Windham Aging, a Vermont-based nonprofit, aims for older Vermonters to be self-determined, connected, and fulfilled. And they’re making plans to get there.
In the summer of 2025 Professor Flanagan’s Game Design Studio class partnered with Windham Aging to create games to help older players: age in place, and be more self-determined, fulfilled, and connected. Student teams designed 5 tabletop games with different genres and goals. They created games from concept through to finish physical product, and delivered the resulting games to Windham Aging to be played by their partnering organizations!
Growing Closer
2-6 Players, 30 minutes, by Lucas Manso and Max Cabianca
Growing Closer stimulates conversation between 2-6 people, progressively asking more intimate questions about who you are, what you value, and where you want to be in life. Progress through different levels of personal questions and enjoy watching relationships (with yourself and others) grow from a seed to eventually bearing fruit.
Star of the Story
2-4 Players, 15 minutes, by Faith and Maria
Ready to be a star? Star of the Story is a game for families, friends, and strangers! Each player answers a question with a story… but is it true? Each round, players choose a Question card and answer the question by either telling the truth or making up a story—but the version they tell is determined by a Version card! Then, everyone needs to guess whether the story is true!
Respect Your Elders
2-4 Players, 90 minutes, by Max Cabianca and Lucas Manso
Once upon a time, four children went to visit their grandparents in a nursing home…little did they know, their grandparents were once renowned wrestlers, who have turned their sweet nursing home into a wrestling ring, where the only the strongest may take home the championship belt.Players take the role of these four children, teaching their grandparents about technology, building a stronger bond with their grandparents, and helping their grandparents stay
The Golden Years
2-4 Players, 45 minutes, by Aylah Purdum and Claire Mann
Race to navigate your golden years more successfully than the other players! Each decade, choose your path along the board towards the future. On your turn, you’ll roll the die and move along your chosen path. You’ll encounter health, social, and life events and have to make important decisions about each. Who will make the most of their golden years?
Harold’s Hayday
4 Players, 60 minutes, by Faith Koontz and Mackenzie Morong
Welcome to the farm! You and your fellow farmers have been running neighboring farms for as long as you can remember. Now, you’ve all gotten older, and it has become more challenging to care for your farm while also taking care of your physical and mental health and making time for your community. In the face of all of these challenges, including the ever-changing weather throughout the seasons, your goal is to have a successful farm and a healthy lifestyle at the end of the winter.