Do you do flashcards at home with your child/ren?

[laurz75]

My son is 2.8, bright and takes in information really well. He goes to pre-school for one session a week and absolutely loves it. He recognises numbers as we're walking, watching tv etc. My dh thinks I should do some flashcards with numbers/letters on with him. I'm just not sure tho! Do you do flashcards with your 2 year olds?! If so what, when, success stories?

[ChasingSquirrels]

I didn't. But that doesn't really help does it!

[Hulababy]

No I never did. They aren't much fun are they?

A 2yo will learn just as much, probably more, if you just play with him and incorporate learning into that.

Read to him often - talk about the books, show him the words and that they go top to bottom left to right, get him to think about what might happen next in the story and whether he liked a book and why.

Numbers - play games at home, count veg at the supermarket, look at the numbers on prices.

Play I spy in the car/ If letter sounds are a bit hard, do it with colours - I spy something that is the colour red, etc.

Flashcards just aren't necessry. Forced leaning isn't necessary, not at 2yo. Just have fun and he will learn regardless.

[somersetmum]

dd is now in Reception, but no, I didn't do flashcards. Being a pre-schooler is all about discovery - splashing in puddles, stamping on leaves in autumn, learning about the world around you. You can teach numbers by making it fun - just count the number of steps as you jump up them in the park, etc.
There's plenty of time for classroom teaching; pre-school years are for freedom.
dd is doing very well in school; she absolutely loves it, so this philosophy hasn't done her any harm. In fact, in school now they have gone back to the importance of children making decisions and choices, instead of being told what to do.
Don't stress too much about learning - do it in play if you want to, but I think he's far too young for structured learning. Let him be a little boy, he won't be for long.

[Maidamess]

No! Lifes too short.

[laurz75]

I agree Hulababy but would like to hear from the 'other side of the coin' as it were too! We do all the things you say already and he seems to be enjoying it. Thanks.

[Homebird8]

My DS1 was similar. I felt that he wasn't short of a marble or two and would probably fly with academic stuff when it came time for school so I decided to avoid anything like that at home (at least if it was instigated by me).

He had access to CBeebies (and the website) and preschool (2 mornings) and I always answered questions. I just prefered that they were about the texture of mud; the length of a humming string; the time it takes for a bean to grow; how dirty you could get between baths etc.

I feel that in his case I was right. He's reading, albeit stumblingly, books aimed at junior aged children and has been in school since September. He is the old end of the year but was really ready for formal education rather than just coping with it so I was glad to have him at home for the extra time.

There was pressure on me to teach him some formal stuff but he more or less taught himself to write before he went to school from what he picked up himself.

I feel that you can teach a child anything you fancy so I'm not sure why there is the emphasis on the 3Rs before school age. If you feel he needs stimulating more he might enjoy botany, astonomy, a potters wheel, a musical instrument, dance, house design, inventing stories or poetry for you to write down, camping, cooking...

Do whatever makes him happy.

[laurz75]

Great post Homebird8. I will forget the idea and continue to paint, jump in muddy puddles, pick up snails and worms, splash in the bath and all the other wonderful things we do. INSTEAD of flashcards!

[jasper]

No WAY! Agree life is too short

[Ceolas]

Flashcards will always remind me of that Steve Martin film... Parenthood?

Am firmly of the life's too short conviction.

[gomez]

Why would you want to? He is clearly learning already with you why does he need more?

[workstostaysane]

they remind me of 'parenthood' as well, but dd absolutely LOVES them. i made some in an ultra organised moment and can rarely be bothered to get them out, but when i do, dd always yells 'more'. always.

[laurz75]

Gomez - if you read my original post you will see that its really my husband that likes the idea of it - not me! Thanks for your ideas and feedback. xxx

[Surfermum]

I didn't either, and I agree it's way too formal. There's nothing wrong with teaching letters, numbers and writing. I did because it's what dd was interested in. She'd be as happy as Larry with a book, or a piece of paper and pens - but showed zero interested in things like dolls. But there are much more fun ways of teaching them.

And agree flashcards = Parenthood! . Whenever dd is doing something daft like spinning in a circle to make herself fall over I think of it too.

[Tutter]

i loved them, appaently

was such a reading geek

[GetOrfMoiLand]

lol flashcards

They always remind me of that uber competitive and on the edge mother that Miranda Richardson played in Absolutely Fabulous, holding up a flashcard to her 6 month old baby saying MUMMMMMEEEEEEEE!! in a desparate manner

[FairyMum]

What is parenthood?

[workstostaysane]

'parenthood' is a hilarious steve martin movie about...parenthood

[Pennies]

I have done flashcards but it was part of a 13 hour car journey and I was running out of options!

[Page62]

nope

life too short

[Miggsie]

Richard Scarry's best counting book ever and other Richard Scarry books...I'd do these rather than flashcards as there is a story too and lots of things to count.

Play games with numbers and things so there is fun too.

I think flash cards are one step away from those CDs and DVDs that chant times tables at you.
IMO those things should be banned under the convention of human rights!

[cory]

I saw my job as giving my children a lifelong love of literature by reading aloud to them out of high quality books. The phonics and word recognition and spelling tests as the school's job.

I think telling them stories and reading them books actually does much more for them, it expands their minds and enlarges their vocabulary in a way that flashcards can't really do.

Or, as Homebird suggested, music, botany, dance, cooking....

Since we as parents aren't stuck to the national curriculum, we can offer the really fun stuff.

[bogie]

My ds has been doing flashcards since he could talk he loves them and can now do everypack i have got, including action flashcards that are really ment for 3+ and hes only just turned 2.

[easterbunbuns]

No No No No to flashcards- just the thought of them smacks of competative parenting. Best thing you can do for him is play with him and enjoy him and being with him having fun not spending hours trying to teach him stuff - that is what school is for when he is OLDER