Memory games for kids

Before you start

Keep rounds short and cheerful, and stop while everyone still wants more. Forgetting is part of the fun, so laugh about mistakes and let children help each other. Always stay with young children during play. Age hints are only a guide, so you know your child best.

Safety: for any child under three, use only large, soft items on the tray, with nothing sharp, breakable or small enough to fit in a mouth, such as coins, buttons, beads, batteries or pins. Check every item first and keep play on a clear, safe floor.

1. The tray game

Age hint: 3 and up. Use two or three items for ages 3 and 4, and five items from age 5.

You need: a tray or large plate, a cloth or tea towel, and two to five safe household items, each bigger than a child's fist, such as a spoon with a rounded end, a plastic cup, a sock, a large toy block and a soft toy.

1. Put your items on the tray and let everyone look at them quietly for about a minute.
2. Cover the tray with the cloth.
3. Ask the players to close their eyes while a grown-up lifts the cloth and quietly takes one item away.
4. Uncover the tray and guess which item is missing.

Easier: Start with two or three items, and for children under three use only large, soft objects and stay close beside them.

Harder: Use eight items, shorten the look to thirty seconds, or take away two things at once.

2. I packed my bag

Age hint: 5 and up.

You need: two or more players, and no equipment at all.

1. The first player says, “I packed my bag and in it I put a torch.”
2. The next player repeats that and adds one more item, such as a water bottle.
3. Keep going round the circle, each player saying the whole list in order and adding one new thing.
4. If someone gets stuck, the group may help them with a hint, then play on.

Easier: Let players read the list from a picture card, or help each other as a team.

Harder: Pack the bag in alphabetical order, or only add items that fit a theme such as a picnic.

3. Spot the change

Age hint: 4 and up.

You need: a room with a few things in it, such as cushions, books and toys.

1. One player looks carefully at the room for a full minute.
2. That player turns around and closes their eyes, staying in the same room with a grown-up nearby.
3. While they are away, another player changes one thing, such as moving a cushion or turning a book around. Choose things that are safe to touch, nothing heavy or breakable.
4. The first player returns and tries to spot what has changed.

Easier: Make a big change, such as taking a large toy off the shelf.

Harder: Change two small things, or use a table of everyday objects. Keep small objects away from children who still put things in their mouths.

4. Story retell

Age hint: 4 and up.

You need: a short story you both know, or a new one read aloud.

1. Read or tell a very short story with about four or five clear events, such as a thirsty crow finding water.
2. Close the book and put it out of sight.
3. Ask the child to retell the story in order, starting with “first”, “then” and “at the end”.
4. Take turns, with one of you telling and the other saying what comes next.

Easier: Use picture cards, one for each event, and lay them out in order as you tell it.

Harder: Ask the child to tell it backwards from the ending, or to name three small details such as colours or places.

5. Clap and stomp echo

Age hint: 3 and up.

You need: just hands and feet, and a clear floor with no loose rugs.

1. The leader makes a short pattern, such as clap, clap, stomp.
2. The group listens, then copies the same pattern together.
3. Add one more sound each round, such as clap, clap, stomp, clap.
4. Swap the leader so that every child gets a turn to invent a pattern.

Easier: Use only two sounds and keep patterns to three beats. Keep the stomps soft and gentle.

Harder: Make patterns of six or more beats, or add a pat on the knees. For quiet rooms, swap stomps for finger taps.

6. What did I wear?

Age hint: 4 and up.

You need: a grown-up or friend, and a short chat.

1. Ask your child, “What did I wear this morning?” or “What did your friend wear at school today?”
2. Let them think and describe it in their own words, including colours.
3. Check together afterwards, perhaps with a photo you already have.
4. Turn the questions around and let your child ask you.

Easier: Offer a choice, such as “Was it a red top or a blue top?”

Harder: Ask about three things at once, such as the colour of the top, the shoes and any accessories.

More to do on Rangooo

Pair these with quiet listening games, spot repeats in pattern games, try the easy card games, practise careful looking with building and stacking games, play indoor games on a rainy day, plan a family game night, practise retelling with storytelling activities at home, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age are memory games for kids best for?

Most of these games suit ages three to eight. The tray game with two or three items and the clap and stomp echo work for the youngest children, while I packed my bag and the story retell suit older ones. You know your child best, so adjust as you go.

Do these games need any equipment?

Very little. The tray game needs a tray or plate, a cloth and a few safe household items. The others need only people, a room, your voice and a short story. Nothing has to be bought.

What if my child cannot remember anything?

That is completely fine. Keep the game short, start with fewer things and let everyone laugh at mistakes. Giving a gentle hint, such as the colour of the missing item, keeps the game friendly.

Is it a problem if children win or lose?

These games work well as team games where everyone tries to remember together. If your child likes to compete, take turns being the one who sets the challenge, and praise careful looking rather than who was fastest.