20 seconds. As per South Tree, that is how long a given piece of information stays in your short-term memory! The best way to retain things in the long-run is by adding them to your working memory.
According to National Geographic, memory games boost your ability to remember things by improving your working memory. Not to mention that as per the research done by Silicon Valley, video games help improve cognitive learning among kids.
Considering that 2.5 billion people and 95 percent of children are already gamers, as per CNET, it is a great idea to leverage a skill they will always require. After all, whether it be remembering concepts or your address, your memory comes into play for it all!
Here are some of the best video games out there that help boost a child’s memory.
World of Words
One of the easiest things to forget are words of a language that you don’t use often. In classroom settings, most children are exposed to difficult words that are rarely adopted in normal lingo and often forgotten.
World of Words ensures that you memorize such words by creating a puzzle out of it. Offered by the platform airG MiniMe 500c, the game gives a word to players which they must find in the puzzle.
However, the catch is that before the given word becomes visible, players must form a variety of other words along the way. Therefore, children find themselves racking their brains for words, thereby stimulating their memory.
Memory Match
Memory Match is one of the many games delivered by the popular brain-training app called Luminosity.
There is a high probability that you already know about Lumosity. After all, according to the company itself, the platform has over 75 million subscribers, and many people vouch for its effectiveness.
Memory Match helps in improving the working memory of the child, which is used for storing and manipulating information temporarily. The better your working memory is, the higher is your retention ability.
So, how does Memory Match work? Well, the game revolves around determining whether a given symbol shown to you is the same as the one presented two times previously.
The trick to winning the game is quickly memorizing each symbol that comes on the screen. While the idea seems easy, it is among the toughest games on the platform. Moreover, those who have mastered the game can then gauge their skills by playing Memory Match Overdrive, which is an advanced version of the same exercise.
Battlefield 4
First-person shooter games are often looked down upon by parents. Many think that they promote violence among children. However, there is no conclusive study of the correlation.
But, there is a known correlation between first-person shooter games and cognitive skills like reasoning, spatial navigation, and memory.
One game that helps in improving the quality of your memory is Battlefield 4. Here, the player assumes the role of Sergeant Recker, who is in command of a number of soldiers. You must lead them into combat on air, land, and sea.
How does the game help improve memory? Well, it bombards with you a plethora of information. Some of it, you must remember, and others need to be discarded. The player must decide which information they need to store.
Considering that not all stimulus and data people come across should be retained, the game hones children’s ability to decide what information is worth holding on to.
Super Mario
Super Mario continues to be popular among children and adults ever since it was released back in 1983.
In the game, players have to assume the role of Mario, who is given the task to rescue Princess Peach from her castle. The player must navigate through a vast world, complete different missions, and overcome various obstacles along the way.
According to independent research, featured in PLOS and NCBI journals, Super Mario has a positive impact on a player’s memory. This is because the game helps in increasing hippocampal grey matter among players.
What is the significance of hippocampal grey matter? Well, this part of the brain is important for strategic planning, motor skills, spatial orientation, and memory. Therefore, by playing the fun game, your child can end up learning a lot of essential skills.
Sudoku
Certain games might have now found a new medium, but their effectiveness remains the same. One such game is Sudoku. For years, the game, along with crossword puzzles, has been a staple of most newspapers. Now, the game is available online as well – a platform best suited to engage kids.
Sudoku is a puzzle game featuring nine rows and nine columns. You must place numbers in a way that the puzzle amounts to a given figure, vertically, laterally, and horizontally. However, you cannot change the number once you have placed it.
Therefore, the game relies on your short-term memory and ability to think ahead. This concentration and planning aids in boosting memory. Many think that Sudoku is a highly effective game for boosting your cognitive skills when you are younger compared to when you are an adult.
Ending Remarks
While every parent might not prefer how much their children play video games, it turns out that you must befriend your enemy for the betterment of your little one! Rather than restricting your children from video games, expose them to ones which they can benefit from.
The five games mentioned certainly do so. To make sure your child doesn’t lose interest, it is best to introduce them to it all.
At the same time, do monitor their screen time. Everything is best in moderation! Combine video games with physical activities and outdoor fun for the best development of your child.
Is there an effective video game that helps a child’s memory that we might have missed? Let us all know.
