This cupcake memory matching game is trickier than the others in our matching games collection! Players will need to be on the lookout for subtle differences between the matching pairs – making this a super sweet way to develop visual discrimination skills.
What is Visual Discrimination?
Visual discrimination is the ability to see differences and similarities, even subtle ones, between physical objects and images included on printed materials. These differences and likenesses may be in size, shape, form, colour or position.
Why is Visual Discrimination Important?
While there are many practical reasons that determining similarities and difference between objects is helpful to everyday life, visual discrimination is especially important for the process of learning reading, writing and mathematics.
Visual discrimination allows the individual to distinguish between the numerous symbols that comprise a written language. Children learn that symbols comprise meaning, that an individual symbol maintains consistent meaning, that some symbols represent letters and others numerals, and that each of these symbols has a name and purpose within written language. Failure to discern subtle differences between symbols visually will effect a child’s ability to read fluently.
Ideas for Supporting the Development of Visual Discrimination
There are many simple ways to help your children develop visual discrimination skills. I Spy books, jigsaw puzzles, dominoes or bingo games, sorting collections of similar objects and counting groups of objects, traditional mazes, as well as shape and alphabet mazes and matching games, such as this free Cupcake Memory Matching Game, available to download below.
How to Play the Cupcake Memory Matching Game
Shuffle the cards well and spread them face down across the table.
Players take turns to turn over two cards, searching for the matching cupcakes pairs. If the cards selected are a match, the player keeps the matching pair and takes another turn. If they are not the same, the cards are turned back over in the same location and play moves to the next player.
Once all cards have been matched, the player with the most pairs wins the game.
Printing Your Cupcake Memory Matching Game
Click here to download: Cupcake Memory Matching Game. Save the PDF to your computer. Open the PDF and print the pages you require. When printing, select “Fit to printable area” (or similar) to ensure the page fits with your printer type and local paper size (these have been created at A4 size). I suggest printing onto card stock or matte photo paper. Laminate the printed cards for durability.
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Please note: All Childhood 101 printables are for personal use only, you may not use any part of this content for commercial purposes-that includes selling the document, giving it away to promote your business or website, or printing the file to sell. You may not share, loan or redistribute these documents. Teachers may use multiple copies for students in their own classroom.
Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.
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