Our kids love the memory game, and I love playing it with them because it helps them practice taking turns, good sportsmanship, and of course, it strengthens their memorizing skills!
I really liked the fun
seashells and stickers version of the game that Chasing Cheerios came up with a while ago, and thought that I would like to try it with my own kids.
Making the Game
I added my own twist by replacing the stickers with little objects from around the house. In my kids’ mind, this made it an entirely new game. Instead of the memory game, we had a treasure hunt!
To make the game, I used a glue gun to affix the matching objects inside of the shells. I lined a basket with a paper towel and filled it with sand to give the shells a fun background for play and storage.
Playing the Game
We played the matching game like normal, with the exception that I couldn’t play with them because the shells have different backs, and I would have an unfair advantage because I filled them.
I was a little concerned that the lack of uniformity in the shells would mean that the game would quickly become too easy, but I think the fact that I made ten pairs combined with the fact that none of the shells stands out dramatically from the rest helped it to stay challenging. They’ve played four or five times so far, and still enjoy it. When it starts to get old, I’ll just hide the game away for a couple of months until they forget!
Treasure Ideas
If you make this game, here are some ideas for filling the shells:
buttons
coins
pom poms
sequins
ribbons
silk flowers
little chains
beads
nuts and screws
You can use anything small enough to fit into the shell!
What kind of memory games have you played with your children?
Here are some suggestions for other memory games for your child:
AWESOME! And just in time for our oceans & beach unit! Definitely pinning and thanks for sharing! 🙂
This would be perfect for a beach themed unit study!
Hey Katey
This looks fun! We play lots of memory games – my kids are scarily good at pelmanism. I made them a set of cards after a printing disaster – our holiday snaps got made too small. Turned out well in the end. I wrote about it here if you fancy a look.
http://home-adventurer.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/memories-are-made-of-this.html
I like the idea of using pictures from a family vacation- what a fun way to relive the memories! I’ve never heard it called pelmanism. Interesting!