Improving Short Term Memory

Help Your Child Improve Her Short Term Memory by Playing the "I Went to the Market" Game
This game helps improve your child's short-term memory. She will have to remember several sounds in the correct order to sound out new words such as, fr-o-g put together says frog.

How to Play:

1. Read this short poem to your child:
       Johnny went to the market. Johnny went to the store.
       But when poor Johnny got there, he forgot what he went there for.
       Momma gave him a list. Momma gave it to him twice.
       And what Momma wanted was a big bag of rice...
   
2. Now say, "Momma wanted a bag of rice and carrots."
   
3. Your child repeats that and adds another item, "Momma wanted rice and carrots and a cake."
   
4. It's your turn. "Momma wanted rice, carrots, cake and a tulip." Take turns until someone gets an item out of order or forgets an item. Make it fun by adding items such as a football or alligators.
   
5. Another version of this game is to highlight a letter sound. Let's say your child doesn't know w sound. Play this game thinking of items that begin with w such as, "Momma wanted a walrus, walnuts, wink and a wand."