✨ More Than Just Showing & Repeating: Creative Flashcard Games in English Lessons

✨ Introduction: Why Flashcards?

• Flashcards are a simple yet powerful tool.
• They engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning channels.
• Especially in language teaching with children, they are great for introducing, revising, and consolidating vocabulary.

🧠 My personal favorite routine:
I show a card with a picture, say the word aloud, and the children repeat it. Then: next card, same routine. After that, the first card comes back. The children enjoy recognizing it and can gradually remember more and more.

🃏 Flashcard Routine – Let’s Say the Word!

(Use any set of flashcards)

• Look! – Show one card

• Listen! – Say the word clearly

• Repeat! – Children repeat the word together

• Next one! – Show the next flashcard

• Back! – Show the previous card again, then the next, and finally a new card

Cycle through until they all come back again

Children enjoy recognizing familiar cards:
“Oh! It’s back!” – “Do you remember?” – “Yes!” 😊

Why it works well:
✔️ Clear structure
✔️ Repetition without boredom
✔️ Activates visual memory
✔️ Sense of achievement for everyone

🎲 11 More Flashcard Ideas for Variety & Movement:

• Flashcard Run → Spread cards on the floor, call out a word – who finds it first?

• Guess the Card → Hide a card partially or completely, give clues (“It’s yellow… it’s a fruit…”) – children guess.

• What’s Missing? → Show 4 cards, then remove one – which one is missing?

• Flashcard Slap → Two children compete, hand on the correct card (on the table), whoever is faster gets it.

• Yes/No Game → Show a card but say the wrong word on purpose – children say “Yes!” or “No!”.

• Flashcard Story → Children draw cards and create a small story together.

• Whisper Chain → Whisper the word to one child, they whisper it to the next – the last child shows the correct card.

• Singing Cards → Sing a favorite song, whenever a word from the cards appears in the lyrics, everyone shows the matching card.

• Flashcard Yoga → Each card is linked to a movement – e.g., “apple” = make a ball, “snake” = lie on the floor…

• Card Matching with Another Card or Written Words → Pair images with written words, promotes reading skills.

• Bingo with Flashcards → Each child gets 2–4 flashcards (depending on total cards). The teacher slowly reads a list of all cards in English. When a child hears a card they have, they give it back. First to have no cards left wins! Let the children shout: “That’s mine!” or “I’ve got it!”

🧰 Teacher Tip: How to Prepare

• Always test new ideas – each group has its own dynamics, what works for one may not work for another.

• Children can also draw their own cards – integrating their own pictures makes them very proud.

• Store cards well (e.g., sorted in envelopes or folders).

• If they get damaged: better to print new ones than laminate – it’s more sustainable.

📝 Conclusion:

Flashcards are not just for showing. With little ideas and games, they become a real treasure in the classroom – and the children have a lot of fun.