Memory Improvement With Playing Games

The brain is just like a muscle. The more work it does the stronger it gets. And of course the reverse is also true. The less you use and work it, the more out of shape it will get. If you find that you are having trouble remembering things maybe you need to spend some time exercising your brain.

One of the easiest and funniest way to exercise, stimulate and build your memory functions is to play simple mind games.

Trivia

The great thing about this game is that you can select not only the number of people to play, where you play, but how long and what topics you want to work with. You can even play the game by yourself. Simply read the questions and answers and check in an hour to see how many of them you do recall.

Memory/Concentration

One classic version of this game is played by taking a deck of cards and placing them face down on the table. The first person turns up two cards. If they match you take them off the playing surface. That same player gets to go again. If the two cards do not match, return them face down to the game area, and the next person takes his turn. Play continues until all the cards are gone. The player with the most pairs wins.

The Picnic

There are countless variations of this game. You have to play with two or more people. The first person puts an imaginary object into the basket. He starts by saying “I am going on a picnic and I am taking a pie. The second person would then repeat the phrase I am going on a picnic then adds their own item and the first person’s item. Play goes back and forth with each person adding an item to the basket and repeating in order the other objects already stated. The game ends when one person is unable to remember an item or gets the order incorrect.

The List

When you first get up in the morning write down on a piece of paper ten things. Then throughout the day when you get a moment try to recall in order exactly what was on the list. You can try increasing the number of things on the list each day or play using a specific room or topic. The variations are endless. At the end of the day write down what you do remember and compare it to the morning list.

The game that you select is not important. What is important is that you choose a game that not only helps you to focus but forces you to use your memory skills. These games do not have to take a lot of time, only five or ten minutes a day. However, like any exercise the more you work at it the better you will get.