For Christmas last year, I made my 4-year-old an “Art Memory” game.  I printed out two copies each of a variety of classic works of art, four to a 4×6″ photo, cut them apart, backed them with a textured paper, and laminated them.  (In hindsight, it would have made more sense to back them first, then cut them apart.)

She can play Memory just as she always has, but will be starting to recognize the art.  (Also in hindsight, however, I need to make myself some sort of  “key,” because I can’t remember what they’re all called.)  As an added bonus, the baby loves to play with the cards, so she will be growing in familiarity.

When I chose the pictures, I used a lot of pieces that are very well-known – pieces the girls should come to recognize.  That means we don’t like them all.  In particular, my girls really hate The Scream, by Edvard Munch.  So, Sophia, true to form, told me, “I really wish we could lose these [the two Scream cards], because I hate this picture.”  I told her that she is welcome to set them aside when she plays, and not include them in her game, but urged her to try not to lose them, so we’d still have them if we want them.

Two days later, I found those two cards sitting all alone off in a corner somewhere, where I am quite certain she had attempted to lose them!

Ironically, she recognizes and remembers it, though.  At dinner not long ago, something happened – I think we saw a picture of someone with his hands on his face and his mouth open in surprise, or maybe Ariel did that; I forget.  Sophia piped up with, “that looks kind of like The Scream!”  So despite her best efforts, the cards are serving their purpose. 🙂