7 Fun Games to Improve Your Memory

You use your memory for nearly everything you do, whether you realize it or not. Even simple tasks require some memory access; toss in all of the complex things you do and all of the specialized knowledge you have—about your family, your career, your experiences—and you see memory has a lot to do with making you who you are.

Keeping that memory in good condition is a good thing, then, and luckily it can be fun, too! These seven games will help you shore up your memory banks and give you a quick break at the same time.

1. Simon

All the rage from the ’80s on, this handheld electronic game tests your memory and your reaction time with an ongoing pattern of lights and sounds that you have to repeat. There are plenty of online versions available, too.

2. Crossword Puzzles

Vocabulary, general knowledge, critical thinking, and memory are all put to work when you sit down to a crossword puzzle. Pen and ink, with downloadable apps, or just online, these are easy to find and great at keeping an agile mind.

3. Brain Age

One of the best-selling “games” for the Nintendo DS, Brain Age gives you a series of mental exercises to help you keep your brain young. It also reports your brain’s “age” as determined by some video game programmers, so…yay!

4. Blackjack

That’s right, card sharks. If you actually know what you’re doing and pay really careful attention to the cards as they fall, blackjack is a great way to keep your memory engaged and get some strategic thinking going, too. Don’t try counting cards in the casinos, though.

5. Memory

Since we’re talking about cards, and memory, why not that simple card game called…well, Memory. Spread them out, turn them over two at a time, and try to remember where each pair’s other half is. Simple but effective memory training.

6. Rummy

OK, one last card game. Like blackjack, you can play rummy without getting your memory <i>too</i> involved, but if you take it to another level and try to track what the other players are picking up you get that memory in gear (and play a better game, too).

7. Lumosity, etc.

There are also literally thousands of brain-training and memory-enhancing games available online or as downloadable apps. Lumosity is one of the largest and most well-known developers of these brain-enhancing tools, and there are plenty of others that are worth the time.

 

If you enjoy any of these games or know of any other awesome games for memory, like us on facebook and let us know!