7 memory tricks every parent should teach their child

Time of India

15-07-2025

Memory is more than just a skill, it's a silent superpower that shapes how children learn, solve problems, and build confidence. While most kids are told to 'read again' or 'focus more,' not many are taught how to remember.
That's where memory tricks come in. These are not magic spells or rote-learning methods, but time-tested brain tools that make learning fun, sticky, and meaningful.
Here are some unique memory tricks that go beyond common advice and truly empower young minds. These methods are rooted in psychology, brain science, and real-life parenting wisdom and they can make a real difference.
The memory palace trick
Children naturally remember places like the toy shelf, the fridge, or even the spot where a favourite book is kept.
That's why memory experts often use the 'Memory Palace' technique, also known as the method of loci. For kids, this can be turned into a game, placing ideas or facts in specific rooms of the house in their mind.
For example, if a child needs to remember the water cycle stages, consider placing evaporation near the stove (where steam comes out), condensation on the mirror, and precipitation at the garden tap. It becomes a mini story set in their own world.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Smell it, say it, stick it
Science says the brain holds on to memories better when they are attached to senses, especially smell. If a child is learning multiplication tables, doing so while chewing a clove or sniffing a lemon-scented crayon can make that memory stronger. Later, even the smell can trigger recall.
Sensory anchoring is subtle but effective, and it turns boring repetition into a multi-sensory experience that sticks.
Wrong answers first
This is a lesser-known trick backed by cognitive research.
When children are asked to guess answers (even if wrong) before learning the correct one, their brain creates stronger memory pathways. The surprise or correction that follows acts like a brain 'highlight.'
For example, asking what causes day and night before teaching the concept encourages active brain engagement. The brain remembers its own mistake, and learns better from it.
Talk to a toy
Children may hesitate to explain things to parents or peers, fearing correction or embarrassment.
But give them a favourite soft toy and ask them to teach it the solar system, they shine. The brain treats this as serious communication, and it leads to deeper understanding.
This simple trick taps into the Feynman Technique, a proven method where teaching strengthens recall. And in a child's world, a toy makes the perfect non-judgmental student.
Song-spell-switch
Instead of ready-made rhymes, letting kids create their own, even if they're silly, builds lasting memory.
For example, changing the tune of 'Twinkle Twinkle' to list planets or mixing spelling rules into a rap gives ownership to learning.
Rhythm and melody activate both sides of the brain, making retention more effortless. Bonus? It becomes their secret 'study anthem.'
The bedtime whisper
Neuroscience confirms this: the brain strengthens memories during sleep. So, softly going over a few facts or reviewing a story in a relaxed bedtime tone (not study-mode) helps in silent reinforcement.
It's not about last-minute cramming but gentle mental rehearsal.
This bedtime whispering builds emotional bonding and memory retention together, a quiet, comforting ritual.
Draw what's not there
Instead of drawing what was seen in a book, asking to draw 'how a rainbow would look in a room' or 'a tree growing upside down' uses imagination. The twist? These imaginary prompts make the brain replay and apply what was learned, deepening memory.
Imaginative recall rewires facts into long-term knowledge. It's creativity plus cognition, a powerful mix.