Reinventing the Humble Flashcard: A Game Changer for Early Education

Hello Reader,

How is March 2025? Where I live, in the Gulf, Lent meets Ramadan and there’s beauty in the peace that reflection brings.

What have you been focusing on as you raise your precious young one(s) either in the classroom or in the home environment. Every interaction matters. Make each interaction count and be open to building new experiences. The last thing we aim for is bored children!

The Humble Flashcard

This month I decided to explore the sometimes over-utilised, yet under-looked ‘flash card’. Within the Montessori environment flashcards go by another name - ‘classified cards’. I prefer this name as the cards have genres. There is a systematic approach to using classified cards as a teaching tool.

Flashcards—simple, right? But when used strategically, they become powerful tools that ignite curiosity, boost memory, and make learning stick. From multi-sensory engagement to real-world connections, it’s time to move beyond rote memorisation and unlock their full potential.

Classifications of flashcards/classified cards include (not limited to this list):

1. Common nouns
2. Items around the house
3. Items in the classroom
4. Types of butterflies
5. Types of clouds
6. Farm animals
7. Sea animals
8. Flowers
9. Clothing
10. Fruit

I’m sure you get the point and please note that the approach may not be limited to Montessori, but it is certainly one of the foundational blocks for building vocabulary.
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Here is a visual courtesy of Maitri Learning. What I love about these cards is their resilience. They cannot be torn! I just gifted a friend’s grandson three sets, which I hope he will enjoy as he discovers multiple ways to work with them.

Presenting Classified Cards

Classified cards/flashcards are not only about building vocabulary using a visual aid. Here five additional highlights to consider:

1. Using them as manipulatives - allowing children (from around age 24 months depending on the child’s ability) to lay them out on a mat on the floor or table builds hand-eye coordination and fine motor control.
2. Working with the cards enables children to build concentration and independence and sense of achievement once they complete the task which involves setting them out, naming them, talking about the items/objects with the adult and putting them away. It is a complete cycle.
3. Counting - while using them, they can be counted, particularly when putting them away to make sure the set is complete.
4. Art - children can take one item at a time and draw or paint or mould (clay/play doh) a replica of the item. As educators you will know what is suitable for the ability of the child.
5. Communication - the cards can be a source of conversation between adults and children and also between children.

Implementation

Remember the cards can be used for activities indoors or outdoors, depending on how you set up either of those environments.

I am a big believer in simply doing without over complicating things.

If you do not have a budget for purchasing cards, don’t worry! Look for an artist in your community who’s happy to paint objects around the child that are culturally appropriate. There’s so much beauty in nature, in the home and in the wider community no matter where we live on the planet.

Recommended Resources

As always I have recommended resources to share.

1. Video library from Maitri Learning - https://www.maitrilearning.com/pages/video-library​
2. Free Classified Cards from the renowned Association Montessori International (AMI) Digital Library. This is in various languages - https://montessoridigital.org/classified-cards-all
3. How to use classified cards - https://montessoridigital.org/sites/default/files/downloads/pages/HowtoUseCC-English.pdf​
4. Professional Minds You Tube Channel. I started a channel! How brave:). Please subscribe! It is new to me and I am pushing past my comfort zone. https://www.youtube.com/@professionalmindsmea2624

I encourage you to keep impacting the child with high-quality teaching and learning.

Questions? Hit the reply button.

In service of young learners

Patricia Mezu M.A.Ed., L.L.M.

This article was originally posted as the March edition of my Impact the Child Newsletter on LinkedIn.