Happy April Fool’s Day! We featured some fun prank-worthy items in our 10 April Fools Day Gifts To Make Your Loved Ones Laugh post eariler this week. Today, we’re featuring another way to challenge your friends and family: brain teaser games for gifts.

Studies differ on whether brain teasers actually keep our brains young. Some say they do, others say they don’t. In my personal experience, my brain is definitely sharper when I stretch it.

Whichever studies you believe, brain teasers can be fun. And when our world around us is distressing, having fun puzzles to distract us is a win win in my book.

So whether you need something to keep your mind off the dangers in the world or you’ve got family and friends who love to dig into brain puzzles, here’s a gift guide you’ll love:

399 GAMES, PUZZLES & TRIVIA

If you subscribe to the studies that say puzzles work our brains, this book is for you. It contains close to 400 ways to challenge your brain, including trivia, brain teasers, and word games. They’re designed to target six cognitive functions: long-term memory, working memory, executive functioning, attention to detail, multi-tasking and processing speed. The book is authored by Nancy Linde, creator of Never2Old4Games.com and has a foreward by Dr. Daniel G. Amen, author of Use Your Brain To Change Your Age. Reviewers love the games and puzzles, so you might too.

125 BEST BRAIN TEASERS

For this collection of brain teaser games, author Marcel Danesi collected challenges and puzzles used around the world throughout history. The book presents them so they get more difficult as you go through the pages, from classic nursery rhymes to the riddles of the sphinx. Each puzzle comes with an optional clue to help, and there’s an answer key at the back so you can test yourself. Best of all, the teasers come with fun facts and background information so you can learn about history while you’re having fun.

F*UCK I’M BORED!

This book is a little less science and a lot more irreverent! It has 100 activities, like coloring, sudoku, dot-to-dot, mazes, word tiles, math logic, etc. But all the puzzles use language that won’t be in your regular brain teaser. Like the word search that includes “assnugget” and the suduko instructions with a potty mouth. There’s a second version too, I’m Still F*cking Bored!, with more brain teaser games for gifts.

KANOODLE

For more 3D brain teasers, there’s Kanoodle. This game has 200 challenges with 12 puzzle pieces. The set comes with a 48-page illustrated book of puzzles from basic to difficult. To solve the puzzles, you need to employ good problem-solving, critical thinking and strategy. Everything comes in a handy travel case, so you won’t lose any pieces. Reviewers love Kanoodle, saying it’s great for all ages.

BRAINBOLT MEMORY GAME

Brainbolt is a memory game akin to Simon, but way more advanced. With Brainbolt, the tiles on the hand-held unit light up and you have to repeat the sequence. You can play by yourself or with a friend. Brainbolt needs 3 AAA batteries, which come installed so you’re ready to start as soon as you get the box.

Know people who love to push their brain? Which of these brain teasers would you like to play? Let us know in the comments.