A memo game brings children and adults together for exciting rounds of play while simultaneously boosting children's memory and concentration. A good memory is an essential prerequisite for retaining new knowledge and later facilitates learning in school. Simple memory games like Memo are playable with toddlers as young as 2 years old, depending on their development stage. At this age, it is advisable to play with a few cards and easily recognizable images. As children grow older, they are able to handle more picture cards. In stores, memo games featuring motifs of animals, vehicles, plants, and more are available. However, you can also make your own memo game with your own motifs. Draw together with your child several pairs of pictures on cardboard cards in the size of 5 x 5 cm. The classic memo game consists of at least 16 picture cards, with each pair of cards being identical and forming a pair of images. First, thoroughly shuffle the pairs of pictures. Place the cards in four rows on the table with the picture facing down so that the side with the picture is covered. The child starts by turning over two cards. If the child turns over two identical cards, they keep the pair and set the cards aside. If the pictures don’t match, they cover the two pictures again in the same place and it’s your turn. The one with the most pairs at the end wins the game. Children often collect pairs one after another, while adults might forget where the hedgehog and the snail are located. Nevertheless, it's important that each child wins as much as adults do to maintain the joy of the game.

Choose a short story. Begin by selecting two words that appear repeatedly in the story. The child's task is to remember both words. Say to the child: »I'm going to tell you two words, and you try to memorize both words. Then, I'll read the story, and you clap your hands quickly whenever you hear these words.« Whisper the two words quietly into the child's ear and then read the story. The child listens attentively and claps their hands when they hear the two remembered words. Children are also highly entertained by imitating sounds instead of clapping. In a story about a cat and a mouse, the child meows, for example, as soon as they hear the previously remembered words.

Memory games are enjoyable and improve the child's recall abilities. In this game, the child first leaves the room and stands next to the door. Then place four to six objects on the table or floor. Next, invite the child back into the room. They should name all the objects aloud and then have thirty seconds to memorize them. The child then closes their eyes at your signal. Remove two of the objects and ask the child to open their eyes again. The child looks at the objects and names the two missing items. Afterward, roles are switched, and the child tests your memory skills.

A good memory is a skill that makes learning at school easier. This memory game is conducted with minimal effort and playfully enhances memory skills. Draw an uncomplicated figure made of geometric shapes or another simple object on a piece of paper. The child has a few seconds to look closely at the picture and memorize it. Then turn the sheet over and the child tries to trace the figure from memory. This improves both memory and the ability to reproduce what you see as accurately as possible. To make the game more challenging, you can then ask the child to add additional details such as colors or patterns. In this way, you support the child's creativity, visual perception and fine motor skills. Additionally, the game offers the opportunity to name shapes such as circles, rectangles, and triangles, as well as to count the number of shapes, thereby encouraging early mathematical skills. Subsequently, the roles are switched, allowing the child the opportunity to test your memory skills. Remember to praise the child to boost their motivation and self-confidence.

This memory game is suitable for an exciting round of play for two at any time. First, select two words from a category such as toys, forest, animals, kitchen, vegetables or fruit. For instance, within the animals category, you might choose the words ›frog‹ and ›bee‹. Ask the child to memorize both words. Then, slowly list several terms like elephant, cat, zebra, frog, dog, mouse, frog, chicken, giraffe, bee, lion. All these words, including the two to be remembered, belong to the animals category. The child should pay close attention and quickly clap their hands when they hear the words ›frog‹ and ›bee‹. If the child successfully remembers two words, add another word in the next round, so they have to remember three words. Your memory will be tested as well. The child's memory can also be improved during everyday activities, for example, when shopping. Your child will receive a verbal shopping list from you with the task of placing two or three items from the shelf into the shopping cart. Taking on shopping responsibilities promotes the child's independence and strengthens their self-confidence.

»I'm packing my backpack …« is a game designed to enhance memory skills. The aim is to remember an increasing number of words and pack the backpack from memory. First, let the child choose a category such as toys, clothing, food, animals or fruit. You start by saying: »I’m packing an apple in my backpack.« Now it's the child's turn. They repeat the phrase and add another word: »I’m packing an apple and a banana in my backpack.« Then it's your turn again, and you say: »I’m packing an apple, a banana and a melon in my backpack.« Both players alternate adding items to the backpack, ensuring they name the words in the correct sequence. Assist the child in remembering the words. The game ends when it becomes too difficult to recall the entire chain of words. Praise your child's efforts and encourage them to try a new round of the game. It is advisable to adapt the number of words to be memorized to the age and abilities of the child. For example, some children have a better memory for pictorial information and others remember auditory information better. Showing pictures or real objects supports memory and also helps expand the child’s vocabulary. Enrich the game on the topic of animals by imitating the sounds of animals together with your child, for example the barking of a dog. In this way, you promote memory and give your child a vivid picture of the animal world.

This memory game is a fun way to improve your child's memory, which is important for learning at school. If you have a memo game at home, select 10 different picture cards from it. Alternatively, have the child create their own cards by drawing animals or everyday objects on 5 cm x 5 cm cardboard squares. Drawing improves imagination as the child tries to draw things on paper from memory. For this memory game, start by choosing one picture, such as a rooster. Show the child the card with the rooster and ask them to memorize the word ›rooster‹ by repeating the word in different tones: loudly, quietly, in a robotic voice, or singing. If you speak another language at home, also repeat the word in that language, like ›kohoutek‹ in Czech or ›gallo‹ in Spanish. Repeating the word improves memory and expands the child's language skills. Then the child closes their eyes and you place all 10 cards face down in a stack. On your signal, the child opens their eyes and you say: »Turn over the cards one by one and say your memory word when you see it.« The child flips over the cards one at a time and names the correct picture. In the next round, choose two cards and the child tries to remember both words. As the child successfully recalls two pictures, add another one in subsequent rounds. Help your child to remember the words with small clues such as a characteristic of the animal. The game is over when your child can no longer remember the words. In all playful activities, the focus is on the experiences that children gain while playing and not on performance. The joy of playing together and overcoming challenges awakens the curiosity to discover new things.