These Sliding Word Cards are designed to allow infants and children to see and hear words and then pull a tab to see the meanings of the words. For babies or toddlers who might bend the cards, you may want to hold the cards while you say the words. Each set contains 5 double-sided cards (10 sliding words) along with an erasable card and marker to write new words. Start with the Volume 1 cards in the blue packaging.
General Instructions for the Sliding Word Cards:
1. Play with these cards for a few minutes at a time several times a day.
2. Hold the word card while facing your child, with one hand on the short, arrowed tab.
3. With your free hand, follow the word with your finger left to right as you say it. Don’t block your child’s view of the word.
4. Gently ask your child to try saying the word as you both look at it, even if your child can’t say it clearly.
5. Pull the tab to show the photo and describe what you see. Ask your child questions about the pictures.
6. Encourage your child to do something related to each word.
7. Push the tab back in and point to the word from left to right as yousay it once more.
8. These cards are double-sided, so flip the card over and repeat.
9. When doing words with your child, try to do the words in a somewhat random order, so your child will not simply memorize the order of the words.
Suggestions for the Blank Erasable Cards:
1. Use erasable markers only with these cards. Erase the words when you are done. They will be harder to erase if you leave them on the cards for long periods of time. To erase words that have been on the cards for weeks, you may want to use a marker and write over the words, then wipe them off.
2. Initially, write down the words used in the DVDs, books, and other word cards to make it easier for your child to learn his first written words.
3. After your child has learned some written words, these cards can be used to show your child words in natural settings. For example, if your child is playing with a toy drum, you could write the words toy drum on the card.
4. Point to the words from left to right as you say them. Show your child the meanings of the words through objects, actions, and words.
5. Ask your child to say the words while looking at them.
6. One of the main advantages of the erasable cards is that you may write down words related to what your child is doing at that moment. If your child says, “no,” you can quickly write no. Talk with your child and describe your child’s senses. Narrate what your child is experiencing and write some key words on these cards.
7. Try using colorful markers on the erasable cards to add variety.