5 Brain Games to Boost Memory in Children (Free Printable)
Physical strength and stamina get better through exercise. The human brain can also be likened to a muscle that needs regular training to stay sharp and active.
Brain games can help boost memory, concentration, reading ability, and reasoning skills1, which are vital for your child's development. It even allows one to think out of the box and solve unusual problems. The best part about these brain games is that they can be played alone or in pairs.
Five brain games for your child
1. Match the picture
 | A deck of matching picture cards is a great memory game that can be a fun way for children to concentrate and boost their memory. To play this game:
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Success in this game relies on your child's ability to remember where they have seen each picture in previous turns and match them.
Click here to get the free printable memory matching game. All you need to do is download the printable on cardstock paper (front and back), and cut out the pages into equal-sized cards. Shuffle them, lay them face down on the floor, and game on!
Tip: for children in kindergarten and younger, you can get 2-piece puzzles and ask your child to find the two pieces to make up one puzzle.
2. Rhyme the words
Rhyming words can help develop your child's vocabulary and improve memory. Begin by stating a simple sentence while accentuating the word you want your child to repeat, like, 'To play soccer, you need a ball.' Then, your child will repeat the word 'ball' with the rhyming word, for example, 'doll.' So the next player will say 'ball,' 'doll,' and add one more rhyming word like 'call,' and so on. The game continues with all the players repeating every rhyming word and adding one of their own. |  |
It gets challenging as more words are added and more needs to be remembered. You can play this game with your entire family or your children alone.
3. Jigsaw puzzles
 | Complex or straightforward jigsaw puzzles help stimulate a kid's cognitive and visual-spatial reasoning skills. Jigsaw puzzle games can also boost short-term memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. Both brain centers are given something of a workout when working on jigsaw puzzles. The brain's creative side is trying to put an image together, while logical parts are working hard to remember complex shapes and trying to piece them together. |
If your child takes to jigsaw puzzles, they spend a great many hours in a state of deep concentration and can help develop an ability to focus on tasks without getting distracted easily—a great skill to possess.
4. Chess
Chess is one of the oldest board games and is still popular today. Children can start learning and playing chess when they start school around 6-7. Chess could help to improve your child's critical thinking, allowing them to focus and pre-think the next, depending on the current move. Playing chess helps develop planning skills, show various perspectives, spatial reasoning, and recognize patterns. Chess is also a game with more possible moves than atoms in the observable universe! Mastering Chess is a lifelong pursuit for many, and its lessons in strategy are well documented. |  |
Even if your child doesn't show immediate interest in the game, it can be a point of interest sown in their mind they might want to revisit later in life.
5. What's missing
 | Another great memory game for kids is guessing what's missing in a box, helping kids with their focus, concentration, and memory. Place a container or a tray with specific items like coins, erasers, a toothbrush, a small comb, or some household items that can fit in the box or the tray. (Start with 3-4 items for younger children and increase from there on) Ask your child to look at all the items and remember them. Then cover the box/tray with a cloth or towel and ask your child to turn and close their eyes. |
Remove one item from the box/tray. Ask your child to open their eyes, remove the cloth and tell you what's missing. The above fun and experimental games aren't just for boosting your child's memory, spatial reasoning, concentration, and problem-solving skills. Still, they are also great for engaging your child in structured play.
Tip: you can ask your child to name all the items aloud or discuss each to help them remember better.
So the next time your child is bored or has been watching their favorite cartoons for hours, engage them in such games to stimulate their brain and have fun. Don't forget to download and print out our free printable and have fun!
Head to byjuslearning.com to learn more about our Active Learning approach to Math, Language, and Reading for children between Pre-K and Grade 3.
References:
1A Study on the Perception of Brain Games and their Effect on Memory and Cognitive Skills
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