It is often the case that children have advantages of travel and see many things that older people have not. Many of these advantages, however, are wasted because the child does not review these interesting things which he has seen. Children are seldom interested in remembering. Parents should preserve the child's memory of important sights and circumstances by asking him to carefully revisualize the scene—to see it again in the mind's eye. Thus can the impression be deepened and the child's memory and appreciation of the thing be made to continue throughout his life.
Especially all unusual scenes which he may not have the opportunity of seeing again for a long time should be visually reviewed a couple of times during the first week and a number of times during the following month. Two children had been camping in the north, where they one evening saw a particularly brilliant display of Northern Lights. A few months after this the children were asked, "What are the Northern Lights? What do they look like?" The younger one had forgotten, but the older one could describe them. When the two had thoroughly reviewed the picture they had re-impressed it upon their minds. By doing this a few times the children were able to permanently retain this memory.
HOW TO REMEMBER FIGURES
A child soon comes to the necessity of remembering numbers. With some this is not difficult for they possess unusual powers of visualization and can see the numbers clearly in their mind's eye and thus recall them with ease. There are many examples of men and women who have this visual memory for figures. On the other hand only a very small proportion can do this.
It is a common failing among children, as well as adults, to be unable to remember numbers easily. The reason is simple. Numbers have no meaning, they convey no impression to the mind which can be retained.
Words convey the picture of objects, thoughts and actions which you can visualize. Numbers are cold, inanimate things which have no life nor interest, they do not present a picture and are not easily retained.
Things that have no meaning are difficult to remember.
The simple transference of the meaningless number into something of interest and within the child's knowledge and experience will be helpful. He will remember 15 apples easier than just the number 15. Numbers are easily dealt with when they become objects. You teach the child to add and subtract by the counting board, or by using a group of objects. Fractions are most easily explained by cutting an apple, or something which we can see.