Flashcards are a great way to help young learners visualize new vocabulary.
These versatile tools can be used both in the classroom and at home to help children practice language.
All of these activities are easily adapted to be used with various ages and group sizes.
Touch
Spread cards on the floor or table face up.
Name one of the cards and the child places his hand on top of that card.
If playing with more than one child, the children can race to touch the card.
Whoever touches the card first gets to keep it.
To remove competition from the game, have one set of cards for each child.
Whats Missing?
Spread a group of 5-10 cards face up on the floor or table.
Review the cards together with the child.
Tell her, Close your eyes, and take away one of the cards.
Next, say, Open your eyes, and ask, Whats missing?
The child tries to guess which card is missing.
Attach a paper clip to each mini card and then spread the cards out on the floor.
Make a pond around them with a hula hoop or long piece of rope.
Now its time to fish!
Say, Can you catch a ghost?
The child can have a go at catch the ghost by connecting the magnet to the paper clip.
Each time you catch a card, name it.
At the end, count all of the cards you have caught.
Concentration
Print out two sets of cards and play a simple memory game.
Spread them face down on the floor or table.
Turn over any two cards and name them.
If they match, you might keep them and take another turn.
If they dont match, turn them back over and it is the next players turn.
Continue until all the cards are gone.
you’re able to also play word matching to practice reading.
Make a set of mini cards of just the words, and match them to the pictures.
Charades
Place the mini cards in a pile face down on the table or floor.
For example, if the card is rabbit, pretend to be a rabbit by hopping around the room.
If the other player can guess the word, it is his turn to take a card.
After all of the cards are hidden, ask, Where is the snowman/candy cane/present, etc.?
Advanced students can practice prepositions of place, Is itunderthe book?
Or just search and find the cards together.
Switch places and retry!
