Tree-mendous Memory! Card Game (Spring)

Boost your brain power — a creative twist on classic memory card games!

By Chris Dunmire

See also: Autumn Tree-mendous Memory! Game

Did you know that memory-boosting exercises help improve your brain function and positively impact your creative ability as you age? That's why so many sage people are addicted to word puzzles and Sudoku!

Here's another playful way to exercise your memory and boost your brainpower: Play my Tree-mendous Memory! Game. I designed this challenge as a free game you download and print and have fun assembling while you think of how much stronger your mind muscles will grow!

The game doesn't take long to put together for the first time — I got mine up and running in less than 20 minutes. Best of all, you can store the pieces in a zip bag and play it over and over (and if you damage/lose the pieces, simply print them again!).

Game Set-Up

Overview: This creative twist on classic memory card games makes you find matching pairs of “leaf” cards placed randomly in the branches of a tree. This extra brain-stimulating challenge is best enjoyed with 2-4 people.

1. Download the Tree-Mendous Memory! Game™ board and leaf cards (below).
2. Print game pages on thick premium paper or card stock.
3. Cut out cards and assemble board. TIP: Make leaf cards easier to pick up when playing by cutting a small 1/8” notch lengthwise in the wide part of the leaf, bending “prongs” opposite one another.
4. Randomly place (no peeking!) all 32 cards (16 pairs) face down in the leaf placeholders around the tree branches.

To Play: Each player takes turns flipping over two cards per round looking for matched picture pairs. If both cards match, the player wins the round and removes the cards from the tree and takes another turn. If cards do not match, the player flips them back over in the same place and the next player takes a turn. Repeat until all cards are matched and removed from the tree.

Objective: Match as many pairs of cards as you can by remembering the pictures and card locations on the tree. The game winner is the one who has the most matching pairs at the end of the game. If the game is a draw (tie), the player holding the pair of red circles wins.

This is a MEMORY game, so watch closely when cards are turned over. Try to remember where the matching pairs are located — especially the red circles!

Spring Tree-mendous Memory! Game Download Files

Download 8.5x11" Tree-mendous Memory Game Set
(PDF, 1500KB, 3 pages, finished spliced size is 11x17")
Designed for popular letter-sized inkjet or laser printers. Print the leaf card page twice. After printing, trim and splice the two game board halves (top & bottom) with adhesive or tape. In this set the board/cards is slightly smaller (95%) than the tabloid-size game below (finished board size is still 11x17").

Download 11x17" Tree-mendous Memory Game Set
(PDF, 1500KB, 2-pages, finished size is 11x17")
Designed for tabloid-sized inkjet or laser printers. Print just two pages.

About the Author | More by Chris Dunmire
Chris Dunmire is the founder of Creativity Portal®, a Kaizen-Muse™ creativity coach, artist, and writer who works with creative clients through overwhelm, procrastination, perfectionism, and other blocks to their creativity (personal or professional) while holding the space to experience more joy, humor, and ease in their lives and work. Contact Chris to explore how creativity coaching can open and enhance your life!

8/12/11