Language Delays and Memory Games
Language-Building Toys and Games that Boost Vocabulary
Nov 24, 2006
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
The copyright of the article Language Delays and Memory Games in Special Needs Parenting is owned by Lynn Moore. Permission to republish Language Delays and Memory Games in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
