Three kinds of memory the test checks
At home all three go by one word; at school they work in different ways.
- Immediate memory span — A task with a string of digits: the child repeats it in the same order, then from the end. Reversing is harder, because the material has to be worked on, not only held.
- Visual-spatial memory — A task with points that light up: the child reproduces the route in the same order. This is the memory that works on maps, geometry and copying from the board.
- Updating the material — A task where the sequence keeps changing and the child compares what is on screen now with what was a few steps back. That ability shows up later in word problems.
How to take the test so the result means something
Six things to do before pressing “start”. They take a minute and decide whether the numbers can be trusted.
- Pick a time when the child has energy
Not after a full day of school and training. A test taken at ten at night measures tiredness, not memory.
- Sit down at a computer or tablet
A bigger screen and a comfortable keyboard cut down mistakes that have nothing to do with memory.
- Quieten the room
A television and talk in the background lower memory scores more than you would think. Silence is part of the procedure, not a whim.
- Explain that this is not an exam
There are no marks and nothing to pass. A child who fears the result rushes and loses points to the rush.
- Do not prompt during the test
Even a gesture or a sigh changes the result. Best to sit nearby, but out of sight of the screen.
- Take the test again in a month
One measurement says nothing about change. Only two, taken at a similar hour, show a direction.
If the child stops halfway or starts clicking at random, break off and come back another day. A result like that describes nothing but tiredness.
How to read the memory result
Four things worth knowing before you draw conclusions.
A strength is information, not a reason to relax
A high score on visual memory means it is worth building on: mind maps, drawings and routes instead of lists.
A lower score is a direction of work
Not a label. Memory span grows with age, and part of the school load can simply be taken off onto paper.
One day is one day
Sleep, mood and attitude can move the result. That is why a repeated measurement counts, not a single one.
What the result does not tell you
There is no diagnosis here, no IQ figure, and no answer to whether the child “will cope in high school”.
What to do with the result
Three typical pictures and the shortest way forward.
| What the result looks like | What to do |
|---|---|
| Memory strong, marks poor | The cause is more likely the way of studying than memory |
| Reverse recall comes out lower | Work on taking the load off working memory |
| All three tasks low | Repeat the measurement another day, then talk to the teacher |
Take the test now
The short test is three game-like tasks, one of them about memory. No sign-up, and the result appears as soon as you finish.
Open the free testshort test, about 7 minutes · no sign-up · result right away
Where these tasks come from
These are classic tasks from cognitive psychology — the same ones used in memory research for decades, dressed in a space setting a child understands. Space Memory built a short version of them that runs in a browser, with no installation and no account.
Parents' questions
Is the test really free?
Yes, entirely, and with no account. We do not ask for card details or a phone number to show the result.
From what age can it be taken?
The tasks are made for children aged 6–17, and their difficulty adjusts to the age given. Younger children usually need an adult present for the instructions.
Is this a diagnostic assessment?
No. These are screening tasks that show how the child managed them on that day. Diagnoses are made by specialists, through quite different procedures.
Is the result an IQ score?
No. The test does not measure intelligence and does not convert the result to any IQ scale.
What about the child's data?
Taking the test needs no account. The result appears on the screen straight away, and that is what you have in front of you — not a report sent by email.
Can the test be repeated?
Yes, and it is worth it after a month or two. On a repeat some tasks are already familiar, so a small rise can be practice; a clearer change says more.
Pages: the rest of the test and what to do with the result.
Cognitive test for kids
The whole profile: memory, attention, speed, reasoning
Working memory in children
What the reverse recall task means
How to train a child's memory
What to do after the test, week by week
You have the result — what now?
In online classes the child learns memory techniques on their own school material: 90 minutes once a week, in a group of 5–10. The manager will tell you the terms and the timetable of the next group.
Request a callThe test is free and needs no account. It is not a diagnostic assessment and not a measure of intelligence.