9 Games to Improve Working Memory
Working memory is a critical learning skill that helps kids take in and process information effectively. It’s like your mental “bucket” that holds onto information long enough to either apply it or store it for later recall. But for many kids (and adults), it’s like this bucket has holes in it. Bits and pieces slip out. You need to read something again. Some vital piece is missing. Using games to improve working memory can be a fun and engaging way to make this skill stronger!
How Do You Know You Need to Improve Working Memory?
Weak working memory can look like:
- Frequently needing to reread a text
- Difficulty following multi-step directions
- Trouble staying engaged in the classroom
- Test anxiety, especially with multiple-choice tests
- The need for more time and repletion in order to retain information
- A lack of focus and sustained attention
Many kids with ADHD really have working memory deficits that are making it impossible to stay on task and keep information long enough to put it to use. For adults, weakness in this area can make you feel less confident in your day-to-day capacity to handle things that are coming at you.
Here Are 9 Games that Can Help You Improve Working Memory Skills:
In general, you will want to look for games that are faster-paced or require you to hold onto some tidbit of information while applying it. Here are some examples:
Battleship
In this classic, you have to hold in mind the rules of the game and remember what is called while you check your grid. There is some strategy and attention skill-building happening too!
Blink
In this fast-paced card game, players have to remember the cards in their hand and quickly identify ways that they match the cards on the table (whether by shape, color, or number).
Puzzles
Ever pick up a puzzle piece and immediately forget where you were going to put it? That’s working memory! Remembering the picture you’re trying to make as well as developing visual and spatial awareness are great skills that jigsaw puzzles stretch.
Rook
This game requires you to keep a lot of things in the front of your mind at once: bids, trump cards, ranks of cards, and more. Gradually building up to this game can help you with multitasking and attention, as well!
Sequence
Hold in mind the goal of the game as well as what your team and your opponents are doing in Sequence to improve your working memory! This game is also great for building strategy and reasoning skills.
Set
Set requires you to keep in mind what makes a “set” out of a group of cards. This fun game can be collaborative or competitive, depending on skill levels.
Stare!
One of the best games for building visual memory and short-term recall skills, Stare! gets players to look at a picture for 20 seconds and then answer a series of questions about it by memory.
Stratego
This game is not too complex but it is great for building working memory, attention, and reasoning skills in the whole family!
Uno
Even simple games like Uno build working memory because of the need to hold multiple things in your mind at once and apply information immediately. You need to remember the rules. You need to watch what other players are doing, as well as what’s in your own hand. This is a great one to even introduce to your younger family members!
Don’t Just Push Through The Struggle!
Understanding WHY you or your child are struggling to focus or remember is a huge step towards achieving your greatest potential.
The way things are now doesn’t have to be how things stay. If you’re frustrated by a lack of growth or are wondering if there’s something else you could be doing, you’re not in this alone.
Give us a call today to learn more about the ways brain training can strengthen weak skills like working memory to make reading, focusing, remembering, and learning easier!
