Educational Activities: The Matching Game

Recently, my BFF gave us two Safari Ltd Dinosaur TOOBS – Feathered Dinosaurs and Carnivorous Dinosaurs. Since the names of each dinosaur species was printed underneath the dinosaur, I was inspired to make name cards that the boys could use to play a matching game.

In TweedleWink, they had activities like this where they would show the children a series of flash cards then they would show the children miniature representations of the words on the flash cards and they would match the cards with the figures. I’ve always wanted to replicate this activity at home but didn’t know where I could get my own collection of miniature models. It turns out that Safari Ltd has a range of TOOBS covering variety of themes that are perfect for this activity

Alternatively, if you don’t want to use miniature models, you can always print the images and words separately for your child to match the words to the images. You can use the flash cards on our resource pages. Set your printer page settings to print 6 or 9 slides to a page. Cut them out, stick them onto a cardboard backing and your ready to play the game.

You can also use Little Reader flash cards. In Little Reader, select the settings to print to half page (word and picture together). Under printer settings, print two (or more) pages to a page to shrink the images and words further and to save paper. Cut them out, stick them onto a cardboard backing and you are ready to go.

If there’s a special topic your child enjoys, you can search google images to make your own.

About the author

Shen-Li is a stay-home mum to two boys who have been the inspiration for her interest in early childhood development and early child education. She searches for the balance in child development methods and the educational philosophies that will enable the nurture of happy, confident and successful children. She shares her views and findings at Figur8.