cans. Slow arm raises, perhaps to music.
71. Ride a stationary bike. A few easy minutes, with you nearby.
72. Dance with scarves. Wave light scarves to music, seated or standing.
73. Walk with a purpose. To mail a letter or buy a coffee. A reason to go feels natural.
74. Share a breathing pause. Slow down together with calm breathing.

Social activities

Company matters even when names are hard, and small groups are easier than big ones. The NIA notes that a person may not remember who a visitor is but often still enjoys the company. See visiting.

75. Have one or two visitors at a time. Short visits in a quiet room, with photos to look at.
76. Video call family. Short calls, one voice at a time. See phone and video calls.
77. Try a memory café. Informal drop-in gatherings for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Ask your local Area Agency on Aging what is nearby.
78. Eat out at a quiet time. The NIA suggests a familiar, quiet restaurant at off-hours, with a table near the restroom.
79. Visit a senior center or adult day program. Company for them and a break for you.
80. Spend time with children. A short, calm visit from grandchildren, or reading a picture book to a toddler.
81. Share the newspaper over coffee. Read headlines aloud. The ritual matters more than the news.
82. Help someone else. Fold church programs or make a card for a neighbor.

Faith and spiritual activities

Follow the person’s own tradition, or none. The NIA suggests familiar services, readings, sacred music, prayer, meditation and holiday rituals.

83. Attend a familiar service. Choose a quieter one, sit near the aisle, and let people there know about the dementia.
84. Watch a service online on days when going out is too much.
85. Pray or read together. Familiar words, read slowly. They may join in on parts they know.
86. Sing hymns or sacred music from their tradition.
87. Keep holiday rituals. Battery candles, a blessing, the decorations they always used.
88. Share quiet time. Sit in a garden or watch the sunset together.

Pets and animals

The NIA suggests feeding, grooming, walking, or sitting with and holding a pet.

89. Brush a calm dog or cat with long, slow strokes.
90. Feed the pet together. You measure; they pour.
91. Walk the dog together. You hold the leash.
92. Hold a pet on the lap. A calm cat on a blanket can be very settling.
93. Welcome visiting animals. Some care homes and day programs host animal visits. Ask locally.
94. Offer a lifelike soft animal. If there is no pet, some people enjoy holding a realistic plush cat or dog. Offer it simply, never as a toy, and accept a no.

Seasonal activities

Keep traditions, but simpler. The NIA suggests being realistic and having a quiet space for breaks during busy holidays.

95. Decorate for the season. A pumpkin, a wreath or fresh flowers on the table.
96. Make a holiday treat. Roll dough or frost cookies. You handle the oven.
97. Hang decorations. Shatterproof ornaments, handed over one at a time.
98. Drive to see the lights. A short evening drive asks nothing but company.
99. Plant spring bulbs. Press bulbs into a pot in fall and watch for shoots.
100. Shuck corn or shell peas. A summer porch job with a bowl in the lap.
101. Address holiday cards. They sign, stamp or seal; you handle addresses.

What if an activity is not working?

Stop, and try something different another time. The NIA suggests watching for frustration and letting the person simply watch if they prefer. A no often means the task is too hard, the time is wrong, or something else is bothering them, like pain, hunger or noise. Make it smaller, try earlier in the day, or start it yourself and see if they join in. See when they say no and late-day restlessness.

To fit activities between meals and rest, see a gentle daily routine. For things to have ready, see printable activities, and if you lead a group, care home group activities. Your own rest matters too: see caregiver self-care.