print view

Remember the old flash cards you had as a child? They were great for teaching us how to learn letters, words and even addition and subtraction. Why not make some of your own to teach your children how to count.

How to Play

* Poster board
* Scissors
* Markers
* Stickers

Start by cutting your poster board down into small squares or rectangles. Make sure all your cards are the same size by making a template you have measured out. Lay the template on the poster board and trace around it with a marker. Now cut each one out. This will ensure all the cards are the same size and easy to handle.

After you have the cards cut out, use the markers to place a number on each card. Start with the numbers 1 through 10. Once your child has mastered these then you can continue on with larger numbers for them to learn.

Make sure the numbers are just basic. You want your child to learn numbers the way they see them everyday. Nothing fancy because it will confuse them as they learn. Plain and simple is the best way.

Once you have the numbers written on the card, use the stickers to show how many that number represents. For instance on the number 4 card place 4 stickers that are identical. Not only will it help your child to understand the number, but will help to see how that number goes in order. One, two, three, four stickers. See how that works?

It won’t take long for your children to be able to count with you as you fly through their flash cards. Make sure the colors are bright and the stickers are of things that interest them. Keeping them entertained while they learn can only insure that they will keep with the learning.