Memory Games for Kids

 Have you played a memory game? It's a classic game of matching pictures. My toddler (3 years old) enjoys playing it and keeps asking for "more" themes. Unfortunately, we only have one set of memory games suitable for his age (transportation game). I tried looking for more sets, but I can't find something right for kids around two years..., so I made my boy tons of sets so we can play it all year round!

Montessori Inspired Phonics Mystery Bag Game

Vito is 40 months old.

I’m always in search of new learning games and activities to try with Vito.  Vito is quite a challenge.  He’s a little bit picky with activities, he always wants it to be interesting, some sort of a game.  He is currently in a sensitive period with letters, always singing the song, identifying letters in books, pretending to read words, completing his alphabet puzzles and more.  He knows the letter sounds and can identify uppercase and lowercase, so I’m moving forward to phonics and CVC reading practise in our language activities at home.  To start with, we are practising how to identify beginning letter sounds of “objects” in picture format.  I know, I should be doing objects, but Vito is always distracted with objects.  He sees them as toys, not as language learning materials. We don’t get things done whenever I use objects because we end up playing.  So I’m sticking with picture cards for now, it’s working on his part.  Whenever he sees a picture card, he would name it and emphasize the beginning letter sound.  This was our first try, and we’ve been doing this activity occasionally.  Lately, I acquired an extra tiny bag from my Stereognostic material and I made use of it in this game.  We often use moveable alphabet but Vito insisted to use the Hape Uppercase Puzzle (he loves this puzzle!).

STEM Toy Learning Optics with Laser Maze Logic Game

 

The boys are crazy over this Laser Maze Logic Game.  I came across this logic STEM toy while I was scouting for learning materials for Mavi’s “optics” activity.   Mavi loves solving the problems in the task cards and Vito on the other hand is fascinated by the effect of the laser light on the target. 

Favourite Phonic Games

I always find it hard to get Vito to do alphabet activities with me.  Mavi was already learning how to spell 2.5 years old and although Vito knows the letters and sounds they make, he’s still not at it when it comes to doing the activities.

So I started reading my favourite blogs (since 2010) and came across these activities from NurturingLearning.com.  These activities requires movements which Vito loves to do to keep him engaged in alphabet activities.