Have you ever spent hours studying a chapter, closed the book, and then struggled to explain what you just read?

You may recognise the cycle:

You read the chapter.
You highlight important sentences.
You read it again.
You feel familiar with the material.
Then you try to answer a question without the book in front of you, and suddenly your mind feels blank.

This can be frustrating, particularly for students who are already putting considerable effort into their studies.

A simple expressive arts-based technique can change how you approach revision: the memory map.

Instead of repeatedly looking at the information, you close the book and turn your own memory into a visual map. You can use words, arrows, symbols, small drawings or diagrams to represent what you remember.

The activity takes only a few minutes and can help you identify what you know and where your knowledge has gaps.

Watch the YouTube Short

I demonstrate the complete activity in this EducateAble Short:

Save the video and try the activity during your next study session.

What Is a Memory Map?

A memory map is a visual representation of information that you can recall about a particular topic.

Start with the topic in the centre of a blank page. From there, add related ideas around it.

For example, if you are studying photosynthesis, your page might begin with:

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

You could then add branches for:

sunlight
chlorophyll
carbon dioxide
water
glucose
oxygen

You can connect related ideas with arrows, add small sketches, or use symbols that make sense to you.

The important part is that you create the map from memory before looking back at your notes.

That changes the activity from simply reviewing information to actively retrieving it.

Why Does This Help With Studying?

When students repeatedly read the same material, the information can start to feel familiar.

Familiarity can be useful, but it does not necessarily tell you whether you can retrieve the information independently.

Imagine reading the same definition five times.

When you look at it, you might think:

“Yes, I know this.”

Now close the book and try to explain the definition in your own words.

That experience gives you different information.

You discover whether the knowledge is available when you need to retrieve it.

This is why retrieval practice is widely used as a learning strategy. Instead of repeatedly presenting information to yourself, you deliberately try to bring the information back from memory.

The memory map turns this process into a visual task.

The Memory Map Activity: Step by Step

You only need a few basic materials:

A blank sheet of paper
A pen or pencil
Your textbook or notes
Coloured pens or pencils, if you enjoy using colour

You can also use a digital drawing or mind-mapping application.

Step 1: Choose One Topic

Pick a relatively focused topic rather than an entire subject.

For example:

Too broad:
Biology

More manageable:
Photosynthesis

Too broad:
History

More manageable:
Causes of the First World War

Choosing a focused topic makes it easier to see what you can recall.

Step 2: Close Your Book

This is the part that students may find uncomfortable.

Put your textbook or notes aside.

Do not check the answer while creating your first map.

The purpose is to find out what you can retrieve independently.

Step 3: Put the Topic in the Centre

Write the topic in the middle of the page.

For example:

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Draw a circle around it if you like.

Now start adding whatever you remember.

Step 4: Add What You Remember

Do not worry about making the page beautiful.

Write key words.

Draw arrows.

Add symbols.

Make tiny sketches.

Connect related concepts.

You might remember that photosynthesis involves sunlight, carbon dioxide and water.

Put those ideas on your page.

If you remember the equation, write it down.

If you remember the role of chlorophyll, add it.

If you remember what plants produce during the process, include that too.

The map is a snapshot of what you can retrieve at that moment.

Step 5: Open Your Notes and Check

Now comes the most useful part.

Open your textbook or notes.

Compare them with your memory map.

You may find:

Things you remembered correctly

Mark these as secure knowledge.

Things you partly remembered

Add the missing information.

Things you completely forgot

These become your next study targets.

This is where the blank page becomes useful.

You have turned an uncomfortable feeling of “I do not know this” into something visible and specific.

Step 6: Focus Your Revision on the Gaps

Do not automatically restart the entire chapter.

Look at the gaps in your map.

Ask:

What information was missing?

Which concept did I confuse?

Which definition could I not explain?

Which connection between ideas did I forget?

Use those gaps to guide your next round of revision.

This can make your study session more focused because you have evidence about what needs attention.

Step 7: Try the Map Again

After revising the missing information, close your notes again.

Create another version of your memory map.

Compare it with your previous attempt.

You may find that you can now retrieve more information.

That visible change can also make revision feel more concrete.

Why Use Drawing in a Study Technique?

You do not have to be good at drawing for this activity to work.

The drawings are simply another way of representing information.

For example, instead of writing a long explanation of the water cycle, you could draw:

cloud → rain → river → evaporation → cloud

A simple arrow can represent a relationship.

A symbol can represent a concept.

A tiny sketch can act as a visual cue.

This is where expressive arts can become useful as a learning approach. The creative component gives students another way to organise and interact with information.

The page does not need to look like an art project.

Clarity matters more than artistic skill.

What If You Hate Mind Maps?

That is completely fine.

The principle can be adapted.

Try a memory sketch instead.

Close your book and draw the concept as a picture.

Or create a concept comic with a few boxes showing what happens.

Or use arrows and symbols to show how ideas connect.

Or create a visual timeline for historical events.

The important element is retrieving the information before checking your notes.

The visual format can be adapted to the student’s learning preferences and the subject being studied.

A Simple Example

Imagine a student has been studying the digestive system.

They close their textbook and write:

DIGESTION

Then they draw:

Mouth → Stomach → Small intestine → Large intestine

Under the stomach they write:

“breaks down food”

Under the small intestine they remember:

“nutrients absorbed”

They cannot remember what happens in the large intestine.

That gap becomes visible.

Instead of rereading the entire chapter immediately, the student can return to the relevant section and review that specific concept.

The next time they create the map, they can check whether they remember it.

Common Study Habits to Rethink

The memory map can be particularly useful if your current revision routine relies heavily on passive study.

Rereading the Same Chapter Repeatedly

Reading can introduce and reinforce information, but rereading alone gives you limited information about what you can retrieve without looking at the material.

Add a recall activity after reading.

Close the book and explain the topic from memory.

Highlighting Almost Everything

If an entire page is highlighted, the visual distinction between key information and supporting information becomes less useful.

Instead, identify the information you genuinely need to remember.

Then use that information in a recall task.

Checking the Answer Too Quickly

Students often look at their notes as soon as they become uncertain.

Try staying with the uncertainty for a little longer.

Ask yourself:

“What do I remember?”

Write down the fragment you can recall.

Then check the source.

Even an incomplete memory attempt can reveal where your knowledge needs strengthening.

Who Can Use This Activity?

The memory map can be adapted for:

School students
Teenagers preparing for examinations
College and university students
Students who prefer visual learning
Students who struggle with long written notes
Learners who become overwhelmed by large chapters

For younger children, an adult can help them choose the topic and turn the activity into a drawing-based recall exercise.

For older students, the map can become more detailed and subject-specific.

What You Need for a Memory Mapping Study Session

You do not need expensive materials.

A notebook and pen are enough.

If you enjoy visual learning, you could also keep a small study kit with coloured pens, sticky notes and index cards.

Useful Amazon Products

1. Blank sketchbook or unruled notebook
A blank notebook gives students enough space to create visual maps without being restricted by ruled lines.

2. Coloured gel pens or fineliners
Useful for colour-coding concepts, drawing connections and adding visual cues.

3. Sticky notes
Useful when students want to move concepts around before creating a final map.

4. Index cards
These can be used for quick recall questions after creating the memory map.

5. Whiteboard and markers
A small whiteboard can be useful for students who prefer standing up and creating large visual diagrams.

Affiliate disclosure: If you purchase through an affiliate link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products relevant to the activity.

A 10-Minute Memory Map Routine

You can turn this technique into a short revision routine.

Minute 1

Choose one topic.

Minutes 2–4

Close your notes and create your memory map.

Minutes 5–6

Open your notes and identify missing information.

Minutes 7–8

Review the gaps.

Minutes 9–10

Close your notes and try to recall the information again.

This gives you a compact study routine that combines retrieval with visual organisation.

A Useful Question for Students

Instead of asking:

“How long did I study?”

Try asking:

“What can I explain without looking?”

That question changes the focus from time spent sitting with a textbook to what you can retrieve independently.

Study time still matters, but the quality of the learning process matters too.

Try the Activity With Your Next Topic

Choose a chapter you need to revise.

Close the book.

Take a blank sheet.

Write the topic in the centre.

Then draw what you remember.

Do not worry about creating a perfect mind map.

Your first version is meant to show you where you are.

Use the gaps to decide what to revise next.

Then try the map again.

Watch the Activity in Action

Want to see exactly how this works?

Watch the EducateAble YouTube Short:

Studying for Hours but Still Forgetting Everything? Try This Memory Map | Expressive Arts Activity

If you find the activity useful, save the video so you can return to it during your next revision session.

For Parents and Educators

If you are supporting a child or teenager with studying, resist the temptation to immediately fill every gap for them.

Give them time to attempt the recall first.

You can ask:

“What do you remember?”

rather than immediately asking:

“What is the answer?”

You can also invite them to draw the answer when explaining it verbally feels difficult.

This can make the learning process more active while giving you useful information about where the student needs support.

Final Takeaway

Studying for longer does not automatically mean that more information will be available when an exam question appears.

A memory map gives students a simple way to practise retrieving information, identify gaps and organise what they know visually.

The next time you finish a chapter, resist the urge to immediately read it again.