Action Cards For Speech Therapy: 7 Powerful Ways To Turn Flashcards Into Fun, Effective Language Practice – Most SLPs Don’t Use Tip #5 (But Kids Love It)

Why Action Cards Are So Underrated In Speech Therapy

Action cards are seriously one of the most powerful tools in speech therapy… and also one of the most boring when they’re just printed pictures in a box.

The magic happens when you turn those action cards into interactive, flexible, and personalized practice — and that’s where a flashcard app like Flashrecall comes in.

You can grab it here:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Flashrecall lets you turn any action picture, verb list, or therapy activity into smart, digital flashcards with:

• Images, text, audio, PDFs, YouTube links
• Built‑in active recall and spaced repetition
• Study reminders so kids (or parents) actually remember to practice
• Works offline on iPhone and iPad

Perfect for SLPs, parents, and teachers who are tired of carrying around giant binders.

Let’s break down how to use action cards for speech therapy in a way that’s fun for kids and saves you time.

What Are Action Cards In Speech Therapy, Really?

In speech therapy, action cards are usually picture cards showing verbs or actions like:

• Running
• Eating
• Sleeping
• Jumping
• Brushing teeth
• Reading
• Dancing

You use them to target:

• Verbs and vocabulary (“What is he doing?” “She is jumping.”)
• Grammar (present tense, past tense, 3rd person singular, etc.)
• Sentence structure (“He is kicking the ball.”)
• WH- questions (“Who is running?” “Where is she sleeping?”)
• Narratives (telling short stories using action sequences)
• Articulation (choosing actions with target sounds: “swimming,” “skating,” “swinging”)

Traditionally, they’re physical cards. But when you move them into an app like Flashrecall, they become way more flexible, customizable, and easy to use across multiple students.

Why Digital Action Cards Beat Physical Ones (Especially With Flashrecall)

Physical cards are great until:

• You lose half a set
• A kid chews one (you know it happens)
• You want to send practice home
• You need different levels for different kids
• You’re traveling between schools or doing teletherapy

With Flashrecall, you can:

• Snap a photo of any action picture (or use images from the web you’re allowed to use) and instantly turn them into flashcards.
• Make cards from PDFs, YouTube links, text, audio, or just type a prompt and let the app help you build content.
• Add front: picture of action, back: target verb, sentence model, or question prompts.
• Use built-in spaced repetition so the app reminds you or the student when it’s time to review.
• Let students chat with the flashcard to explore the concept more if they’re unsure.
• Study offline, so you can use it in schools, clinics, or homes with spotty Wi‑Fi.

Free to start, fast, and modern — it’s basically your speech therapy toolbox in your pocket.

1. Build Verb Vocabulary With Picture-Based Action Cards

This is the classic use — but you can make it way more powerful.

How to set it up in Flashrecall

For each card:

• Front: Picture of the action (kid running, girl eating, etc.)
• Back:
• The verb (e.g., “run”)
• A model sentence (e.g., “He is running.”)
• Optional: a second version (past tense: “He ran.”)

You can:

• Take pictures of your existing printed cards
• Use royalty‑free images
• Or even snap photos of the child doing the action (kids love seeing themselves)

How to use it in therapy

• Show the picture and ask: “What is he/she doing?”
• If the child struggles, flip to see the answer or read the model sentence.
• Have the child repeat the sentence or use the verb in their own sentence.

Because Flashrecall uses spaced repetition, the verbs they struggle with will automatically appear more often until they’re solid. You don’t have to track it manually.

2. Target Grammar: Tenses, 3rd Person, and More

Action cards are perfect for grammar, especially:

• Present continuous: “He is jumping.”
• Past tense: “He jumped.”
• Third person singular: “She runs.” vs “They run.”

Example card setups

You can create multiple cards from the same picture:

1. Front: Picture of boy running

2. Front: Same picture

3. Front: Same picture

In Flashrecall, this is quick — duplicate the card, tweak the text, done.

In-session ideas

• Ask the child to say the sentence in different tenses:
• “Now he is running.”
• “Yesterday he ran.”
• “Every day he runs.”
• Use Flashrecall’s active recall:
• You show the picture
• They try the sentence
• You flip or tap to reveal the model

Over time, the app spaces out the cards they’ve mastered and keeps showing the tricky ones more often.

3. Build Longer Sentences and WH-Questions

Action cards are a simple way to move from single words to full sentences.

Sentence expansion

Use prompts like:

• “He is…”
• “She is…”
• “They are…”

Then show the picture and have the child complete the sentence.

WH-questions

On the back of the card, add prompts like:

• “Who is in the picture?”
• “What is he/she doing?”
• “Where could this be happening?”
• “When do you usually do this?”

In Flashrecall, you can write all these on the back so parents can use them at home too, without needing a full explanation from you every time.

4. Storytelling and Sequencing With Action Cards

This is where action cards get really fun.

How to use them

• Pick 3–5 action cards:

Example: waking up → brushing teeth → eating breakfast → going to school

• Ask the child to put them in order.
• Then have them tell the story:

“First, he wakes up. Then he brushes his teeth. Next, he eats breakfast. Finally, he goes to school.”

Doing this in Flashrecall

• Save your action cards into a deck like “Morning Routine” or “Daily Activities.”
• You can quickly scroll and let the child choose cards to build a story.
• For older kids, add writing prompts on the back:
• “Write a 3-sentence story using this action.”
• “What could happen before this? What happens after?”

You can even attach a YouTube link to a short video (e.g., a morning routine clip) and build cards around it.

5. Home Practice That Kids Actually Do (Not Just a Worksheet)

This is the part most SLPs struggle with: getting kids and parents to practice at home.

Paper cards get lost. Worksheets don’t get done. But kids are already on phones and tablets.

With Flashrecall:

• You create the deck once in your app.
• Parents install the app on their iPhone or iPad.
• You share or recreate a simple version of the deck for home practice.
• The app sends study reminders, so they actually remember to open it.

Because of spaced repetition, they don’t have to study for an hour — just a few minutes regularly, and the app will focus on what they’re still learning.

You can even tell parents:

> “Just do 5–10 cards a day together. The app will handle what to review.”

That’s way more realistic than handing them a 10-page packet.

Grab Flashrecall here so you can start building those decks:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

6. Using Action Cards For Articulation Practice

Action cards are amazing for targeting specific sounds in words and sentences.

Example

Target sound: /s/ or /ʃ/ (sh)

Create or choose action cards like:

• Skipping
• Swimming
• Sliding
• Brushing (teeth)
• Washing (hands)
• Pushing / crashing / splashing

How to set up in Flashrecall

• Front: Picture of the action
• Back:
• Target word (e.g., “skipping”)
• Carrier phrase (e.g., “I am skipping,” “He is skipping”)
• Optional: a short sentence with another target sound

This way, you can:

• Drill single words
• Move to carrier phrases
• Then to full sentences

Because Flashrecall works offline, you can use it in schools or clinics without worrying about Wi‑Fi.

7. Let Kids Take Ownership: Make Their Own Action Cards

One of the best ways to make therapy engaging is to let kids create the materials.

In Flashrecall, you can:

• Have the child act out actions, and you snap photos:
• Jumping
• Reading
• Drawing
• Washing hands
• Turn each photo into a flashcard:
• Front: their picture
• Back: “I am jumping.” / “He is jumping.” / “She is jumping.”

Now they’re literally the star of their own flashcards, which is super motivating.

You can also:

• Let older kids type their own sentences on the back.
• Use the chat with the flashcard feature if they’re unsure what an action means or want more examples in context.

Practical Deck Ideas For SLPs, Parents, and Teachers

Here are some ready‑to‑go ideas you can build in Flashrecall:

• Basic Verbs Deck

Run, jump, eat, sleep, drink, read, write, draw, dance, sing.

• Daily Routine Actions

Wake up, brush teeth, wash face, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to school.

• School Actions

Write, read, listen, raise hand, talk, walk, sit, stand, cut, glue, color.

• Social Actions

Share, help, hug, wave, talk, listen, wait, take turns.

• Sports & Play Actions

Kick, throw, catch, swim, skate, climb, slide, swing.

Each of these can be used for:

• Vocabulary
• Grammar
• WH-questions
• Stories
• Articulation (choose actions with target sounds)

And once they’re in Flashrecall, you can reuse them across multiple kids and levels.

Why Flashrecall Works So Well For Speech Therapy

To recap, here’s why Flashrecall is such a good fit for action cards and speech therapy in general:

• Instant flashcards from images, text, audio, PDFs, YouTube, or typed prompts
• You can still make cards manually if you want full control
• Active recall is built in — no passive flipping, kids have to think
• Spaced repetition + auto reminders so practice happens consistently
• Study reminders for home practice
• Works offline on iPhone and iPad
• You can chat with the flashcard if the student is unsure about a word or concept
• Great for language, articulation, school subjects, exams, medicine, business — so you can use it beyond speech too
• Fast, modern, easy to use, and free to start

If you’re using action cards for speech therapy and you’re still only using paper, you’re doing the hard version.

Try turning your favorite action cards into smart, digital decks and let the app handle the repetition and reminders.

You can start building your first action card deck here:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Once you’ve tried it with a few kids, you’ll never want to drag around that giant box of cards again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the fastest way to create flashcards?

Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.

Is there a free flashcard app?

Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.

How do I start spaced repetition?

You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.

What is active recall and how does it work?

Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.

What's the best way to learn a new language?

Research shows that combining flashcards with spaced repetition and active recall is highly effective. Flashrecall automates this process, generating cards from your study materials and scheduling reviews at optimal intervals.

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