Memory games for kids: a parent's guide
How to make matching games fun, fair and frustration-free for young children, and what they can practise along the way.
Memory matching games are often among the first games young children learn. They're simple, colourful and satisfying, and they quietly practise skills that matter at school and beyond. Here's how to get the most out of them with your child.
When can children start?
Many children enjoy a simple matching game from around three or four years old, especially with a grown-up helping. At that age, keep things very small. Pair Up's Easy game, with six pairs, is a good starting point, and you can even help by pointing at cards. By five to seven, most children can play Easy on their own and start trying Medium. Older children often love the challenge of Hard, and racing on the leaderboard.
What children practise while they play
- Attention: really looking at a card instead of glancing past it.
- Short-term memory: holding where things are for a little while.
- Patience and turn-taking: especially when playing with others.
- Language: naming the pictures and describing where they are ("top row, next to the car").
- Coping with mistakes: wrong guesses happen all the time, and the game keeps going.
None of this needs to be "taught". It happens naturally through play, which is exactly why games are such a good way to learn.
Making it fun, not frustrating
Start easy and stay easy for a while. Success builds confidence. Let your child win at Easy many times before suggesting Medium.
Play together first. Take turns on one screen and think out loud: "Hmm, I saw a strawberry somewhere around here…" Children learn strategy by hearing how you think.
Celebrate effort, not only results. Praise good remembering ("You knew exactly where that dog was!") rather than just stars.
Keep sessions short. Two or three games is plenty for little ones. End on a happy note, ideally just after a win.
Turning the game into a learning moment
The everyday pictures in Pair Up are great for conversation. Ask your child to name each picture in English, then in your home language: Hindi, Kannada, Tamil or any other. Count the matched pairs together. Sort the pictures into groups: which are fruit, which are animals, which can you ride? Little moments like these turn a five-minute game into rich, playful learning.
A word on screens
Like any screen activity, matching games are best in moderation and, for younger children, alongside an adult. MindCohort is designed to be calm: no flashing rewards, no endless levels, and no pop-ups in the middle of a game. That makes it easy to play a round or two and then put the phone down. Try playing a version with real cards too, using two sets of picture cards or even pairs of family photos. Children love seeing the same game on the table and on the screen.
Safety and privacy
MindCohort only asks for a nickname, never a real name, email, age or phone number. Help your child pick a fun nickname that doesn't include their real name or school, such as "Mango Ninja" or "Captain Turtle". It's a good first lesson in staying safe online.
The best part
Above all, memory games are a chance to sit together and laugh at near-misses. Your child might even beat you, and they'll never let you forget it.