Many parents question why their child cannot remember something for a long time. “My son studies well, but he forgets answers to particular questions! What to do to improve his memory skills?” is a common query of almost all concerned parents. The answer lies in the memory games which are fun, engaging, and productive ways to boost your child’s memory retention power and make them excel in every path of life.
This article highlights some of the most beneficial memory games for children of age 3+ to 6+ to play from the comfort of their homes and hone their memory power. In the end, we also talk about the benefits of memory games as well. So stick till the end!
Memory Games For 3+
Kim's Task (What's on the tray?)
Developed by a neuroscientist, this game helps assess short-term memory in kids. It is also known as “What’s on the tray?”. As the name suggests, for this game you’ll need a tray, some small objects, and a timer.
To play, place some recognizable objects on the tray and let your child have a good look at the objects for a minute or so. Once ready, cover the tray with a cloth and ask them to recall the objects they saw on the tray. Make a note of how many objects the child can recall.
The aim is to see how many items they can recall after a short time. This activity can be repeated several times in various sets or categories of objects you want your child to remember.
Memory Match
This game involves an even number of picture cards with every card having its matching pair. Start with fewer pairs, and allow your kid to go ahead to match each card with its respective other pair. Every card will be flipped over and remembered to match with the next flip. Increase the pairs to add fun and excitement. This game will not only help in visual memory but also help in the recognition of various objects.
The Magic Cup Game
The simplest memory game you can play with a toddler. All you need are three cups and objects that can fit inside these cups, they could be anything like buttons, sponge balls, coins, pieces of candy, etc.
Place these cups upside down, and insert an object in one of these cups. Show your kid the cup containing the object. These cups are then moved around and your child has to watch them move and tell which cup the object is under. This is a great way to boost memory retention and concentration.
Rhyming Game
This game is a good chance to cool your toddler's singing urges and instill a good knowledge of words in them. This game starts with a word, say “cat”, and then your toddler comes with a similar rhyming word, say “hat” and it goes on until one finishes with the words. A good way to build word knowledge and have some fun!
Spot The Difference
This is an engaging and never to get old game for kids of all age groups. The concept is simple - two images side by side and your toddler has to spot the differences. How many can they tell? This game is great for memory recall, attention to detail, and concentration.
Memory Games For 5+
Memory Train or Word Chain
Word chain is a verbal matching game that can be played with any number of players or large and small groups. The game starts with a sentence and every kid adds each sentence upon their turn thus forming a word chain.
If the sentence starts with - “I like ice cream” the next child then says “I like ice cream with choco chips” and the next child then adds more to this sentence. The goal for every child would be to remember every sentence as possible.
Backward Spell
A mind-twisting game where your child will not only remember a word but also spell it backward. For this game, you’ll need a chart and a marker. Write as many words you want your kid to spell and show the words to them. Once satisfied, keep the chart aside and ask them to recall the words and spell them backward. For example, STATION becomes NOITATS.
I Spy
"I Spy" is a classic memory game played by children and adults alike. In this game, one player selects an object in their surroundings and says "I spy with my little eye” followed by a description of the object. The other players then take turns guessing what object the first player has selected, based on the given clue. The person who correctly guesses the object gets to choose the next object and give the clue for the next round. The game continues until everyone has had a turn to choose an object. It's a fun and engaging way to exercise memory skills and observation skills.
Drum Beats
This game is most suitable for kids who love drums and dancing to the beats. For this activity, you can provide your child with a bowl placed upside down and a stick to play beats. One person starts by playing a beat, then the other follows to complete the rhythm. This activity proves beneficial in their listening skills, memory, and auditory processing system that lay the foundation for learning to read and write.
Number String
This game can be played if you have lots of children in your house! One person starts by saying any number between 1-9. The next person says the next number in the sequence, and so on. If anyone in the group makes a mistake or forgets the number, they’re out. The last one standing wins.
If your kids have started learning numbers then this is an engaging way to help them memorize numbers.
Simon
Simon is a popular electronic memory game that was first introduced in the 1970s. The game consists of a small electronic device with four colored buttons, each of which corresponds to a different musical tone. The device lights up the buttons in a random sequence, and the player must then repeat the sequence by pressing the buttons in the same order.
As the game progresses, the sequences become longer and more complex, making it increasingly challenging to remember and repeat them accurately. The objective of the game is to see how far the player can progress without making a mistake.
Simon is a great game for developing memory and concentration skills, as well as hand-eye coordination and reaction time. It's a fun and engaging game and a great way to challenge your memory and improve your child’s cognitive abilities.
Word Ladder
This game tests your child’s word power. The game starts with choosing a category - animals, birds, food, or transportation. The first child says a word under the chosen category, followed by another child who says a word starting with the last letter of the previous word, then the next child does the same, and so on. For example, if the category is animals and a child says tiger, the next child says rhino, and the third ostrich, and so on. The goal is to keep the ladder building without repeating any words.
Memory Games For 6+
Memory card game
A memory card game is a popular type of game and introducing it to your child can test their memory and cognitive skills. In this game, a set of cards with matching pairs are shuffled and laid out face down on a table or surface. Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to find matching pairs. If they successfully find a pair, they keep the cards and get another turn. If they do not find a match, they turn the cards back over, and the next player takes a turn. The game continues until all the cards have been matched.
Memory card games can have varying levels of difficulty, depending on the number of cards and the complexity of the images or patterns on them. This game is a fun way to help children develop important cognitive skills, such as memory retention, attention to detail, and concentration. They can also be played by adults as a way to improve cognitive function and mental agility.
Bananagrams
Bananagrams is a fun and educational game that helps children improve their vocabulary, spelling, and cognitive skills.
Bananagrams is a fast-paced word game that is similar to Scrabble but without a board. The game consists of letter tiles that are placed face down in the center of the table or playing area. Each player takes a set number of tiles and places them face down in front of them.
At the start of the game, all players simultaneously flip over their tiles and begin to create their own crossword-style grid of words. Players can rearrange their tiles as often as they like to form new words, but the objective is to be the first player to use up all their tiles.
Draw a word on my back
"Draw a word on my back" is a simple memory game that can be played by kids of all ages.
To play the game, one player should take turns being the "artist" and the "guesser". The artist will use their finger to draw a word or image on the back of the guesser, who will try to guess what is being drawn based on the feeling of the artist's finger movements.
Once the guesser has made their guess, the artist can either confirm or deny the guess. The game continues in this way, with players taking turns being the artist and the guesser, until everyone has had a turn.
Playing "Draw a word on my back" can help to improve their tactile perception, spatial awareness, and memory retention.
Rory’s Story cubes
Rory's Story Cubes is a fun and engaging way for players to exercise their creativity, imagination, and storytelling skills. It consists of a set of nine dice, each with different images or symbols on them. The objective of the game is to roll the dice and use the images or symbols on the dice to create a unique story.
Children can use as many or as few dice as they like and can interpret the images or symbols in any way they choose. The game can be played individually or in groups, and there are no specific rules or restrictions on how the story should be constructed.
It's a great game that can be played anywhere, making it perfect for family game nights, travel, or creative writing exercises. The game also comes in various themed sets, such as "Action", "Voyages", and "Fantasia", allowing children to customize the gameplay and explore different genres and storytelling styles.
Round Robin
The "Round Robin Memory Game" is an excellent group memory game to play in schools or at parties. The game involves players sitting in a circle and taking turns reciting a list of items from memory.
The first player begins by reciting an item from a predetermined category, such as types of fruit or animals that live in the ocean. The next player then adds another item to the list, and so on, with each player reciting the entire list before adding their own item.
Playing the "Round Robin Memory Game" can be beneficial for kids in several ways. It can help to improve their memory, concentration, and cognitive skills, as well as their communication and social skills as they work together to remember the list of items. It's a fun and engaging way for kids to exercise their brains and enjoy time with friends or classmates.
Picture recall
Picture recall memory game for kids is a game that challenges a child's memory by showing them a picture for a few seconds and then asking them to recall and describe as many details as possible.
A child is shown a picture for a set amount of time, typically between 10 to 30 seconds, and then the picture is covered or removed from sight. The child is then asked to recall as many details as possible from the picture, such as colors, shapes, objects, and characters.
Playing picture recall memory game can help to improve their memory, concentration, and observation skills. It can also promote their language and communication skills, as they describe the details they remember. Additionally, the game can be a fun and engaging way for kids to exercise their brains and spend time with friends or family.
Benefits of Playing Memory Games
Improves observation skills
Games like “Draw a word on my back”, Simon and Drum Beats require kids to pay close attention to their surroundings and search for specific objects. This helps to develop their observation skills, which are essential for learning and problem-solving.
Enhances vocabulary and language skills
Games like Word Ladder, memory Chain, Banagrams, and Backward Spell allow kids to describe the object they have chosen using specific words, which helps to improve their vocabulary and language skills.
Boosts memory retention
Games like rhyming games, memory match, etc force kids to remember the previous clues and guesses to make an educated guess for the next round. This helps to improve memory retention and recall.
Encourages social interaction
"I Spy" is a fun group game that encourages social interaction and communication between players. It can help kids build social skills, develop confidence and make new friends.
There are numerous other benefits of playing memory games that one can discover by playing. So go ahead and play all the games with your child and observe their memory improve in no time.
Looking for some fun and engaging memory games for your child? We provide many different types of memory games in our program. Contact us to know more.