How to Help Kids Memorize

“Now How Am I Supposed to Remember THAT?” kids often act. Here are a variety of memory devices which, when presented as a challenging game, may help your child memorize a variety of information.

Instructions

1. Use acronyms. An acronym uses the first letter of each item to be memorized. “SCUBA” is not actually a word, for example: It is an acronym that stands for “Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.” This method can be used in two ways. First, by creating a word out of the first letters of each item to be memorized; for example, the names of the Great Lakes: H-O-M-E-S; Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior. You can also use the first letter to stand for a word in a sentence, like “Ed Owes Me Ham Sandwiches.”

2. Incorporate pictures. Some kids are visual learners, which means they can remember more easily if they create pictures in their minds. For example, if you are trying to memorize the names of the state capitals, try picturing "Helen" paying "mon"ey to get a "tan" for Helena, Montana.

3. Try ladders. A special kind of picture memorization can be used for things you need to remember in order. For example, (just for fun) say you needed to memorize in order the five most landed on spaces in Monopoly. Set the deed for Illinois Avenue on the top rung of a ladder. Now just picture it perched up there. On the bottom rung set the deed for Tennessee Avenue. Now going up from Tennessee, set Free Parking, B & O Railroad and Go. Visualize that ladder and remember it.

4. Tell stories. Putting a list in story form can make for easy memorizing. For example, if you have to know the names of the first five U. S. Presidents in order, here's your story: One day Washington gave Adams a skateboard, but Adams thought it was a cheap one, so Adams gave it to Jefferson who tried it out, fell down, and broke his arm. Jefferson’s friend Madison said "Here, give me that. I don't like skateboarding, but we can sell anything to Monroe."

5. Use groups, sections, or parts. Sometimes it helps to break things down into parts. For example, if you have to memorize a long poem, you might want to divide into sections. Once you've learned the first section, start on the second one, but keep going back over the first one and so on.

6. Use maps. Pick a place you know really well, like the block you live on. If you have to memorize a list of something in order, picture yourself walking down the block and put one of those things on every porch. For example, say you have to memorize the names of 10 prehistoric things still living today. Start at your house and put a horseshoe crab on your porch, put a crocodile on the next door neighbor's porch, a turtle at the crosswalk, and so on. Picture each of these clearly and then simply take a walk to help you remember the list.