I got the idea of playing with flashcards from my first grade teacher, Mrs. Jenkins.  I especially remember hanging the flash card ornaments on a shiny paper Christmas tree.  I always like to have a tree in my classroom that changes with the seasons.  It is either painted onto a bulletin board, made out of twisted paper, or composed of real branches sitting in plaster in a paper bucket.  This gives me a place to hang the flashcards we are currently working on.  (In the image above the apples could have items written on them.)  Of course, you can just hang the cards on the classroom wall.  Use pins or hooks so the students can take them down and put them up.

Here are some of the ways I’ve used them:

• Children line up in teams and play a flash card relay game.
• Children take turns selecting a card, respond to it, and keep it.
• Children put back the cards when I respond with the correct answer.
• The leader calls out an answer and the children find the card.

Several classes have invented their own games, which are often better than my ideas.  It’s active, easy, fun, and versatile.  And it makes your classroom look good, too!

Get a copy of Flashcard Games.