Sherlock Holmes is an imaginary private detective created by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 1880s. Doyle's stories about the detective have been turned into movies and television shows.

Sherlock Holmes has a powerful memory method. In a recent BBC television series, he uses a memory technique called a “mind palace” or “memory palace”. In one show, for example, Holmes has been severely wounded in a shooting and searched in his mind for ways to survive. He visits rooms in his mind palace, looking for helpful memories. In one room, he finds his childhood dog, and the memory helps calm the detective.

The memory palace idea is neither Doyle's nor BBC's creation. The method for remembering has existed for thousands of years. Many language educators today teach their students how to use the method to improve their language skills.

But what exactly is a memory palace? It is a physical space that you know well, such as your home, or a school you attended, and that you can picture in your head. You then imagine placing anything you want to remember inside the memory palace, such 8s words, phrases, facts, or even the order of events.

But there are three keys to making a strong memory palace: emotion, movement and connections between the object and something permanent. Imagining things in a humorous or crazy way improves your ability to remember them. Connecting images to actions or something permanent in your palace will create lasting memories.

Now, let's try this technique to remember the materials for a pizza; flour, water, tomato sauce, and cheese, First, put down these words on cards. Then close your eyes and picture you entering your bedroom. However, it has been taken up by cups that are filled with flour, water, tomato sauce and cheese. They are watching a cooking show on your bed. Frightened by your entry, they jump up and knock each other down. Once they have got mixed, they explode and cover your bed with a huge delicious pizza!

Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a referee and rarely trouble to keep scores. They don’t care much about who wins or loses, and it doesn’t seem to worry then if the game is not finished. Yet, they like games that They also enjoy games that move in stages, in which each stage, the choosing of leaders, the picking-up of sides, or the determining of which side shall start, is almost a game in it self.

Grown-ups can hardly find children’s games exciting, and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple games again and again. However, it is fond that a child plays games for very important reasons. He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person, and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinarily afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn. He can be confident, too, in particular games, that it is his place to give orders, to pretend to be dead, to throw a ball actually at someone, or to kiss someone he has caught.

It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone knows the rules, and more importantly, everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish, but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.

Toys and Games for Kids

Ms. Monopoly

Hasbro launched a new version of this game in an attempt to solve the gender pay gap. Female players start the game with $1,900 in Monopoly Money and males with $1,500. The gap continues every time a player passes with women collecting $240 and men $200. It remains possible that a boy wins the game.

On sale for $ 19.99 and available at major retailers (零售商).

Barbie dolls that use a wheelchair

This summer, Barbie expanded is fashion line to showcase dolls in a wheelchair with a removable prosthetic leg (假肢), “We can start the conversation around physical disabilities by including them into our fashion doll line.” the creator Mattel said.

On sale for only $ 19.99 and available on Amazon.

The dolls inspired by children with disabilities

Lottie Doll, an Irish company, offers a host of dolls that highlight diversity, including the Mia doll, a wildlife photographer that wears a hearing aid, and the Sinead doll, the world’s first doll with dwarfism (侏儒症).

The Mia doll is $ 25. The Sinead doll is $20. All can be found on Amazon.

Plastic Army Women

A 6-year-old girl wanted to play with female plastic soldiers. She got her wish, when a Pennsylvanian company BMC Toys promised to make Plastic Amy Women. When completed, a pack of 24 figurines (小塑像) will include six different poses and should be available on the company’ website and on Amazon. The price of this set of dolls is preset at $12.29.