Anagrams are words and phrases rearranged. Anagrams can be used in several different ways. Have children use their names and make as many anagrams as they can using only the letters available to them. Create a game in which children need to find the answer to a question you pose using an anagram you supply that gives the answer to the question. Deciphering an anagram requires a lot of brain activity, which can be beneficial in keeping students engaged in a lesson.
Memory games are ideal for exercising the brain. These games require a great deal of concentration. Use homemade cards with pairs of matching shapes. Lay them out on a table in rows and let your students play a game of memory, turning over two cards at a time to match them. Make the game more difficult by using the same pairs over and over, each with different colors. Students will not only need to remember the shapes, but the right colors as well. The more cards you add to the game, the more challenging it can become.
Make up your own classroom crossword puzzles. Involve your students by teaching them how crossword puzzles are constructed, then allow them to make individual crossword puzzles on their favorite topics. When the puzzles are finished, have your students exchange them and work each other's puzzles out.
Have a "riddle day" in class. Explain what a riddle is to your class, then gather a selection of riddles for them to solve. As your students get better at solving riddles, allow them to try writing their own riddles. While solving riddles can be fun and does require some brain power, making up a riddle can be even more of a challenge.