5 Fun Ways to use Flashcards

Flashcards are a highly effective resource for teaching young children, particularly when introducing letters and their sounds. In the journey toward reading, developing a strong foundation in letter recognition and phonics is the essential first step. Flashcards offer a straightforward and powerful way to start building that foundation. They help children link letter shapes to their matching sounds, making the fundamentals of reading and writing easier to grasp.

With consistent practice, flashcards can strengthen memory, increase focus, and support the development of skills needed for confident reading and writing. They’re also incredibly flexible and convenient—perfect for learning at home, on the go.

If you’ve heard that flashcards are dull, chances are they weren’t being used in an engaging way. When approached creatively, flashcards can be interactive, enjoyable, capturing children’s interest. 

Now, let’s explore five fun ways to use our letter sounds flashcards! 

1. Fish the Sound!

I love a low-prep activity! You will need these binder clips and a magnetic fishing rod that you can diy yourself.

• You can lay the cards on the table or on the floor, whichever works.
• You can either let them fish the sounds while saying the letter sounds they fished, or you ask your child to listen for the sound you say and have them fish for that sound. 

2. Smack the Sound!

For this activity, I sometimes use a tool like this suction stick or a fly swatter. However, it works even with the kids using their hands to smack the flashcards!

• You can begin with laying 2 cards on the table. 
• Say the letter sound you want them to smack. 
• You can increase the number of cards on the table as you go along. 

3. Tic-Tac-Toe

This activity is a favourite amongst my students! All you need is counters of different colours. What I love about it is that you can change out the sounds after every few rounds and it can go on for quite awhile. 

4. Make it into a board game!

For this activity, you will need a die and counters. You can play it on a table or on the floor!

• Lay the flashcards in a formation that you would like for your board game.
• I usually get the kids excited by getting them to build a "house" or a "finishing line" with blocks or magnetic tiles. You could always use something you already have at home as the "endpoint".
• Have them choose their counters to move along the path.
• Take turns to roll the die.
• Have them say the letter sound on whichever card they land on.
• You can even create rules such as, "Take 2 steps forward if you land on blue cards" etc. 

5. Make them move!

Kids love to move, so why not move while learning letter sounds! This is why I really wanted the cards to be toddler-proof and durable. I wanted them to be fit for stomping on or jumping on. 

• Lay the cards on the floor. 
• Say the letter sound and have your child jump on the corresponding card. 
  

You can also create a flashcard relay game! 

• Lay the cards in a line across the floor. 
• Have your child run to the first card, say the letter and its sound, then race back to tag you or a sibling before moving to the next card.