Language Delays and Memory Games
Language-Building Toys and Games that Boost Vocabulary
Memory games have become a specific game genre. They offer benefits for kids working on memory skills, but they also offer speech and vocabulary-building opportunities.
Remember playing memory as a kid? We used to use two suits from a deck of cards. After shuffling the cards and arranging them in rows, we took turns turning over pairs. The object was to get a matching pair which you could keep. Finding such a pair also granted you an extra turn. The winner at the end of the game would be the person with the most matched pairs.
How can you use a memory game to help your child build vocabulary skills?
- Remember to make it fun.
- Spread the cards face up on the table. (Some kids may need to look at just a few at a time.)
- Talk about the pictures.
- Ask your child to give you specific pictures.
- Mix the cards (face down) and place in rows. (Again, some children will need only a few pairs of cards to play.)
- Take turns flipping two cards to find a match. (It is important to name each card as you turn it over for vocabulary reinforcement. Have your child do the same.)
- The person with the most matches wins.
- Remember to make it fun.
What kinds of commercial memory games are available?
- Blue’s Clues MEMORY Game
- DORA THE EXPLORER MEMORY Game
- FINDING NEMO MEMORY Game
- Go Diego Go! MEMORY Game
- Memory Backyardigans Edition
- Memory Disney Edition Game
- Memory Disney Princess Edition Game
- Mr. Potato Head Memory Game
- My Little Pony Memory Game
- Original Memory Fun on the Run Game
- Original Memory Game
- Pooh Memory Game
- Tonka Memory Game
- Toy Story and Beyond Memory Game
Can you make a memory game at home? Perhaps you are working on specific words with your child. You can make your own memory game. Use index cards. Glue a picture on one side of each card.
Make-at-home memory game ideas:
- Use holiday stickers to make a quick holiday memory game.
- Write numbers or letters on the cards.
- Make a themed memory game with just pictures of zoo animals, farm animals, toys, foods, etc.
- Use spelling words to make a spelling memory game.
Tomorrow’s topic: Language-building Toys and Games that Teach Body Parts
Do you have a child with special needs on your shopping list? Here are my holiday gift picks:
- Puzzles
- Cookbooks for Kids
- Sign Language Books for Kids
- Sensory Integration Toys
- Ability/Disability Awareness Gifts
