Memory Games: Have Fun While Building Your memory Skills

Have you ever wished you had a better knack for remembering names? Do phone numbers seem to slip out of your mind the moment you hear them? If your memory skills seem to be lacking, there is good news. This is one area where you can actually improve yourself, with a little bit of work on your part. With some practice and fine-tuning, you can turn your memory into a well-oiled machine that can easily remember faces, phone numbers, and other things you give it to hang on to. Memory games are one way to boost your memory skills, and they are not only effective, but also fun!

Why is it that you can remember your children’s birthdays, but not a random phone number? The answer lies in the difference between long term and short term memory. Your short term, or working, memory is designed to quickly recall tiny bits of information. It is also designed to only hold that information for a short period of time. To make the information stick, it has to be connected somehow to your long term memory. Games designed to boost memory can actually train your brain to do this automatically.

Popular Memory Games You Can Try Anytime

One game you can play to help you remember a series of random objects is telling a story about them. This works well in a group. Line up the objects on a table, and make up a story, with each person adding a line of the story and including an object. Then, remove the objects and see how many people can remember. The story helps stick the objects in the long-term memory, at least for a little while. Chances are your friends will be able to remember most, if not all, of the objects after this short exercise.

The classic children’s game “Memory” is actually very good for improving your memory skills. You can add a little twist to make it more effective. Instead of turning over two cards at a time, turn over just one at a time, flipping it back so the picture is hidden after you see it. Then, when you flip one over that you think you have seen the match to, you can flip over two. Even if you play this with yourself and no one else, you will improve your memory. Try timing yourself to see if you can improve.

Brain training video games are actually quite effective as well. Look for games designed specifically to help improve mental function. Commit yourself to working on them for set periods of time. These games work, but only if you are consistently applying yourself to them.

When looking for games to improve memory, whether digital or otherwise, make sure that you choose a variety. Some games focus on your ability to recall images, while others work with sounds, and others work with ideas. You need to choose to utilize games that draw on a wide range of memory skills to ensure that you are developing your memory in a well-rounded way.

Remember, your memory is very much like your muscular strength. If you do not use it, you will lose it. The more exercise you give to your memory, even in the form of fun games, the better it will be.