When I introduced Building Visual Memory Skills with Matching Games in an earlier post I directed you to some alternative uses for all of those illustrated cards.

Just for fun, here’s another.

Alternative to the memory matching game as we know it:

If you don’t already have a memory matching game at home that’s okay.  I’ve got you covered with 12 months of matching games you can try this with.

Cut out all 24 cards.  You keep one card from each matching pair.  Your child keeps the other.  Now let’s play!

• Choose any 2 cards from your deck of 12 and place them face down.
• Reveal the 2 different images to your child (simultaneously).  Show them face up for 2 seconds, then return the cards face-down.
• Your child searches through his own deck and finds the matches to your 2 cards, placing them face up next to yours.
• Flip your 2 cards face up to check for accuracy.
• If your child finds the correct matches 3-5 times in a row, increase to 3 cards for 3 seconds, then 4 cards for 4 seconds, etc.
• Kids love to test the grownups so have fun switching roles.

By the way, this alternative does not involve a winner or loser, just the satisfaction of being a visual memory master!

Alternative for the alternative:  Instead of using illustrated cards use matching colored blocks, or toy cars, or Lego combinations.  Simply use a sturdy folder as a wall in front of your secret pattern of objects.  Reveal the objects by lifting the folder for 2, 3, or 4 seconds, then cover them while the child recreates the pattern from memory.

However you decide to play, have fun building up that learning power!