ThinkFun Memory Yoga-HiResSpillThis unique combination of a memory game and teaching some beginning yoga makes it a fun learning experience, exercising mind and body. I will admit I am a little biased as I have just discovered the benefits of yoga and am hooked myself!  Since the practice of yoga can calm and clear the mind, it is being introduced increasingly with younger kids to help with focus and attention. Youngest players turn over the yoga poses for a match to collect cards, becoming familiar with the poses. Older kids, 6 and up, perform the illustrated yoga pose for 10 seconds before collecting their match. In the over 35 years of speech therapy I did with kids I found that many kids needed physical activity to perform their best verbally. That included delivering speech therapy with an physical therapist assisting the child on a swing, or working with a kid while he jumped on the trampoline or kicked a soccer ball. Our tester family loved this game from the littlest one who simply helped turn over cards to the 12 year old who kept reminding mom, “Mom, you have to go do it!” when she got a match. Kids started naming the poses as they had taken yoga class last year. They loved the physical aspect of the game, gladly counting to 10 to make sure other players stayed in their pose. This game builds visual memory skills but also teaches yoga as a practice to benefit many little learners to enhance attention and verbal skills.

Available at ThinkFun. Click here