Guest Author - Megan Romer

Concentration is a very simple and very fun game for players of all ages. The game is an excellent tool for improving memory skills in young children and maintaining memory skills in the elderly.

Many wonderful boxed Concentration sets are available on the market (usually under the proprietary name "Memory"). The classic game is a favorite, with its pictures of animals and toys. There are also several themed games available, some with pictures of favorite cartoon or movie characters.

The game rules are simple. All of the cards are turned face-down and players take turns flipping over two cards at a time. If a player finds a match, they may take another turn. Once all cards are off the board, the players count all of their cards. Whoever has the most cards is the winner.

It is easy to make and play homemade versions of Concentration. A deck of cards works well in a pinch, and playing with a deck of cards can help young children learn the different names of the cards and the four suits. Make the game slightly more difficult by forcing the players to match red kings or black fours and so on.

You can use index cards to make your own concentration set as well. Good artists can draw matching pictures on two cards. You could also cut matching pictures out of magazines and glue them to the cards. Consider drawing or pasting two related pictures (like a bowl and a spoon, or a chicken and an egg) onto two cards to stimulate not only memory but other cognitive skills.

Use whatever skill or knowledge set you are trying to teach a young child to make a set of memory cards. If they are learning colors, draw sets of red or blue or yellow objects (or just color splotches) on two index cards. If they are learning to spell simple words, paste a picture of, say, a cat on one card and write the word "CAT" on the other. For teenagers studying foreign languages, write the English word (or paste/draw a picture) on one card and the foreign word on the other. The possibilities are endless!

Another really fun way to personalize a Concentration game is to take an instant camera or roll of film and take a full set of pictures (or let your child do it). Take simple pictures with as minimal of a background as possible. Take pictures of each member of the family, the house, the car, the swingset, the pets, favorite toys or anything else you can think of. Have the photos developed as duplicates, and laminate each picture or press it in contact paper. Glue some fun wrapping paper to the back before laminating for a polished look. Homemade concentration games can make a great gift for children to make and give for holidays to their teachers, grandparents and friends.

It's an easy game to play with infinite possibilities for purchasing or making your own sets. Enjoy putting your own personal touch on the game, and enjoy playing!