Large picture flashcards make great “first-books” for baby

Wednesday, 30. April 2008 by Renee Ellison

A wonderful field trip can be taken with your baby right in “mommy’s lap” by showing him/her your home-made flashcards!  Go to an office supply place like Office Depot or Staples and buy one ream of white cardstock 8 1/2 by 11”. This will provide the stiff backing for 500 flashcards!  Then cut out pictures from old magazines and old thrift store books.  Make sure to cut each picture at least one inch shorter than the edges of the cardstock.  Scotch tape COMPLETELY around ALL the edges, so that no edge can ever get caught and ripped while pulling flashcards in and out of your file and shuffling and flashing them in front of baby (to their utter delight).  TALK about each picture with baby, point out things.  Use a soothing, happy voice.  This picture/talk exposure creates new highways in the brain!  It increases language development alone by quantum leaps.
If you don’t have time to make the cards yourself.  Divide the cards between grandmothers or friends’ older children and have them return them to you with large wonderful PICTURES on them, that they find themselves.  File them under headings like these: geography, animals, plants, people, places, transportation, etc.  Read Preschool Pizzazz for other ideas for triggering the brain of a young child.