Memory game · Grades 2–13
Span Ladder: Free Working Memory Game for Kids
Span Ladder is a free working memory game. Numbers, words, shapes or animals appear one at a time; hold them in your head, then put them back in order, or backwards. Get two lists right and you climb a rung.
Part of our 24 brain games for kids, free with an account.
What Span Ladder trains
Span Ladder trains working memory, the mental “notepad” we use to hold a few things in mind while we use them. It is what lets a child follow a three-step instruction, carry a number in a sum, or keep the start of a sentence in mind while writing the end. The 💡 Tip button teaches real strategies such as chunking, making a picture and telling a story.
What the research says: Span tasks like this are how researchers measure working memory, and children with smaller spans often lose track of instructions in class (Alloway, 2006). Practice improves the trained span, with smaller effects on unrelated schoolwork (Melby-Lervåg, Redick & Hulme, 2016).
Who Span Ladder is for
Span Ladder suits Grades 2–13, roughly ages 7 to 18, and adapts to each player. Two correct lists in a row add one item; two misses take one away, so children always practise just above what feels comfortable. Numbers Backwards adds the extra work of reversing the list. Most children aged 7 to 8 hold about 4 or 5 items; adults hold around 7.
How to play Span Ladder
- Pick a list type: numbers, words, shapes or animals.
- Watch the items appear one at a time.
- When they disappear, tap them back in the same order (or backwards in Numbers Backwards).
- Get two lists right in a row to climb a rung.
- Finish the 10-turn round and see your best rung.
Tips for parents and teachers
Compare your child with their own best rung, not with others. Talk about the strategy shown in the tip, because using a strategy matters more than the score. One round of 10 turns takes about 5 minutes; stop on a success, and use Slower pace if the list feels rushed. Pair it with real-life memory games, such as remembering a shopping list together.
FAQs
What is working memory?
Working memory is the ability to hold a small amount of information in mind and use it, like a mental notepad. Children rely on it for following instructions, mental arithmetic, spelling and reading comprehension (Gathercole & Alloway, 2008).
What age is Span Ladder for?
Grades 2–13, roughly ages 7 to 18. The ladder adjusts to each player automatically, so younger and older children are always working at the right level.
Can working memory be improved with games?
Practice reliably improves performance on tasks like this one, and learning strategies such as chunking helps children in everyday tasks. Gains on unrelated schoolwork are less certain, so treat it as focused practice alongside school, not a replacement.
How long should children play Span Ladder?
One round of 10 turns, about 5 minutes, a few times a week is plenty.
More brain games to try
Prefer paper? Practise the same skill with our free printable worksheets: Span Ladder.