From Digital to Tactile: Using Props With the Tovertafel
In a memory care environment, engagement and enrichment tools can play a major role in bringing residents out of their shell and improving their quality of life. This is part of what makes the Tovertafel so useful: at hours when sundowning is common, for example, a time of habitual stress transforms into a game of Leaves or a Nostalgia Puzzle. But did you know that pairing props with these games is a powerful way to enhance both the sensory experience and the physical benefits for your residents?
Why use props?
While the Tovertafel is highly effective on its own, pairing its digital projections with physical props anchors the experience in reality. When a resident plays a game like the Silverware polishing activity or the Baking Bread game, their eyes track the moving light, but their hands are interacting with the flat, smooth surface of a table.
Beyond being more fun, introducing a tangible object like a real piece of cloth or a rolling pin allows for multisensory integration. According to this well-documented concept, object handling can facilitate deep-seated emotional recognition and memory retrieval.1
Furthermore, as holding a physical object requires very little cognitive load, it can help ground the participants in the present moment without risking the anxiety of failing a task or forgetting a rule.1,2 Instead, it offers an accessible environment where they can safely channel restless energy, satisfy their sensory curiosity, and find meaningful, shared joy in the present moment.1,2,3
Encouraging spontaneous movement
While we often focus on the cognitive and emotional comfort the Tovertafel brings to dementia care, the physical component is just as powerful. Many seniors living with cognitive decline experience apathy or decreased mobility, making traditional exercises a challenge. For the care teams, occupational therapists, and activity coordinators working within senior living communities, introducing tangible objects to a Tovertafel game can subtly encourage functional physical movements that residents might otherwise resist.
For example, playing Baking with a real rolling pin encourages bi-lateral motion (using both hands together), refines fine motor skills, and naturally coaxes residents into an extended reach across the table to flatten the dough or butter the slices. They aren't thinking about stretching or working their joints, they are just baking bread.
How to choose props for the Tovertafel
Choose objects that are easy to hold, hard to break if dropped and that feel natural for the task at hand so that they enhance the experience without confusing the player.
In groups with more advanced memory loss, avoid using objects that look like realistic food to prevent accidental bites or ingestion. If residents seem overstimulated or agitated, remove the objects from the game to prevent throwing.
Our favorite pairings
While imagination is the limit, here are a few of our favorite ways to use props with the Tovertafel:
- Use a foam or bristle paintbrush to simulate painting and encourage hand-eye coordination in games like Paint Family.
- Use a silicone spatula, spoon, or a small rolling pin in Baking to prompt bi-lateral motion and an extended reach.
- Use a soft cloth to polish the utensils and practice familiar, repetitive wiping motions in Silverware.
- Use a small plastic rake in Leaves to encourage upper-body extension and shoulder mobility.
Use what you have on hand (or visit a hobby store)
Incorporating props into your next Tovertafel session doesn’t require a massive budget or extensive preparation. In fact, the most effective tools are often everyday items already sitting in your facility's kitchen or activity closets. A hobby store can also be a source of inexpensive props. By taking just a moment to pair a physical object with a digital game, you are transforming a simple activity into a rich, failure-free sensory experience. The next time you set up the Tovertafel, grab a soft cloth or a rolling pin — and watch how a small touch of the physical world can open up big moments of connection for your residents.
Bibliography
1. D’Andrea, F., Dening, T., & Tischler, V. (2022). Object handling for people with dementia: A scoping review and the development of intervention guidance. Innovation in Aging, 6(5), igac043.
2. Berenbaum, R., Tziraki, C., Baum, R., Rosen, A., Reback, T., Abikhzer, J., ... & Ben-David, B. M. (2020).Focusing on emotional and social intelligence stimulation of people with dementia by playing a serious game—proof of concept study. Frontiers in Computer Science, 2, Article 536880.
3. Jakob, A., & Collier, L. (2017). Sensory enrichment for people living with dementia: Increasing the benefits of multisensory environments in dementia care through design. Design for Health, 1(1), 115–133.
