70+ Trivia Questions for Senior Citizens & How to Host the Ultimate Trivia Game [2023]
Active Lifestyle
Editorial
Fitness
Games
Wellness
Looking for an enjoyable and easy activity for senior citizens? Look no further than trivia! Trivia–played online or in person–provides a fantastic opportunity to exercise your mental muscles, engage in friendly competition, and connect with others.
This article provides some great trivia questions for seniors, how to host virtual trivia sessions, and where you can join trivia sessions online. Whether you're organizing a virtual activity or a hybrid event, these tips and tricks will help you create an engaging virtual trivia experience that your senior participants will love.
Let's dive in and discover the exciting world of trivia for senior citizens! Get ready to challenge your knowledge and have a great time together.
Trivia is a fantastic way to entertain and engage older adults. When making the content, choose an appropriate level of challenge, and make them fun! Also, know your audience. Instead of talking about the most-used hashtag, try asking about music groups from the mid 1900s, political history, or science.
Here are some trivia question ideas specifically curated for senior citizens. Challenge their knowledge across different decades, test their sense of humor, and explore the world of music.
P.S. Don’t forget to make your presentation engaging. Add GIFs, fun pictures, and some light music if possible, depending on player's hearing requirements!
40s Trivia Questions
In which year did World War II begin?
Answer: 1939
Who was the 32nd President of the United States during the 1940s?
Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Which iconic movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman was released in 1942?
Answer: Casablanca
Which nation dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945?
Answer: United States
Who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1940 for his role in "The Philadelphia Story"?
Answer: James Stewart
What was the first self-contained electric guitar called, invented in the 1940s?
Answer: Les Paul guitar
Which famous baseball player made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, breaking the sport's color barrier?
Answer: Jackie Robinson
What was the name of the first electronic general-purpose computer, developed during the 1940s?
Answer: ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer)
Who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1945 for his discovery of cosmic radiation?
Answer: Percy Williams Bridgman
What international organization was founded in 1945 to maintain world peace and security?
Answer: United Nations (UN)
50s Trivia Questions
Who was the British monarch during the 1950s?
Answer: Queen Elizabeth II
Which American president signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957?
Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Who invented the polio vaccine in the 1950s?
Answer: Dr. Jonas Salk
Which famous novel by J.D. Salinger was published in 1951?
Answer: The Catcher in the Rye
What was the name of the first successful artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957?
Answer: Sputnik 1
Who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1953 for her role in "Roman Holiday"?
Answer: Audrey Hepburn
Which American musician is known as "The King of Rock and Roll" and rose to fame in the 1950s?
Answer: Elvis Presley
What toy was introduced in the 1950s and quickly became a popular craze?
Answer: Hula Hoop
Which groundbreaking DNA structure was discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953?
Answer: Double helix
Who was the first person to break the sound barrier in level flight in 1952?
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. (True)
The Great Wall of China is visible from space. (False)
Albert Einstein discovered the theory of relativity. (True)
Beethoven composed the Moonlight Sonata. (True)
The capital of Australia is Sydney. (False)
The Nile River is the longest river in the world. (True)
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States. (True)
Shakespeare wrote the play "Romeo and Juliet." (True)
Penguins can fly. (False)
More Fun Trivia Questions
What is the largest planet in our solar system?
Answer: Jupiter
Which country is home to the kangaroo?
Answer: Australia
What is the main ingredient in guacamole?
Answer: Avocado
Which famous artist painted the Mona Lisa?
Answer: Leonardo da Vinci
What is the capital city of Japan?
Answer: Tokyo
Who wrote the novel "Pride and Prejudice"?
Answer: Jane Austen
Which animal is known for its black and white stripes?
Answer: Zebra
What is the largest organ in the human body?
Answer: Skin
Which planet is known as the "Red Planet"?
Answer: Mars
What is the chemical symbol for gold?
Answer: Au
Setting Up Your Virtual Trivia
First things first, get your live stream set up. No matter what platform you’re using, there are a few things to be careful of with virtual trivia for older adults.
Audio: Audio quality is a high priority no matter who you’re streaming to, but especially when it’s senior citizens. Your viewers may be hard of hearing, so make sure they can hear you and others clearly and consistently.
Video: Make sure your presentation uses a large font that’s easy to read. When you have senior viewers, they could have some vision issues, and lots of little text on a screen may discourage your older audience from engaging.
Platform: Make sure you and your players know how to use whatever platform you choose. There are pros and cons to many of them, so do a little research before you start. It needs to be senior-friendly, so focus finding one with little set up, and higher security. At televëda, we developed our live streaming software for seniors in mind to ensure the best experience for them.
Ready to just get signed up for free virtual trivia for adults 65+ (plus a ton of other fun events!)? Sign up today for free!
If you work with a senior center or community organization, book a demo here to see how we can seamlessly digitize your offerings.
You have to figure out how you want to run the game: individually, on teams, etc. Teams can be a great way to build camaraderie and socialization. Once that’s determined, make sure your viewers understand the rules, and how they can get points for their team.
A lot of people shouting on live streaming at once can be a lot, so muting the audience and requiring hand raising can be a great option for answering questions.
You can also go around and make sure everyone gets a turn answering a new question. This part really depends on the abilities of your audience, and also the style they prefer.
But, make sure you are catering to your older audience’s needs. Though having a large group playing is great (like these 3,000-strong Isolation Trivia events), a game with more manageable sizes will be more fun and engaging because it keeps it intimate and allows for conversation and friendship creation!
You don’t want seniors to feel overwhelmed, or unable to join in because of the group size, so keep that in mind with organizing your virtual trivia nights.
Prizes are more challenging with online trivia, but whether it’s bragging rights or a virtual high five, make sure to congratulate the winners, as well as support every player too.
One last note: it’s important to make your trivia night engaging, exciting, and personalized. Keep your energy high, make eye contact with the camera, and use participants’ names if you know them!
The point of virtual trivia for seniors is to keep your older audience socializing, and having fun together.
Want to experience the ease of virtual programming? Book your free demo today to bring trivia to your community!