I am so excited to give you a first look at the newest addition to the Simply Lettered line. We just had these manufactured, and I have been counting down the days to share them with you. Say hello to our brand new set of high quality print and cursive flash cards.
If you have been part of the Cursive Connection, the packaging will feel familiar. The box is designed to match the fabric canvas bag from our boxed set, so everything sits together as one collection. These cards round out the Cursive Connection for your older students, and they also introduce our brand new print program for your younger ones.
What's Inside the Box
Each set includes 74 double sided cards. Here is how that breaks down:
- 26 print letters (A through Z)
- 26 cursive letters (A through Z)
- 10 print numbers (0 through 9)
- 10 cursive numbers (0 through 9)
Every card has a beautifully sourced vintage image on the front and a chalkboard style back with handwriting lines. The cards measure 4x6, which is a little larger on purpose. That size makes them easy to prop up on a chalkboard, a whiteboard, or wherever you happen to be learning that day. You can also lay them right on the table next to you as you write.
The Print Cards
The print letters show the capital and the lowercase together, paired with a vintage picture and a sound cue. The sound cue is the piece I lean on most when I teach. Back when I taught kindergarten, and later when I homeschooled my own children, I used a consistent sound cue for every single letter. "A, A, appetizing apples." "O, O, odd octopus." That little phrase instantly triggers a child's brain. They see the picture, they hear the cue, and they land on the letter.
Consistency is the key word here. When you use the same cue every time, children start to recall the sound and the letter on their own. My triplets are heading into first grade now, and this is the exact method I have used with them.
The Cursive Cards
The cursive letters include the capital, the lowercase, and a word sample that matches the picture. The images are the same vintage illustrations as the print cards, which is intentional. Because you get both a full print set and a full cursive set, you can set them side by side and compare the two. Younger students can work in print while older students work in cursive, all from the same beautiful deck.
The Chalkboard Backs
Flip any card over and you will find the handwriting lines in a soft chalkboard style. A little feather guides you to the very first starting point, and each dot marks where a pencil begins a new stroke.
Take a cursive O. You start at the dot with the feather, circle around, and finish. For a letter with two starting points, like the K, you begin at the first dot, loop around, and lift, then start again at the second dot for the next stroke. The numbers work the same way. On the front you get counting circles to help little ones connect the numeral to a quantity, and on the back you get the same handwriting guides.
A Set Made to Last
These come shrink wrapped in a really beautiful, sturdy box. It is not a flimsy folding box. It is more like a sturdy game card box, so your cards stay flat and stay together as a complete set for years of use.
I chose to include both cursive and print in one set because so many of the families in our community are doing both. Parents using the cursive program with older students often want the print program for their younger ones. Some families choose only cursive, some choose only print, and now you have the option to do whatever fits your home or classroom.
What's Coming
For now, these are a beautiful reference for both cursive and print. Down the road, I will be adding downloadable games and activities so you can use the cards in even more ways. There are truly a million ways to use them.
When Can You Get Them
The flash cards are in production right now, and they will be launching on the site very soon. They will be available for our customers as well as our wholesale clients. My best guess is that they will be ready within the next two or three weeks, so keep an eye on your inbox and the website.