What's Next Sequential Memory Game: Is It Right for My Child?

You spot a game called "What's Next" on the shelf and wonder — will this actually help my child think, or is it just clever marketing?

In short

The What's Next Sequential Memory Game is a play-based activity that asks a child to remember and reproduce a series of steps or pictures in the right order — for example, recalling "first the cat, then the ball, then the shoe." It gently exercises working memory, sequencing and attention, which are the building blocks behind following instructions, telling a story and getting dressed in order. It is a useful, low-pressure cognitive tool for many children from roughly preschool age upward — but it is a support for play and practice, not a test or a treatment.

How it helps — and who it suits

Sequencing games like this draw on the same skills your child uses every day: holding information in mind, putting events in order, and recalling "what comes next." Strengths of the format:

• Working memory — holding a short series in mind before acting on it
• Sequencing & narrative — understanding beginning, middle and end
• Sustained attention — staying with a turn-taking task
• Language — naming items and describing order ("first… then… last")

It suits a child who can sit for a short turn, enjoys pictures or simple stories, and is starting to follow two- and three-step instructions. Begin with just two or three items and grow the sequence only as your child succeeds — success keeps it joyful. If your child finds even short sequences very hard, becomes quickly frustrated, or this matches a wider worry about memory, attention or following directions, the game is a helpful clue, not an answer on its own.

The Pinnacle way

No single game tells you where your child stands — and a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care, never from a toy or an online form. A clinician can show you whether this kind of sequencing activity fits your child's current stage, and how memory and attention sit alongside their other skills. If you'd like the full picture, learn how the AbilityScore® is established and explore occupational therapy for tailored cognitive and attention work.

Trusted sources

Guidance on early cognitive and play-based development from the American Academy of Pediatrics (healthychildren.org) and the CDC's developmental milestones supports using simple, repeatable play to build memory and attention.

Next step — Curious whether this game matches your child's stage? Book a developmental check with a Pinnacle clinician for clarity you can act on.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.