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Another Skill Not to Forget
Working on Toddlers' Short- and Long-term Memory
By Lisa A. Goldstein
We might not remember so-and-so's name, but we know our address and phone number by heart. What about a toddler who's 4 or younger? What is their short- and long-term memory like, and how can parents help improve this skill?
"Short-term memory is the capacity of the brain to hold pieces of information coming into the senses long enough to 'process' the information," says Dr. Jill Stamm, co-founder of New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development in Phoenix, Ariz. "Short-term memory does grow over time and in that sense is developmental."
Typically, adults can only hold a limited amount of information at one time, Dr. Stamm says. In children, the number of things they can hold in short-term memory is much smaller. "All short-term memory, whether in adults or kids, works the same in that information only 'stays' for a short time, unless you do something with that information that will then allow that information to be stored in one's long-term memory," Dr. Stamm says.
A 4-year-old, for instance, can repeat back a short list of numbers, says Karen Bartsch, professor of developmental psychology at the University of Wyoming who focuses on childhood memory. Most 4-year-olds, and many 3-year-olds, can remember and act on one or two specific directions – e.g. "Put your teddy bear away and then brush your teeth." – but longer lists are easier for older children. Two-year-olds are beginning to be able to do these things, but it's generally easier for them to deal with lesser demands.
