Pre Primer Sight Words Flash Cards: 7 Powerful Tricks To Help Kids Read Faster (Most Parents Don’t Know These)

What Are Pre-Primer Sight Words (And Why Do They Matter So Much)?

Let’s skip the fluff:

Pre-primer sight words are the super basic words kids see all the time when they start reading.

Words like:

• I
• a
• and
• the
• to
• go
• see
• we
• you

They don’t always follow simple phonics rules, so kids can’t just “sound them out” easily. That’s why teachers want kids to memorize them on sight — so reading doesn’t feel like decoding every single letter.

This is exactly where pre primer sight words flash cards shine… if you use them the right way.

And honestly, this is also where an app like Flashrecall makes life way easier than shuffling a stack of bent paper cards every night.

👉 You can grab Flashrecall here:

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

Let’s walk through how to actually make sight words stick — without turning your home into a mini classroom war zone.

Why Regular Sight Word Flash Cards Often Don’t Work

Traditional flash cards are fine… for about 3 minutes.

Then:

• Your kid gets bored
• Cards get lost under the couch
• You forget which words they already know
• You’re not sure when to review what

The problem isn’t the words — it’s the method.

To make pre-primer sight words really stick, you need three things:

1. Repetition (but not mindless)

2. Active recall (your kid has to try to remember, not just see the word)

3. Good timing (reviewing words right before your kid forgets them)

That’s exactly what Flashrecall is built around: active recall + spaced repetition + reminders, all done automatically so you don’t have to track any of it.

Why Use Digital Pre-Primer Sight Word Flash Cards Instead Of Paper?

Paper cards are cute.

Digital cards are smart.

Here’s what you can do with pre-primer sight word flash cards in Flashrecall that you just can’t do with paper:

1. Auto-Review With Spaced Repetition

Flashrecall has built-in spaced repetition. That means:

• If your kid knows “the” really well, it’ll show up less often
• If they keep missing “you”, Flashrecall will bring it back more frequently
• You don’t have to track which words are “easy” or “hard” — the app does it

This is huge, because spaced repetition is literally the most proven way to memorize stuff long-term.

2. Study Reminders So You Don’t Forget

You can set study reminders, so your phone quietly nudges you:

> “Hey, time to review 10 sight words with Jamie.”

Two minutes on the couch, boom — reading practice done for the day.

No guilt. No “we forgot again this week.”

3. Works Offline (Perfect For Waiting Rooms & Car Rides)

Flashrecall works offline, so you can review:

• In the car
• At the doctor’s office
• While waiting at a restaurant

Instead of handing over YouTube, you can do 5 minutes of sight word practice that actually helps.

4. Easy To Create Cards From Anything

With Flashrecall you can:

• Type words manually
• Snap a photo of a printed sight word list and instantly turn it into cards
• Use text, audio, or even PDFs
• Make simple front/back cards like:
• Front: `the`
• Back: “Say this word out loud” (and maybe a sentence)

You don’t need scissors, markers, or card stock. Just your phone.

How To Set Up Pre-Primer Sight Words In Flashrecall (Step-By-Step)

Here’s a simple way to start using Flashrecall for pre-primer sight words.

👉 First, download it here (free to start):

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

Step 1: Make A Deck Called “Pre-Primer Sight Words”

Create a new deck like:

> Pre-Primer Sight Words – Level 1

You can later add more decks like “Primer Sight Words”, “Kindergarten Sight Words”, etc.

Step 2: Add 10–20 Core Words First

Don’t dump 100 words in at once. Start small.

Add words like:

• I, a, and, the, to, go, see, we, you, is, it, in, on, at, me, my

Each flashcard can be super simple:

• Front: the
• Back: “Say this word out loud”

Or you can add a sentence on the back:

• Front: the
• Back: “Say ‘the’. Example: the cat.”

Step 3: Use Active Recall (Let Your Kid Answer First)

When you study with your kid:

1. Show them the card

2. Let them try to say the word

3. Tap to reveal the answer

4. Mark if it was easy, okay, or hard

Flashrecall’s active recall is built in — it makes your kid think before seeing the answer, which is what actually builds memory.

Step 4: Let Spaced Repetition Do Its Thing

When you review regularly, Flashrecall will:

• Show “hard” words more often
• Space out “easy” words
• Keep older words coming back just often enough so they don’t forget

You don’t need to remember when you last practiced “you” vs “and” — the app tracks it all.

7 Powerful Tricks To Make Pre-Primer Sight Word Flash Cards Actually Fun

Here’s how to turn sight word drills into something your kid doesn’t hate.

1. Keep Sessions Short (Seriously Short)

Aim for:

• 5–10 minutes max
• Maybe 10–15 cards per session

Kids learn better with tiny, consistent sessions than with one long, painful cram.

Flashrecall shows you a small set of cards each time, so it’s easy to keep it short.

2. Turn It Into A Game

Some ideas:

• “3 in a row” challenge – “If you get 3 words right in a row, we do a silly dance.”
• Timer game – “How many can you get in 2 minutes?”
• Word hunt – After reviewing in Flashrecall, go to a book and ask: “Can you find ‘the’ on this page?”

You can track “streaks” in your head or just treat each correct answer like a mini win.

3. Add Audio To Cards

You can use audio in Flashrecall to make words clearer:

• Record yourself saying the word
• Or add a little sentence like: “The word is ‘see’. Can you say ‘see’?”

This helps kids who are more auditory learners and makes the card feel more alive.

4. Use Images For Tricky Words

Even though sight words are often abstract, you can still add simple visuals:

• For “I” – a little picture of your kid or a stick figure
• For “we” – a picture of a group of people
• For “go” – a car or someone running

In Flashrecall, it’s easy to add images to cards (you can even snap a quick photo).

5. Mix Old Words With New Ones

Don’t just teach 10 new words every time.

A good pattern:

• 70% words your kid already knows pretty well
• 30% new or tricky ones

Spaced repetition in Flashrecall does this automatically by showing a mix of review and newer cards.

6. Use Study Reminders At Calm Times Of Day

Set a study reminder in Flashrecall for a time that’s usually chill:

• Right after breakfast
• Before bedtime stories
• After school snack time

Make it part of the routine:

> “We do 5 minutes of sight words, then we read your book.”

7. Let Your Kid “Own” The Deck

Kids love control.

Let them:

• Tap the answers
• Choose which deck to practice
• Help you add new words when they see them in books

You can even create a deck called:

> “[Child’s Name]’s Power Words”

And add pre-primer sight words there. Feels way cooler than “worksheet time.”

How Flashrecall Compares To Old-School Paper Flash Cards

• Get lost or bent
• No reminders
• You have to manually decide what to review
• Hard to track progress
• Can’t easily add audio or pictures

• Free to start, works on iPhone and iPad
• Built-in spaced repetition (auto smart review)
• Active recall baked in
• Study reminders so you don’t forget
• Works offline
• Make cards from text, images, PDFs, audio, YouTube links, or typed prompts
• You can even chat with the flashcard if you want to expand on a concept (more useful for older kids, but great for parents too)

And it’s not just for early readers — you can use the same app later for:

• School subjects
• Languages
• Exams
• University
• Medicine
• Business terms
• Pretty much anything you want to remember

So you’re not just downloading a “kid app” — you’re grabbing a long-term learning tool.

👉 Try it here (takes 1 minute to set up your first sight word deck):

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

A Simple Plan To Start Today

If you want a no-stress starting point, here’s a 3-day mini plan:

• Download Flashrecall
• Create a “Pre-Primer Sight Words” deck
• Add 10 words: I, a, and, the, to, go, see, we, you, is
• Do 5 minutes with your kid

• Review the same 10 words
• Add 5 more: it, in, on, at, me
• Keep it under 10 minutes

• Review everything
• Mark which words are “easy” vs “hard” in Flashrecall
• Let spaced repetition handle the rest

Stick with short, daily sessions and you’ll be surprised how fast your child starts spotting those words in books.

Final Thoughts

Pre-primer sight words are the foundation of early reading — and flash cards are still one of the most effective ways to teach them.

But instead of juggling a messy pile of paper cards, you can use Flashrecall to:

• Make cards in seconds
• Review at the right time with spaced repetition
• Get gentle reminders so you don’t forget
• Keep everything in one place on your phone or iPad

If you want sight word practice that’s smart, quick, and actually fits into real life, give it a try:

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

Turn those tiny sight words into big reading wins.

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.

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