Memory Strategies

Association

100

You meet someone new named John. He is from New Jersey. How could this help you remember his name?

You can think of him as "Jersey John"

200

You have a doctor’s appointment on February 1st. How could you use association to remember this date?

This date is one month after New Year’s, 2 weeks before Valentine’s Day

300

You are driving to a friend’s house and she told you to take a left turn on Lake street. How could you remember to take the left turn?

Association the word "left" with "Lake" = left Lake

400

Your friend got a new loving and affectionate dog named Sam. How could you use association to remember the dog’s name?

Think of him as "Sweet Sam"

500

Your friend Peter wants to get pizza with you on Friday. How could you use association to remember this?

Think "Peter Pizza"

Chunking

100

You need to remember the following grocery list: lettuce, frosting, croutons, cake mix, plastic forks, salad dressing, and cheese. How could you use chunking to remember these items?

Salad (lettuce, croutons, forks, dressing, cheese) and dessert (cake mix, frosting, forks)

200

You need to remember the following sets of numbers: 5636584567 and 646734345. How could you use chunking to remember these numbers?

563-658-4567 and 646-734-345

300

You have to remember the following states: Florida, Oregon, Nevada, Georgia, California, and Alabama. How could you chunk these groups to remember them?

Southern states (Florida, Georgia, Alabama), and Western states (Oregon, Nevada, California)

400

You need to remember the following fruits for a fruit salad you are making: red apples, kiwi, strawberries, honeydew, cherries. How could you chunk these to remember them?

Red (apples, strawberry, cherries) and green (kiwi, honeydew)

500

You need to do the following chores today: clean the fridge, clean the toilet, do the dishes, clean the shower, clean the oven. How could you chunk these tasks to help you remember them?

Bathroom (toilet, shower) and kitchen (fridge, dishes, oven)

Visualizing

100

You are going to a birthday party and you are responsible for bringing cupcakes, plates, napkins, and party hats. How could you remember this?

Picture a the friend in a party hat eating the cupcake on a plate and using a napkin

200

You are at the store and trying to remember what you need to buy to make tacos. How can you use visualization to remember this?

Picture the steps you take to make tacos and the ingredients you need 

300

Your friend Mark was born on February 14th. How can you use visualization to remember his birthday?

Picture Mark with Cupid; picture Mark with a Valentine’s Day card

400

You are buying sky blue paint to paint your living room. How can you use visualization to remember the color?

Picture your living room with the sky as the ceiling; picture the color on the walls

500

You have to remember to get dog food on your way home. How could you use visualization to remember this?

Picture your dog in the car or yourself putting dog food in the cart

Repetition

100

You meet a new clinician named Paul. How could you use repetition to remember his name?

Immediately say, “Hi Paul, nice to meet you”. Frequently say his name in a sentence.

200

You were told to call your friend in 1 hour. How can you use repetition to remember to do that?

Repeatedly look at the clock, repeat in your head that you need to make a phone call in an hour

300

You keep forgetting your keys in the morning. How could you use repetition to remember your keys?

Make a memory card (repeating the activity). Set an alarm labeled “keys” that repeats every day.

400

You are picking up snacks for your friends. Steve wants cheetos, Peter wants chips, and Tammy wants a twix bar. How can you use repetition to remember this?

Repeat the names in pairs with the food. Steve cheetos, Peter chips, Tammy twix.

500

You order your food at Panera and they tell you you are order 435. How can you use repetition to remember this?

Repeat 435 in your head

Wild Card

100

Your chocolate chip cookie recipe requires 3 cups of chocolate chips. How could you remember this?

Picture 3 chocolate chip cookies (visualization)

200

You begin a new group and meet someone named Terry who used to be an actor. How could you remember this?

Terry starts with the same letter as theater (association)

300

They are building a baseball stadium on Beach Street. Your friend loves baseball, so you want to remember to tell him. How can you remember this information?

Rays are on the beach, and the Rays are the Florida baseball team (association). You could also picture yourself playing baseball on the beach (visualization)

400

Your friend got a new dog named Lady. How could you remember the dog’s name?

Lady, like in the movie Lady and the Tramp. (association) Picture a woman (lady) with the dog (visualization)

500

You ask your friend Laura what she wants for her birthday, and she tells you she wants to go to a Laker’s basketball game. How could you remember that this is what she wants to do?

Laura Lakers (association) You could also picture Laura playing basketball (visualization)