Memory Games for Children

Using the memory games for children is one of the helpful techniques to improve the memory skills and concentration of your child. These games are full of fun and perfect not only for the children, but the adults also can enjoy them. They can be a perfect recreation and distractive activity. You can use playing cards, puzzles or toys for playing the memory games. Some of the common memory games for children are memory test, concentration, Chinese whispers, word associations, mismatches and communication.

• You can play the concentration game using a deck of 52 playing cards. Match up the pairs by memorizing the location of each card.
• The memory test can be played with a single child or a number of children using a pen and a paper. Arrange a tray with a selection of 5-20 common objects such as pencil, key, spoon, button, coin, etc. Cover this tray with a cloth before you bring it in the room. Let the kids have a view of the objects for 1-2 minutes and then cover it again. Ask the children to write down the list of objects that they have seen. A child writing the longest list from his/her memory is declared winner of the game. When you are playing individually, you can change the game by removing one object and asking the child to identify which object is removed.
• Chinese whispers is another interesting memory game for children. The kids are asked to sit in a line or a circle, so that they can whisper to their neighbor and not able to hear any players further away. The first player is given a short phrase that he/she whispers to the neighbor in a low voice. The neighbor then passes the message through the whispers. The game continues until the message is announced by the last player. The message received by the last player is often quite different from the original message. This game has no objective and no winner. It offers a good exercise to judge the memory, listening capacity and power of gossip.
• The word association is one of the interesting memory games for children. The children are asked to sit in a circle. The first child starts by saying any sentence in the story. The next child repeats the sentence and adds some information to that sentence. In this way, the kids continue to remember the previous sentences and build up a story with their additions. This game can be altered by working through the matching items or alphabets to the first letter to each child’s name. This game not only improves the memory, but also encourages the child to be creative in story-telling.
• Mismatches is a good game for a small group of children. The kids are divided into two teams. One team is out of room, while another team makes mismatches by changing the objects in that room. After 3 minutes, the second team is allowed to enter the room. They are given one minute to spot the mismatches. The points are given on the basis of identification of mismatches. The team having the highest score is declared the winner.
• Communication is the memory game that can be played indoors as well as outdoors. It tests the listening and communicating skills of the child. The children are given a plastic container, filled with exactly the same Legos, blocks etc. They are allowed to sit back-to-back, one is caller and other is listener. The caller explains the listener about how to put together the pieces. The listener makes sure about what he/she has understood. Once all the pieces have been used, the caller and the listener compare the structures to confirm about their communication. This game can also be played with felt and felt board, or paper and pen.
• There are several online memory games available. There are wonderful CDs and DVDs of 3-D graphics and compelling tales that can attract the attention of children.

Memory games for children offer an opportunity to exercise their brains and help to improve their memory as well as their language and concentration skills.