Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Charleston, SC

My daughter's best friend Madeleine has a mind like a steel trap: she can tell you about the places she's gone and what she did there at a level of detail that is sometimes startlingly accurate.  (She does, however, still have trouble remembering where she put her shoes!)  For kids to whom memory-building might not come quite as naturally, there are some fun toys and activities for teaching those skills.  A little practice for mom and dad certainly can't hurt either, now can it?!

There are approximately one billion versions of the classic matching memory game on the market, with pairs of everything from fine art images to cartoon characters.  My personal favorite comes from the eeBoo company and is called the Life on Earth Memory Game.  The pictures are brilliant -- kid-friendly and bright but not cartoonish -- and the cards are thick and sturdy.  There are 24 pairs, which is a good, challenging number for kids (recognizing that you can always take away pairs to make it easier for a younger child!).

For playing memory in the car, you'll want to invest in Melissa and Doug's travel version of the game.  The set comes with two playboards that have attached, flip-back covers and six different playcards.  No pieces to get lost or dropped.  Awesome.

For truly low-tech, low-cost activity ideas for building memory skills, see the detailed how-tos at Savvy Source!  I especially like the simplicity of the homemade memory game, the silliness of the "What's different?" activity, and the practicality of the family flashcards.

[Photo credit: Søren Faurby / Stock.XCHNG]