Intro
Rolling and reading a dice can be a struggle for some people living with dementia. But using numbered cards can make it much easier, as they replace a traditional dice. You can make a set of Dice Cards simply and quickly, if you can source a pack of blank cards, playing card size, and then write the numbers on them large and clearly. Just pick one of the Dice Cards – numbered one to six – to keep enjoying dice-based games.
Cards can be easier to read and less likely to roll off the table and under a chair! And the cards can even be played on their own.
What you need
- 1 or 2 sets of Home Made Dice Cards - numbered 1 - 6
- 4 cards with maths symbols (+, x, ÷, *)
- A board game
The Activity
Dice Card game: Pairs (Level 3 for 2-3 players)
- Shuffle the cards and lay them face down on the table
- Ask the first person to turn over two cards
- If the numbers match, great – they keep that pair
- If they don’t match, put them back face down in exactly the same place
- Let everyone have a chance to match the pairs in turn until there are no cards left
- The winner is the person with the most pairs
Dice Card game: Sums (Level 4 for up to 4 people)
- Lay the cards face down on the table
- Lay the maths symbols face down away from the number cards
- Get each person to take it in turns to choose two number cards and one maths symbol card
- Lay the cards out as a sum (e.g. 3 x 5)
- Ask that person to complete the sum
- Give each person a point for every correct answer
- Put the cards back face down in any order
- Once each person has had five or six goes, add up the scores and declare the person with the highest score the winner!
Playing games using Dice Cards (Level 2, 3 or 4 depending on game)
- Play the board game with its instructions
- People can either choose the Dice Cards when they’re spread out face down on a table or when they’re fanned out in someone’s hand. Choose whichever method is easier for each person
- If you wish to introduce the method of “throwing a double”, use two sets of cards