We love using flashcards in our toy rotation – the ones included in the Lovevery “The Inspector” play kit are a family favorite. They’re durable, they’re contained in a small box, and they have texture to keep baby fascinated.


That said, Lovevery play kits aren’t cheap, and if you’re only interested in the flashcards, it’s not worth spending $80 on the kit.
We’ve developed a Lovevery dupe for the “Things I See” texture cards, and while laminating these flashcards at home won’t give you the texture or thickness of the Lovevery counterparts, it’ll be a lot cheaper.

Be sure to download our first word flashcards for 6-9 months. The printable features 24 different flashcards with first words like cat, baby, sun, cup, hat, milk, and more.



It’s a PDF, and you can download, print, and laminate it for lots of family fun!
When can I start using flashcards with my baby?
Honestly, it’s never too soon to start using flashcards with your baby. From 0-3 months old, your baby can benefit from infant stimulation flashcards – these are black and white flash cards that encourage child development.
Our babies loved looking at high-contrast images when they were newborns, and as they started tummy time, it helped them stay on their tummies longer before getting frustrated.
Around 6-8 months old is an ideal time to introduce first words flashcards with images of everyday objects. For example, a photo of a baby with the word “baby” on the flashcard is perfect for this age.

Showing your baby the flashcards is meant to stimulate their brain and familiarize them with the world around them.
What are the disadvantages of using flashcards with babies?
The main disadvantage of using flashcards is memorization. Some believe that flashcards encourage children to memorize the images and words instead of conceptualizing them.
While this may have some truth for older children, it’s just not the case with babies. These first words flashcards are meant to introduce baby to everyday objects while encouraging bonding time with mom and dad.
How do you use flashcards for babies?
We’ve used flashcards with our babies in several different ways. You can set out the flashcards in front of your baby and watch them interact with them. My son would pick them up, study the image, and move on to the next one. It’s a great independent exercise, especially if you need to get some cooking or cleaning done.



You can also make it a more interactive activity by holding up a flashcard, saying the name of the object, and watching your baby’s reaction.
It’s an excellent way to spend time with your baby, and it introduces familiar objects and words. Experts say babies need to be talked to constantly – young children need to hear about 21,000 per day to develop properly (GreatSchools.org).
I’ve found these flashcards to be a great help in ensuring my baby hears new and familiar words often. Plus, seeing the corresponding image helps reinforce what the word represents.
Do flash cards help babies?
The Lovevery texture cards and all other “everyday objects” flashcards help babies with language and cognition.
The vocab flashcards we developed here at Two Mama Bears introduce everyday objects that your baby is starting to recognize. Some of the objects on our flashcards may even become your baby’s first words!

These flashcards for babies help promote speech development, and they lay the foundation for memory development.
How to Create Your Everyday Objects Flashcards
You will need a laminator, a printer, and ink to make these everyday objects flashcards.
Start by printing out the flashcards. You can choose which ones you want to print in your print settings. I made a lot of these, and I know it takes up some colored printer ink, so you certainly don’t need to print them all.
After you print them, it’s time to laminate. If you don’t own a laminator, we highly recommend the Scotch laminator. It’s been good to Both Mama Bears, and it’s less than $25! You can check out all of our DIY & Crafting supplies recommendations on our Shop page.
Then, cut the laminated sheets in half to separate each flashcard. I got my paper cutter from Hobby Lobby when I was shopping for scrapbooking supplies, but these are also sold on Amazon.
I also recently discovered a rounded corner punch, and I love using this to finish off my DIY activities for kids. It’s definitely an extra, unnecessary step, but it gets rid of the sharp edges and adds a finished look.
Take a look at these images to see the full process:







When you’re done, it’s time to share with your baby and watch the wonder in their eyes. I always love sharing a new toy or activity with my little ones – it’s so exciting!

More DIY Educational Activities for Kids
Two Mama Bears is developing a full library of DIY educational activities for kids. They’re all super easy to create, and they foster awesome learning moments with your kids.
Be sure to check out:
Conclusion
Our family loved using the Lovevery texture cards to introduce new words and objects to our young children. Even when you don’t actively say each word on the flashcards, your little ones will go through them and study each image. It’s amazing to watch!

If you don’t have the budget for the Lovevery play kits, I hope you’ll download and test out these free everyday objects flashcards, ideal for ages 6-9 months.

My nearly 3-year-old still plays with our flashcards – they are a long-lasting activity that captures the attention and interest of babies and toddlers.
If you download them, be sure to share your experience in the comments section!