Glenn Doman is considered the father of flashcards in early learning. With flashcards, you can teach your baby reading, maths and knowledge. 

This post discusses how to use flashcards to boost your baby or toddlers' vocabulary bank. 

Flashcards for vocabulary boost (in our center, we call it speed-play for wide knowledge teaching). Feel free to use an unlimited number of flashcards in one session. 

• Prepare the cards by topic, 10 cards per topic. Examples of topics: Dogs, Insects, Flowers, Vehicles, Food etc following your child’s interest. Introduce the topic name before showing the cards. E.g. Announce “I am going to show you “Dogs” today” before showing “Labrador”. Show the photo side, not text.
• Pro-tip: flash super fast, 1 card per second. Start little when you first start, increase the number when your baby has got used to the pace and routine of learning. Start with 5 topics of 50 cards, then increase to 70 cards, then 100 etc (10 cards/each topic). Then increase to 200 - 300 cards per day. Stop before your child wants to stop to make them want more next time. You may feel the numbers are a lot, but when you flash them, it goes by really fast. Repeat 1-4 times or until the child shows no interest. You know your child best, if (s)he looks away while flashing, that means he is done with that topic even if you only show it once. Follow your babe.
• What types of flashcards that is age appropriate? Did you know eyesight is the least developed sense in infants? If you look at an object through a tissue paper, that is their eyesights in the first 3 months. As they get older, if you remove 1 layer of the tissue paper, that is how well your baby can see at after 5 months old. For new born babies below 3-4 months, it is recommended to use sensory black and white flashcards only. Then you can change to coloured cards with highlighted borders around the edge of the image when baby turns 6 to 12 months. Normal coloured cards can then be used during toddlers stages (after 1 years old). Ideally cards should use realistic images, big size like A4 or minimum A5 to aid baby's developing vision. The materials have to be thick so you can grasp and flash fast.

Here are 10 tips for you if you plan to use flashcards and teach your infants and toddlers or pre-schoolers at home.

1. Begin as young as possible
2. Trust and respect your child
3. “The process of learning is a joyous one for both parent and child.” Stop when you are tired, you don't have fun, or your baby is not well. Stop and resume the next day.
4. Flashcards when changing diapers, during tummy time, when nursing. It is only 30 seconds you can sneak it in anytime you have the infant’s attention.
5. Keep it short, make it fun, interactive
6. Use cheerful voice when flashcards.
7. Be organized and consistent. Have everything at your fingertips. Arrange it the day before so you have a smooth session.
8. DO NOT test your child. Trust that they are learning. Don’t make your child repeat after you either. If you have to test ( I know you can’t resist), keep it low key and make a game such as show a few cards and ask your child which cards show the word :”Labrador” in a fun way.
9. Don’t let your child play with the cards. These are for learning and not toys.
10. Children learn quickly and get bored so easily, introduce new topics often. In the market, there can be limited options of topics, it is worthwhile to prepare flashcards that meet your infant's interest. When they can speak, you will be surprised how much they already know from such short sessions.

The efforts to prepare a mini library for your child are huge (and tiring) but it will pay off greatly. It is expensive and time consuming to prepare thousands of flashcards for busy parents who are already tired with other commitments. Feel free to contact us if you want to learn more about how to use or prepare flashcards. Let’s multiply your child’s intelligence in a fun and loving way!

Photo credit: Internet