Parents' Guide to n-back

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad Free Educational Games
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Common Sense Media Review

Erin Wilkey Oh By Erin Wilkey Oh , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 10+

Challenging memory task for self-motivated players.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 10+?

Any Positive Content?

  • n-back App: Screenshot #1
  • n-back App: Screenshot #2
  • n-back App: Screenshot #3

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  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
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  • Unclear whether data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
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What's It About?

Players set the difficulty level from 1 to 10 to determine how many numbers back (n-back) they must remember. They see a sequence of addition problems and must calculate the problem and remember the answer. For Level 1, they must tap the answer to the problem that came before the one they see on the screen. For Level 2, they tap the answer for the problem they saw two times before. Each round includes 10 problems, and players' best times for each level are recorded.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

Playing N-BACK is a lot of work and not much fun, so it seems doubtful too many kids will be clamoring for this one. The levels ramp up in difficulty very quickly, though attempting to improve scores at the lower levels might be a fun challenge for some kids. It's possible to improve times and move up to more difficult levels with dedicated practice, but it won't happen overnight. And presenting addition problems as part of the memory task adds an extra layer of challenge for kids who are still working on basic arithmetic skills.

That said, the buzz around these n-back tasks (and why there are so many in the App Store) is that at least one research study suggests working memory training can improve fluid intelligence (i.e., IQ). Some scientists contest the findings and call for more research to be done. Either way, n-back tasks do exercise working memory and get the neurons firing, which isn't a bad thing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Help your kids come up with strategies to support working memory. Encourage them to say things aloud or create a rhyme or mnemonic devices to build memory skills.

  • Some researchers say games like n-back can help kids improve working memory. Challenge your kids to play a few minutes each day and keep track of their progress.

App Details

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