Tips and Games to Improve Concentration And Memory Power in Children

By Maria Joseph

A child needs to have a good memory to be able to function in his life with ease. He needs memory to remember the instructions till he needs to follow them in the future. They help in grasping the various concepts he needs to learn in their academic subjects.

An opportunity to develop memory by thinking backward is there from the first moment of life. A child’s memory is useful only as much as a child can make use of it. The child begins to understand that he is separate from the others around him mostly around one and half years of age. It is of course varied for each child.

Only after the child begins to understand this separation, will the memories begin to be organised and hold any meaning for him personally. We as adults are instrumental in helping children to understand and thereby remember. Children need full understanding of their experiences for them to remember the experience later on. They will be likely to forget the experience, if their understanding of that experience is not complete and It also helps in giving the children the ‘whys’ behind an action that we might want them to take. 

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Benefits of improving memory power for children

Helpful in following instructions

A Child with a good memory can easily recollect instructions given and do as needed. They can remember all the instructions they need to follow and will be able to follow them in the correct order. 

Helpful in application of knowledge

A Child with good memory power can use the knowledge acquired to the required situation. Say a child is asked to do a sum he has to use the knowledge he already knows to solve the sum. 

Better learning capacity

A child with good memory power can learn everything he needs to in an easier way. 

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Activities for improving memory power for children

Regularly exercising

Having a regular exercise routine will ensure our overall health stays well. A healthy person can focus better on any activity. This focus will help in better understanding and thereby in the long run, a good memory retention power. An exercise that is as simple as a walking for half an hour on a daily basis.

Eating healthy 

Ensuring that our daily diet is healthy. We need to reduce sugar intake and also junk food will be necessary for maintaining a healthy life. This will ensure that we are physically healthy enough to focus on our goal. Focus and concentration on every action ensures better retention of the whole situation. This way the situation will remain in our memory longer. 

Practicing mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness will make improve our brain’s plasticity. Thus, our brain’s capacity also increases which in turn improves memory power. 

Maintaining a sleep routine                         

Have a sleep routine and follow it religiously. This will ensure that you are well rested and feel rejuvenated the next day. This will help you to concentrate on the task at hand. Better concentration leads to better and sharper memory.

Exercise your mind regularly

Play games regularly to exercise your mind. Games could be as simple like jigsaw puzzles or as complex as chess. Even as little as 15 minutes of playing games regularly will be a good exercise to expand your child’s mind.

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Games to boost memory power:

1. Matching card games –

Shuffled Cards are laid on the table facing down. Each player must then take turns to choose two cards and turn to see if the pairs are matched. 

2. What’s on the tray –

As the name suggests we place certain items on a tray and cover it. To play the game we uncover the tray for a few minutes and cover it back. Each player needs to recollect what’s on the tray. You can ask children to write down the names of items if they can write. 

3. Magic cup game –

For this game, we need to take three cups which are identical and a small object that will not make much sound when shuffled, say a small piece of ribbon or rubber band. All the cups must be kept upturned to cover the rim. Place the small object in one of the cup and let the players see you do that. Shuffle all the three cups quickly. Then each player can guess which cup has the object. 

4. Making stories: memory train –

One player starts creating a story with a sentence or a phrase and the next person continues using that phrase or sentence. Each person should repeat all that was said by all players before him. The game stops when someone forgets something said before.

5. Simon says –

One person says the different actions and the rest perform. For example, Simon says clap your hands or Simon says jump etc. 

6. In the river on the bank –

For this game a divider must be drawn or can be considered based on the position. One side should be considered as a river and the other side as a bank. The leader of the game should keep giving instructions and the rest of the players must move accordingly. 

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7. Sound chain game –

One person does a pattern of creating some sounds. All the others repeat the same pattern. Once everyone does the pattern again the first person can add on to the existing pattern some more additional patterns. This can go on till someone misses the pattern.

8. What’s missing –

To play this game keep a few objects on a tray. Ask the children to have a look at the objects and ask them to close their eyes. Remove a couple of items when the children have their eyes closed. Children need to find out which items are missing once they open their eyes. 

9. Spot the difference –

Two pictures that are similar to each other must be given to the children. They need to find the difference between the two. 

10. Image memory story –

An image with a number of items is given to the child. The child has to make a story using as many elements he can use from the items he saw in the image. The child can be given clues if he misses certain elements. 

Thus, memory is essential to live a life comfortably so we need to ensure that our actions help us to improve our memory. 

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Maria Joseph

An experienced Montessori trained teacher who loves to play with children, eat chocolates, watch the rain, watch movies and to read.

MomsqNa Team