What are some good, inexpensive activities for someone with dementia?

I got a 25' rope at a hardware store. Not a thin one, but one that was easy to handle. I tied knots all along the rope and gave him the rope to untie the knots. It absorbed him for about an hour! When he was done, he spent about a half hour bundling the rope up.

Sorting cards. (by suit, color, number...)
Puzzles. (get the sturdy wood ones that kids play with.)
Blocks.
Lego
coloring
painting
Activities that might help you...
Folding towels
sorting socks
Take him for a walk or a drive. (If it is safe to do so. I am assuming he is in a wheelchair so a walk might be easier) Getting out would be good for both of you.
Just sitting and talking to him. YOU talk to him. Talk about the family vacations you took, talk about what you did that day, talk about anything..

You can read to him, play his favorite music, take him outside(in wheelchair if needed)for a stroll through the neighborhood or local park, or just let him sit outside on the porch or patio to watch the birds. And the nice thing with all of those suggestions is that they don't cost you anything, other than time. Best wishes.

I agree with what was posted: a bird or hummingbird feeder close to a window provides lots of interesting action. Sorting is a great activity and hoping you can leave him to do it by himself (there's no "wrong way" to sort, fyi). You can use RummiQ tiles, Monopoly money, plastic utensils, nuts and bolts, poker chips, etc. The things should be easy for him to manipulate with his hands and fingers, so probably the larger the items the better. I gave my aunt poker chips to sort and when I went to check on her progress she had put them in a pattern instead - yay! You can collect unopened junk mail from neighbors and have him open the envelopes, anything that feels "helpful" or productive. He'll sleep better at night too because he burned both mental and physical energy. Wishing you all the best on this journey with him!

With my mum, I liked to do sit and fit videos off of you tube. She also like to bat a balloon back and forth. I bought badminton racquets at the dollar store and used those with a balloon. I also bought large children's balls at the dollar store and we drummed on them and sang her favorite songs. Her dementia has progressed so she can't do all of these any more. She still likes music:)

Sushicam: Imho, perhaps sorting wash cloths and towels would be a good activity for your father. I am definitely not going to suggest puzzles or buttons, else these are items that could end up in your father's mouth.

Untangling Christmas lights, untangling coat hangers.

My mother plays on the kids piano and we all sing with her. She loves it. We also have singing sessions. My mother likes to people watch so she sits on the front sunporch and is content and I also play some Irish music and she taps and claps to the beat.

Fidget blankets work nicely but can be pricey. You can find themed ones like for men who loved to fish, fix things, etc. It’s just a blanket with different activities sewn to it. It occupies their fingers when bored.

I would focus on his senses.

- Music veered to spark memories of his youth
- old radio murder mysteries (try looking these up on YouTube. They’re much shorter than a book on tape, and he might find it restful on his eyes, as he wouldn’t be staring into a screen.)
- sensory activities for his hands (do a google search. Most of these will be toddler related, but given his state, be might find them stimulating.)
- do a photo walk with him by looking through old photo albums
- try a meditation exploration on YouTube. Look for ones that play forest sounds, and water sounds, as they “walk” you through a forest.