Games for Mentally Challenged People

People who are mentally challenged can engage in games and fun activities so that their minds stay stimulated and they live life as fully as possible. Engaging in different types of games allows the mentally challenged person to continue to develop skills and practice using the skills he already has. Games are a way for the mentally challenged to connect with other individuals, friends and family members.

Social Games

• Games where they interact with others help to keep mentally challenged people's social skills fresh. These games can include card games like poker or go-fish, depending on the level of competence. Checkers, Chinese checkers, board games and bingo are all games that assist the mentally challenged in keeping up communication skills because they have to interact with other players and let their needs be known. Any types of games that include interaction, such as guessing games or memory games, are also useful as ways to help build social skills for mentally challenged adults.

Sensory Games

• Sensory games include any sort of games that get the mentally challenged to feel different types of objects or indulge in sensory related activities. Bean-bag-toss style games immediately come to mind as a sensory activity. Building items with clay or sand, using crafts to create objects and using items that are related to touch, such as squeeze balls, can all be developed into games that help work with the individual's senses.

Active Indoor Games

• Playing interactive games such as bowling, basketball, dodge ball and other games that can be played indoors helps to keep the mentally challenged active. Tossing balls of various shapes and sizes, engaging in fitness games while playing video games, dancing and musical chairs are all active indoor games that the mentally challenged can enjoy.

Outdoor Games

• Engaging in the Special Olympics and participating in running, hiking, golfing, walking and swimming are all outdoor games and activities that the mentally challenged can perform. Baseball, hockey and basketball can be sports that people enjoy participating in as long as they are allowed to engage at their own particular level. Adaptive equipment such as outdoor wheelchairs, beach-styled wheelchairs and specially designed equipment for each individual can be used while playing these games.