The Best Printable Matching Cards for Playing Memory Games With Preschoolers

This set of 9 printable matching card games is instantly downloadable in PDF format and will make a great addition to your memory game collection in class or at home.

There are a variety of matching pairs of images in various themes, as well as colours, numbers and shapes, that are perfect for preschool and kindergarten-age children.

Here is a peek at the 9 printable preschool matching games:

How to Prepare the Cards

• Choose the sets of cards you’d like to print.
• Print two copies of each page to make pairs of matching cards.
• Print it onto cardstock or poster board paper so that it is durable and also so that you don’t see the pictures from the back.
• Optional: laminate the pages to make the cards last even longer.
• Cut out the individual cards.

How to Play the Memory Game

• This game can be played with 2 or more children.
• Choose how many pairs of matching cards you would like to play with – young children can start with 3 or 4 pairs, and older children can go up to 24 pairs.
• Lay them all face down and shuffle them.
• Players take turns turning over two cards at a time.
• If they match, the player keeps the cards.
• If they don’t match, the player must turn them face down again.
• In the end, the player with the most pairs of cards wins the game.
• Playing with toddlers? Shuffle and lay all the cards face up, and let toddlers find the matching pairs.

Benefits of Playing Memory Games

Here are just a few of the skills that playing memory games improves:

• Visual memory
• Visual discrimination
• Attention span
• Fine motor coordination
• Social skills – turn-taking and cooperation
• Matching
• Vocabulary
• Shapes, colours and number concept

Printable Matching Games

Here is a look at all the matching games in the printable PDF:

1. Fruit Memory Game

12 picture cards of various fruits:

2. Shape Memory Game

12 picture cards of two and three-dimensional shapes:

3. Ocean Memory Game

24 picture cards with ocean-themed images:

4. Fun Things Memory Game

12 picture cards of children’s toys:

5. Colour Memory Game

12 picture cards of different colours:

6. ‘Things That Go’ Memory Game

24 picture cards with transportation-themed images:

7. Number Memory Game

9 cards with dots representing the numbers 1 to 9:

8. Bugs Memory Game

12 picture cards of various bugs:

9. African Animals

24 picture cards of animals, reptiles and birds found in Africa:

Click below to get your copy of the matching cards:

P.S. If you’d like more games and play-based ideas, this activity pack is a great done-for-you resource.

Here are more memory games for children as well as the top classic games for preschoolers.