Flash Cards

Flash cards are an effective way of teaching children. Learn how to use flashcards to teach your child and which are the best flashcards to use - Your Baby Can Read, Glenn Doman or Shichida etc?

Click here for Free Printable Flashcards.

When & How to Start

I know out there, there are anti-flash card advocates. However, I have found flashcards to be the fastest way to introduce more words into a child's vocabulary. Obviously, I do not just teach my toddler using flashcards, I also employ as many ways as possible to engage his attention. Check out other ways to make learning as fun as possible in Kids Play.

I started flashing my children from when they were 3 months old. That age is ideal as they are unable to move away, you can just prop them up on a pillow and flash away. If your child is already older than 3 months, you can start right away. In Shichida classes, they continue to use flashcards for my daughter who is already 5 years old. But I notice that the children at this age are not as attentive anymore.

I have tried practically all the flash cards available, you name it, I have got it. Heck, I even made more than a thousand of my own flashcards when I could not find what I wanted in the bookshops.

To start, I have found that the cheap ones you can get from Popular Bookshop, covering a wide range of topics such as the Alphabet, Numbers, Food, Transportation, Opposites, Daily Necessities etc, are a great way to begin. They have colourful pictures on a white background, with descriptions in English and Chinese on the reverse side. My kids loved them. My second daughter at 12 months old would crawl to the flash cards, chanting, "Flashcards, flashcards!" and insist that I flash the cards to her immediately. As for my son, when I say, "Flashcards!", my 14 month old son would immediately drop whatever he was doing and scramble over, sit in front of me, waiting expectantly for me to start flashing.

A word of warning : You are the best judge of how much flashing is too much. Don't ever flash until your child cries, that's a bad sign (obviously)! I was a real zealot with my elder daughter and flashed her religiously twice a day. When she started to cry on seeing the flashcards, I decided to stop for about 3 weeks. That gave her enough time to forget her bad association with flashcards. After that, my flashing was more relaxed and she was much happier too.

Tip : Start with cheaper flashcards first and gauge your child's response. Glenn Doman and Shichida flashcards are expensive and you have to be sure that your child even wants to look at them. Otherwise they could prove to be very expensive white elephants.

Video Flash Cards

English and Chinese flash cards in video form are also available in major bookshops like Popular Bookshop etc. They are a convenient way to flash when you cannot be around and your caregiver is looking after your child or put your car's DVD player to good use, your kids can't escape!

Good choices include 'Your Baby Can Read' for English words.

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