What is Photo Memory?
Photo Memory is a game that is played in right brain education classes. It helps to develop the photographic memory function. Similar to space memory, your child is shown a picture for a period of time before it is hidden. Your child is then required to recreate the picture with a background image and some placement pictures.
How to Make Your Own Photo Memory Game
1. Background Image
A background image is just a “scene”. To make the game easier, choose a picture that is clean and simple. The busier the picture, the harder the game will be because the objects in your background image will be distracting. You will need at least two copies of this – one for yourself (to create the master copy) and one for your child (to create the replica).
Here is a sample background image:
2. Placement Pictures
These are small random pictures that you can cut out and place onto your background image. You will need two copies of each picture – one set for yourself (to create the master copy) and one set for your child (to create the replica). You can find lots of images on Google. Just print and cut them out then attach a bit of blu-tack to the back and you’re ready to go.
These are some sample placement pictures:
If you want your photo memory set to be more durable, print on cardboard or laminate it. An economical way to laminate is to use an adhesive book wrap. Otherwise, you can invest in a laminating machine – which can be pretty affordable these days.
How to Play Photo Memory
On your copy, stick 3-4 placement pictures at random. To increase the difficulty, add more placement pictures. To make it easier, use less placement pictures. Show your child your “master copy” for a brief period of time, say 10 seconds, then cover it or turn it over.
Get your child to recreate your master copy with the second background image and set of placement pictures.
When your child is done, check her picture against your master copy.
You can play this game over and over by changing the positions of the placement pictures or using different placement pictures. If your child gets bored, make more sets with different backgrounds and placement pictures.
Download our Photo Memory Game Template
Where to Buy Photo Memory Games
If you don’t want to make your own photo memory games, you can purchase two sets of the same magnetic play scenes. Use one set as your template and the other one for your child to reproduce the scene you create from memory.
