Do you have any memories from when you were 2-years-old? Even though a lot of adults say they can’t remember anything from their early childhood, a new study found that some people can recall a unique memory that happened to them when they were as young as 2.
New Zealand researchers studied 50 toddler-age children. They spent 2 days teaching the kids how to use a toy they invented called the “Magic Shrinking Box.” You’d put a toy in the top, crank a lever, and a mini version of the toy would pop out the bottom. At the end of the study, every child received a medal for participating. Fast forward 6 years later: Researchers interviewed the kids, who were now preteens, and their parents. They asked them questions like, “How often have you talked about the Magic Shrinking Box” and “Can you remember how to play the Magic Shrinking Box game?” Then, the kids were shown the medal they received 6 years earlier, and asked if they remembered why they got it.
The result? 1 in 5 children remembered how to use the Magic Shrinking Box. Even kids who were 2-years-old at the time of the study remembered it.
So, why do some kids have super memories? Lead researcher Dr. Fiona Jack says that the only common thread was that kids who remembered had spent lots of time after the study talking about the box. And researchers say that this shows that talking about an event after it occurs helps preserve memories.