Memory work is a big part of our school day. I have written before about why I think it is so important. I think it is fabulous that it is alive and well in homeschool circles. The sharing of resources, methods, and organizational tips in the community makes it easier for everyone to be successful.
My number one tip for memory work is to keep it fun. Though what we memorize is often serious business, there is no reason why the practice has to be tedious. We love our memory work time.
So if you need some convincing on the importance of the process, how to organize, or where to find even more information, check out the links below.
Keeping it real
In this podcast episode I chat with homeschool mom of five Amy Sloan about how she does memory work in her homeschool. Check out Your Morning Basket Episode #64: Memory Work from a Mom’s Perspective.
Why Memorize
- YMB #2 Furnishing the Mind: A Conversation with Andrew Pudewa – I enjoyed this conversation with Andrew where we cover the basics of why and how to memorize.
- Memorization and the Soul: Why, What, and How by Brandy Vencel – Wonderful audio workshop on memorization.
- The Critical Subject Your Homeschool Curriculum is Missing – Inspiring article about why memory work is critical. Also includes tips on how to memorize.
- The Classical Preschool — Memorize – Why memorization is important and how it looks in the preschool years.
What to Memorize
- Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization – My absolute favorite resource of poems to memorize in Morning Time (or anytime).
- 100 Things for Kids to Memorize – A list to get you started
- YMB #21 Why Shakespeare?: A Conversation with Ken Ludwig In this episode Ken and I discuss why memorizing Shakespeare can be beneficial (and fun!)
- Memory Work Index – A list of suggested things to memorize including scripture, hymns, and folk songs.
- Memory Work Made Easy – Free download with hymn, poem, and scripture for each month of the year.
- Poetry Memorization Cards for Kids – Free downloadable cards of poems to memorize.
How to Memorize
- Help Your Kids Memorize Anything – My own series on how to memorize.
- Recite, Recite, Recite – Ideas for how to spice up recitation.
- Sing Me a Song – Tips for creating your own songs.
- Creative Ways to Memorize – Long list of fun ways to memorize and review!
- YMB #24 A New/Old Look at Memorization: An Interview with Dr. Kevin Vost – In this podcast, Dr. Vost and I chat about the ancient memory palace technique for memorizing. Fascinating!
- On Not Being Word-Perfect: Taking the Long View on Memorization – Why it isn’t important to memorize word for word.
- The Ultimate Guide to Learning Through Song – Another Ultimate Guide for learning through song.
- How I Teach Memory Work to My Preschooler – Practical post outlining a preschool memorization program — would work for any age!
How to organize memory work?
- Scripture Memory System — The original file box from Simply Charlotte Mason. Works for other things as well!
- The Morning Time Binder – My post about our binder based on the file box system above.
- 31 Days of Organizing Homeschool Stuff: Circle Time Binders – Mystie’s take on binders.
- Building a Memory Work Binder – How Brandy uses a binder for her memorization work.
- Use iTunes to Build a Memory Work Playlist – A post from me on how to build multiple playlists to organize memory work.
Memory Work Products
- Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization – My absolute favorite resource of poems to memorize in Morning Time (or anytime).
- Classically Catholic Memory
- Classical Conversations
Memory Work Books
- Living Memory
- How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare
- Memorize the Faith! (and Most Anything Else): Using the Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters
Pam is the author of The Your Morning Basket Guide and Plan Your Year: Homeschool Planning for Purpose and Peace. She also is the host of three popular  podcasts -- The Homeschool Snapshots Podcast, Your Morning Basket, and The Homeschool Solutions Show. She lives in the Deep South with her husband and three kids, where she is the go-to lady for great curriculum recommendations or a just a pep talk on a rough day.
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I’ve been wanting to check out Fallacy Detective for awhile now; and I recently had a friend rave to me about the Hand That Rocks The Cradle. I’d love to win and gift of the few things I already own.
Pam, this page is great!! Thank you so much for including several of my links. 🙂 going to add this page to my resource list also!!
You are welcome!
so glad that you mentioned Mystie’s post about less-than-perfect memory work. it has deeply changed how i think about and plan for our Circle Time.
and Ultimate Guides? brilliant!
peace keep you, dear one.
p.s. we use and love Harmony Fine Arts (esp. the mini lessons)…go Barb!
Go Barb, indeed! Love her stuff.
And yes. Mystie nailed it with that one. We don’t do word-perfect here either! Thank you for stopping by!
What a wonderful giveaway!
I used The Fallacy Detective and The Thinking Toolbox with my oldest son when he was younger. I will use them again with my middle son soon.
I haven’t heard of either of them, so I can’t state a preference.
Howdy Pam,
Thank you for the mention! 😀
Blessings,
Kyle
Awesome resources! Thank you for the opportunity.
Someone just shared your blog with me. I am excited to look through this blog to utilize the resources and advice! Thanks!
Welcome Nicole! Happy to have you over here.
The only one I am even a little bit familiar with is Fallacy Detective. I don’t have any experience with any of the others.
This page is a fabulous resource and has some wonderful links – thank you!
I would love to get my hands on a Harmony Fine Arts program! 🙂
I’ve pinned this post so that I can come back and look at the sources in more detail. Thank you for taking the time to put them all together! Memory work is one area I want to improve on next year; so I will definitely be looking back at this post over the next few months.
This is great. I didn’t know there were ultimate lists for memory work. How fun! Memory time is probably my favorite part of our morning basket activities. Looking forward to browsing through all these links.!
This is fabulous! We seem to be slowing down on memory work right now… very timely post. Thanks!
Pam– I’ve been following your lead here and then last night I listened to Cindy Rollins’ talk on morning time via Circe. Wow. Wow. Then I came here and I’m so excited to dive into all these resources. Thank you!!!
Yes, that is a good one! I bought it and listened to it last year (before Sarah made it “cool”). It strongly shaped my own view of morning time around here.
The Fallacy Detective has been on my Paperback Swap wish list for years now.
Thanks for the chance!
What a great guide! Looking forward to perusing!
I have been wanting to try Harmony Fine Arts for my art-loving 6 year old. Thanks for the chance to win!
I would love to check out fallacy detective, or hand that rocks the cradle, or race to the Colosseum!
I would love to check out the Harmony Fine Arts! 🙂 I have browsed the site often and LOVE what I see 🙂
I’ve heard of a number of these publishers. I’d say that I’m most interested in the Alpha-Phonics and the homeschool planning pages. =)
A perfect resource for my Charlotte Mason homeschool! Thanks!
Awesome Michelle. Glad you found it helpful.
I have always considered adding Memory Work to our school but never really knew where/how to begin. So I just never did it.
Thanks to your gracious efforts on compiling this list, now I know where to start.
Thank You!
You are welcome!
Hi Pam! I’m looking at the IEW Linguistic Poetry Memorization package; is this something that would be age-appropriate for 5 & 7-y.o.? Have you used this particular product, and would you recommend it at this age? Thanks!
Hi Kristen, I’ve used the IEW Poetry resource for almost 7 years and, yes! It’s great with 5 & 7 year olds – and older and younger. The poems selected, especially in Level One are sweet and gentle and funny. All of my kids still like reviewing them. Hope that helps! Dawn Garrett Community Care Coordinator for pambarnhill.com
A real “memory work saver” for us has been the SCM card file system modified into a binder system that works BEAUTIFULLY! I was way too paranoid that the toddler was going to get the file box one day, dump it and all our cards would end up in the wrong place. Not only that, but I can keep typed copies of all our memory work and don’t have to bother with handwriting them on cards or formatting index cards on the computer. Every day we do the daily tab, odd or even tab, day of the week tab, and number of the date tab. We do everything here: Shakespeare quotes, psalms, scripture verses, IEW poems, basically anything I want them to memorize goes in there. If I find that the girls are rusty on a poem or a verse, I move it into the daily or one of the odd or even tabs for more review. It has been great. I’m happy to share pics or more info with anyone who is interested.
Your link needs updating https://afterthoughtsblog.net/memory-index
Thanks for the update 🙂 Dawn Garrett, Community Manager