Visual memory is a skill that allows children to navigate freely in a world full of various colors, shapes, sizes, and textures. This skill is actually a part of a larger process called visual perception – awareness of the surrounding objects. Some other parts of visual perception are, for example, the perception of shapes, depth, similarities, and differences between things. The development of visual memory is vital for people of all ages, especially pre-schoolers. Kids that possess good visual memory are more successful in solving math problems and spelling words correctly because they rely on the images in their brain containing the necessary information. What is more, visual memory is important for children who are just starting to read because it helps them recognize the shapes and curves of the letters that they have already seen.

The said type of memory can and should be gradually improved if you want to teach a child how to concentrate and recall. It will not only help them academically but also will make them more perceptive.

Here are 15 engaging games for children that will develop their visual memory:

Card Games

Memory Card Game

• Prepare a set of cards, making sure that every card has a matching pair.
• Lay down the cards and take turns trying to find a pair.
• If a pair is found, keep it and have another go.
• The player with the most pairs wins!

Depending on the age, the cards can have pictures or even words on them. To play with older children, create matching pairs using synonyms or antonyms on the cards.

Slap Jack

• Divide a deck of cards with faces evenly among the players. The players are not allowed to look at the cards in their hands. Take turns flipping the cards to reveal the face on the top of the pile.
• When a Jack is turned, slap the pile!
• The player that is the first to slap Jack gets the pile. If a person runs out of cards, they are out of the game.

Games with coins

Coin match

• Set up a row of coins in a random pattern of heads and tails. The number of coins can vary from 3 to 10.
• Let the child memorize the pattern in 10 seconds then gather the coins and hand them over to the kid.
• The goal is to arrange the coins in the same order.

It is possible to make the game more challenging by using different types of coins.

Money game

• Arrange coins in 3 piles on the table, each pile should contain a different number of coins in it.
• Give the child some time to look at the coins.
• Cover the piles and ask the kid to recreate the correct sequence in which the coins were placed.

Connect four

• To play this game, use a grid. The size of a grid depends on the age of a child.
• Take turns placing coins into the grid.
• The objective is to make a line of your 4 coins. The first player to succeed wins.

This game allows children to rely on visual cues while making a decision

Games with pictures

Total recall

• Lay down some pictures for the child to memorize.
• Ask the child to recreate the order in which the pictures were placed or draw the pictures on a separate piece of paper.

Picture Study

• Ask the child to look at an artistic picture for 30 seconds.
• Cover the picture and ask the kid questions about the colours, shapes, characters, season, time of the day illustrated in the picture.

To make the game harder, use detailed pictures.

Picture copy

• Use a whiteboard to draw pictures and ask your child to recreate them precisely.

Increase the difficulty of the game by adding details to the pictures.

Spot the difference

There are a lot of printable materials online that can match the child’s age or interest.

• Prepare two similar pictures and ask the kid to find differences between them. This game not only develops visual memory but also makes kids more attentive to details.

Games to play with various objects

What’s missing?

• Place several different objects on a tray and show them to the child.
• Cover the tray and take away 1 or 2 objects.
• Reveal the tray to the kid and have them name the objects that are missing

Note that it is important to only use objects that the child is already familiar with.

What’s on the tray?

• Place several objects on the tray.
• Ask the child to memorize them in 10 seconds.
• Cover the tray and ask the kid to recall the names of the objects on the tray.

Magic Cup

• Place three identical cups on a platform, bottoms up.
• Show the child a small object and put it under one of the cups, making sure that the kid notices it.
• Ask the child to concentrate on the cup with the object and shuffle the cups.
• Gradually increase the speed of shuffling.
• Ask the child to choose the cup with the object underneath.

Puzzles

Puzzles are great for visual memory development. Parents should make sure that puzzles are suitable for the child’s age and that the kid can complete the puzzle without outside help. The older the child, the more pieces there should be in a box.

Map it

For this game, you will need crayons, pencils, and paper.

• Take a walk with a child following the usual route.
• Ask the kid to observe the surroundings (buildings, trees, crossroads, traffic lights, etc.)
• After coming home, hand the child a piece of paper and let them recreate their walk.

I spy

This is a great game to play outside, on the road, and even in line at the doctor’s office.

• Choose a player who will pick an object that everyone can see within the surroundings.
• The player reveals the first letter of the object saying “I spy with my little eye something that starts with …”
• Other participants take turns guessing what the object might be.
• The first person to get the answer chooses the next object.