Memory cars
Purpose: To teach young children about asthma triggers using a simple memory game. Also good with older children!
Skills: Trigger identification, fine-motor skills.
What You Will Need:
- Memory cards with descriptive pictures of furry animals, buses showing air pollution, stuffed animals, detergents, aerosol sprays, cockroaches, mice and rats, and/or cigarette smoke. You will need 2 of each picture.
- Make your own memory cards: using coloring book pictures, stencils, magazine pictures, photos, or freehand drawings on index.
What To Do:
- Show each card to your children, emphasizing that they are all triggers for asthma.
- Seat your children in a circle around a table or on the floor.
- Spread the cards face down on the table or on the floor.
- Each child takes a turn by flipping over two cards. If the cards match, the child removes the cards and takes another turn. If the cards do not match, turn the cards back over in the same spot. Move on to the next child.
- As the game progresses, the children will be able to remember where the matching trigger cards were.
- When there are no cards left, the child with the most matches wins! Of course, everyone wins, because the children learn about asthma triggers. You should emphasize this point.
REFERENCE: Triggers outlined in Chapter 5 of this handbook.
