9 Memory Game Ideas: Games to Improve Memory and Concentration

Kids brains are busy places! They are learning so many new things even through their everyday experiences, as they active build neural pathways. Regularly exercising their cognitive abilities by playing fun and engaging logic games, word games, and a range of memory games is an invaluable way to stretch the developing brain to improve memory.

Which is why today I am sharing a further nine fun memory game ideas to add to our previous collection of 10 kids memory games.

Memory games are great for helping develop not only memory skills but also focus and concentration, strategy, and social game playing skills. The memory game ideas included below can also make a fun addition to family game night, and work well as waiting games. Many can also be used in the classroom by teachers as brain breaks for students between lessons.

These nine games require little or nothing in terms of supplies, and are great for two or more players. And I’ve included a printable copy of the games (see download instructions at the end of this post) so you can always have them on hand.

9 More Memory Game Ideas for Kids

1. Body Percussion

Supplies: Just yourself and a friend or two (or more) to play

To play:

The game begins when the player nominated to go first performs a sequence of three body percussion sounds . For example, snap, snap, clap (snap fingers, snap fingers, clap hands).

The next player repeats the pattern and adds a new body percussion sound to the end of the sequence.

The game continues with each player repeating the entire sequence and adding a new sound each time.

If a player makes a mistake, they are out. The last player remaining wins the game.

Body percussion sounds you might like to include;

• Snap fingers
• Clap hands
• Stamp feet
• Pat knees
• Rub hands together
• Beat chest with a fist
• Click tongue

2. Copy Cat

Supplies: Popsicle sticks (preferably coloured) and a cloth or piece of paper to cover them

To play:

Player A creates a design using 5 or more popsicle sticks. Player B studies the design for a few moments and then it is covered. Player B attempts to reconstruct the design.

Variations: This game can be made simpler or more difficult by using more or less sticks, or by agreeing a longer (or shorter) time for studying the design.

3. Coin Line Up

Supplies: A handful of coins, a cloth or piece of paper to cover them, a timer (optional)

To play:

The first player chooses five coins and arranges them in a particular order. The player stares at the coins, which are then covered up. The player must then reconstruct the order of the coins to match the example.

Variation: A timer can be used to see if the player can improve his quickness over time.

RELATED: Find a simpler version of this game using soft toys in our post, Logical Thinking Games for Preschoolers.

4. Categories

Supplies: paper and pencil for each player, timer

To play:

This game involves participants writing as many items as they can think of within a particular category within an agreed amount of time (one to three minutes, depending upon the age of players).

The player with the most unique answers is the winner for each round.

Categories can be anything, for example:

• Animals
• Boy names
• Fruits
• Vehicles
• TV shows
• Cartoon characters

5. Twenty Questions

Supplies: none

To play:

One person is chosen as ‘it.’ In each round, ‘it’ chooses a person, place or thing without reveal the identity of the item to the other players. The other players take turns to ask ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions about the item in an attempt to figure out what it might be. A total of only twenty questions may be asked for the round.

If a player correctly guesses the object at any stage during the game, play ceases and the winner becomes ‘it’ for the next round. If no one can guess the answer after all twenty questions, ‘it’ reveals what the identity of the item.

RELATED: Find more verbal games in our related post, 12 Literacy Games for Speaking and Listening.

6. Post-It Memory Game

Supplies:

• 12+ Post-its (colorful or plain)
• Pre-prepared grid (on paper, a chalkboard or white board), with each square of the grid the size of one post-it note.

To play:

In this twist on a classic matching game,  players take turns to remove two post-it notes to reveal what’s underneath. If the items match, the player keeps the post-it notes. If not, he replaces the post-its for the next player’s turn.

Ideas for what to match?

• number words
• sight words
• a picture to a word

7. Word Stories

Supplies: none needed

To play:

The premise for this game is simple but it’s a fun one! Tell a short story containing at least five facts. Then, quiz the players on each of those facts. They can respond verbally or write down their answers

Example: Four sisters walked to Target and bought Cheetos and Diet Coke.

The questions for this story might include;

• How many people were in the story (4)
• What was their gender? (female)
• What was their relationship? (sisters)
• Where did they shop? (Target)
• What did they buy? (Cheetos and Diet Coke)

8. Eyewitness

Supplies: Page from a book or magazine

To play:

The players simply stare at a photo in a book or magazine for sixty seconds, and are then quizzed about that photo.

Questions might include:

• What types of foods were in the picture?
• How many people were in the photo?
• What was the woman in the photo wearing?

9. Add Three Minus Seven

Supplies: none

To play:

To play this game, choose any three-or-four-digit number, then mentally add three to the number three times. From this sum, subtract seven, seven times.

For example, if the number chosen is 489;

• Add three (three times):  492, 495, 498
  Subtract seven (seven times)     498 – 7 = 491
  491 – 7 = 484
  484 – 7 = 477
  477 – 7 = 470
  470 – 7 = 463
  463 – 7 = 456
  456 – 7 = 449 (final answer)

Variation: For younger children, start with a two-digit number and ‘add three, minus two’.

Like any muscle, your memory relishes being exercised, and the memory game ideas included here are both effective and fun! Try one today and see for yourself.

How to Download & Print Your Kids Memory Game Ideas

Click here to download: Kids Memory Game Ideas Set 2. You will be prompted to save the PDF to your computer. Open the PDF and print the pages you require. When printing, select “Fit to printable area” (or similar) to ensure the page fits with your printer type and local paper size.
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Please note: All Childhood 101 printables are for personal use only, you may not use any part of this content for commercial purposes-that includes selling the document, giving it away to promote your business or website, or printing the file to sell. You may not share, loan or redistribute these documents. Teachers may use multiple copies for students in their own classroom.

More brain games for kids:

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