Play a Word Chain Game

Quick Win

Gather everyone together for an entertaining game that tests your word association skills.

Try This Today

• Start by saying a word aloud. The person next to you says a word associated with your word. A third person continues the chain. You won’t need to remember all of the words in the chain, just the last one.
• Make it more challenging. Raise the stakes a little by setting a timer during each person’s turn. You can play with as many people as possible; everyone will keep coming up with another associated word until the chain is broken.
• Try a different take. Instead of similar words, think of antonyms. You can also try tongue twisters and word pairs, such as “Abbott and Costello” or “knife and fork.”

Why

Doing word games and playing games with others are associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment, depression and loneliness, according to a study published in 2023 in Frontiers in Public Health. For their study, the researchers reviewed six years’ worth of data from 19,821 middle-aged and older adults. And in its 2017 report “Engage Your Brain,” AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health wrote, “Cognitively stimulating activities over the life course, such as engaging in formal or self-initiated informal educational activities, continuing to engage in work experiences, learning a new skill, or engaging in leisure activities that are mentally challenging, provide benefits for adults’ brain health.”