Story books or magazines

Here's an activity that will test your child's memory. Select a picture from a favorite storybook or a magazine, then let your child study it. Then, while holding the book so only you can see it, ask questions to see how well he or she can describe the picture.

Gauge your questions to your child's age and abilities; with young children, ask simple questions: "What color was the teddy bear?" "Was there an animal in the picture?" Increase the complexity and challenge by asking more difficult questions: "How many animals did you see?" "What were the people doing?" You can also regulate the difficulty by varying the amount of time that your child has to view the picture.

Challenge older kids by briefly showing them several pictures, all at once or sequentially. Then ask questions about the details of each picture--the people, the setting, what the pictures seem to be all about. Throw in a few ringers to test their mettle: If one of the pictures shows only a yellow house, ask about the white house and see what happens. When you've finished your questions, show your child the picture and discuss it; as the old saying goes, a picture is worth 1,000 words.