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No not actual matches or even wrestling matches. I mean the matching game Memory! Yes I know most 3-4 years olds can learn this game easily but I decided that I wanted to play games with my son when he was about 18 months old. Of course I was crazy but he was really smart.
I knew there were games for 3+ but I couldn’t find any that were meant for 2 year olds. So I decided to teach him the 3 year old games. Sort of. I figured I could teach him games for 3+ at a 2 year old level. I started with Memory.
Memory – The basic matching game. You can purchase a number of game options in stores or you can use playing cards or even make your own.
- Start off by selecting about 4 – 8 matching pictures your child knows already (or 4-8 to teach him first). For example, dog, cat, ball, etc.
- Next take one of each picture and set them aside in a pile for you.
- Then have your child take the matching ones and place them face down in front of him.
- One at a time flip one of your cards over and show it to him. Have him tell you what it is first.
- Then have him flip one card over to try to find its match.
- You will have to show him how to flip one over at at time and if its not a match to flip it back over.
- After your child has found a match have him set the pair aside face up so he can see his victory.
- Repeat this until the child has “won” and then play again.
- After your child has understood the matching part you can move to teaching him to take turns by joining in. This time just flip one over from your pile and say “Ok your turn” and when he flips one over and its not a match or even if it is (it is easier if you only get one turn each) then say “Ok my turn”
- When he masters this part you can move on to putting all the tiles face down and teaching him to flip one over at a time to find matches and taking turns.
Just remember not to move ahead until he has mastered the current way you play the game.
