The best baby sensory flashcards to stimulate and entertain

Dad showing baby black and white sensory flashcard

by Laura Healy |
Published on

When your baby is tiny, sometimes it can be hard to know what to do to entertain them. The newborn baby days can seem like a constant round of feeds and naps and that is fine, but what if, during those moments when your little one is alert, you want to find something to entertain them? Baby sensory flashcards are a lovely sensory activity for babies to stimulate them and also a lovely way to engage with your little one.

Once your baby becomes a toddler, they will have an interest in lots of toys and play will help develop hand-eye coordination as well as motor skills, however, babies will enjoy the simplicity of sensory flashcards and they will also help their development. Remember newborns do not have much ability to see colour, so simple black and white cards, with sharp, defined designs will help baby see and develop focus.

Flashcards are not simply entertainment (although they are great for newborn play) but they help with the development of your little one's eyes and brain. They capture a baby's attention, enhancing their focus and tracking abilities to support cognitive development. Plus, when baby is a little older and trying to do tummy time, they can be used to catch their attention and promote neck strength and hopefully make tummy time more appealing for your little one.

Best baby sensory flashcards at a glance:

Best black and white baby sensory cards: Black and white high contrast baby sensory cards, £3.44
Best large baby sensory cards: Busy baby sensory card set, £13.49
Best printable baby sensory cards: Printable 30 high contrast baby Montessori sensory cards, £2.14
Best fabric baby sensory cards: Jenilily soft alphabet cards, £21.21
Best baby sensory cards for gifting: 0+ month baby sensory flashcards, £12.99

Your little one sees black and white best when they are very small and so monochrome sensory flashcards are a great idea, however, you can get brighter coloured ones too which older babies might enjoy. A pack of baby sensory flashcards make a lovely gift for an expectant or new mum, and if you would like some for you and your little one you can even download printable sensory flashcards. We have rounded up a selection of the best baby sensory flashcards for you to choose from.

Best baby sensory flashcards 2024

Best baby sensory flashcards for babies and toddlers

This pack of baby sensory flashcards is suitable from newborn right up to 36 months. They are designed to stimulate, entertain and nurture your baby with high contrast graphics. We like that each pack contains four age groups making them a perfect newborn gift that will grow with baby.

Pros

  • Four packs for different age groups
  • Includes black and white and coloured

Cons

  • No online reviews

Best black and white sensory cards

These simple black and white sensory cards are ideal for newborns. We like how the high contrast designs will grab baby's attention and can promote visual stimulation. They can also be used for tummy time.

A verified reviewer said: "My son loves these cards! We have been using them since a few days after he was born. He is now 3 months and his attention span has increased so much. I talk to him while using the cards and talk about what is on the card (naming animals, describing patterns, counting things etc) which he seems to enjoy. I keep these in my nappy bag and regularly use them on the go to entertain him. We started with hik just being able to focus on 3 or 4 cards, but we can no do the entire pack in one sitting without him losing focus and attention. The black and white provides high contrast, which is very important for babies early brain and visual development."

Pros

  • Double sided
  • Can be used for tummy time

Cons

  • The box is a bit flimsy

Best large baby sensory flashcards

Busy baby sensory card setAmazon
Price: $60.14

These cards are designed to spark your newborns interest, support visual stimulation, and promote cognitive development with their high-contrast colours and fun designs. We like that there is a large free-standing board to keep your infant distracted during nappy changes, plus a smaller free-standing fold out card for on-the-go entertainment.

A trusted tester said: "Everything is well printed, with a wipeable matt finish, and it all fits in the handy draw-string bag that comes with it. The large folding double-sided board is made of quite thick card, so it stands easily. There's a smaller folding board, in slightly thinner card. This one's lighter and more portable. The double-sided cards are lovely, I really like the designs, and they all have a hole in the top corner so you can secure them together using the plastic ring they supply, and hang them from whatever you want using the supplied velcro strap. There are some great stickers too, they stick well and can be removed quite easily. It's all presented in a good box, and everything seems to have been well thought out, pretty much everything is recyclable and safe. It might make quite a good practical gift."

Pros

  • Include storage bag
  • Wipe clean

Cons

  • Just black and white

Best standing baby sensory flashcards

With four standing A5 tent cards, this pack is great stimulation for your little one. The cards also easily fold up and we like how they feature black and white, high contrast, images and patterns to aid development in both eyesight and brain activity.

One reviewer, Ian, said: "Chose this product for my friends Grandson as it looked a great product. When I received them I was impressed with the quality and price. Would definitely recommend these to all my friends and family. Will give babies the best start in life."

Pros

  • Cards can stand up
  • High contrast images and patterns

Cons

  • Larger to store or for taking out and about

Best printable baby flashcards

Printable flashcardsEtsy

These flash cards are designed for babies from 0 to 3 months. With high contrast images, the black and white contrast is ideal for visual stimulation. We like how you can introduce flashcards into your everyday routine with these handy printable ones.

A reviewer, Maggie, commented: "Item/download matches the description perfectly. High quality, high contrast pictures. Excited to use these with my babies."

Pros

  • Printable
  • Includes two size options

Cons

  • Printed cards may not be as durable

Best personalised baby flashcards

Personalised animal flashcardsEtsy

With 26 cards featuring an illustration of a cute character from the animal kingdom, from a friendly alligator to a leaping zebra, these are lovely for older babies. They can be used as a fun and engaging card game, or put on display to decorate a nursery or bedroom, which we love. Plus they come with a handy tuck-box made from 100% recycled card, personalised with your little one's name.

Reviewer, Karl, said: "Gorgeous high quality product with cute illustrations. They look great in our son's nursery. Beautifully packaged and came with free postcards and plantable flyer. Would buy again and highly recommend."

Pros

  • Made from sustainable card
  • Include personalised box

Cons

  • Not great for newborns

Best fabric baby sensory flashcards

Fabric sensory flashcardsEtsy

With a pattern on one side, and a letter on the other, these double sided fabric flashcards are great for babies and toddlers. Plus they are also washable and come with a lovely cloth drawstring bag.

Pros

  • Suitable for babies and toddlers
  • Washable material

Cons

  • No black and white contrast for babies

The best baby sensory flashcards for gifting

Baby sensory flashcardsPriya + peanut

With 60 different sensory graphics, from animals, patterns, fruit & more, all in black and white, these are perfect for newborns and make a great gift for new and expectant parents. This set includes 'starter' and 'advanced' cards which we loved.

Jamie, a reviewer, said: "These cards are perfect for our daughter. She engages with them for long periods of time. Great quality product."

Pros

  • Includes 'starter' and 'advanced' cards
  • Cards feature patterns, animals, fruits and sensory graphics

Cons

  • No coloured cards for older babies

How do you use baby sensory cards?

You can use them in any way you find entertains and engages your little one, and some parents even choose to frame them and decorate the nursery with baby sensory flashcards. However, as a guide, you should pick a card and hold it 8 - 12 inches from your baby's face. Try to change the card every 10-20 seconds and do this for no more than 5 minutes, but repeat daily to stimulate your baby's brain, and help them with tracking and focus.

Are baby sensory flashcards good for baby?

Yes, they are great for newborn play and also as your little one stares and tracks the cards, they will be developing their attention span, tracking ability and vision. Plus they support cognitive development too and it's lovely to incorporate them as part of your daily routine.

When should you start using flashcards with a baby?

You can use them from birth, but remember a newborn baby has quite blurry vision and cannot see colour. However, using black and white cards for just a few minutes a day will help to stimulate your baby and develop their vision and focus. Older babies will be able to engage for longer and will enjoy flashcards with more colour.

Why are black and white flash cards good for babies?

Babies cannot see colour very well so bold black-and-white images grab their attention. However, they also stimulate the development of the optic nerves. Focusing on visual stimuli such as high-contrast black-and-white patterns can train a newborn's vision, teaching the eye muscles and baby's brain to coordinate and function properly.

What colours do babies see first?

Newborns can only see contrast between black and white shapes, so black and white baby sensory flashcards are so appealing. However, in the first few weeks of life babies will begin to be able to see colour, with red being the first primary colour they can see. Babies then start to notice differences in shades of colours, particularly between red and green, from 3 months old.

Laura Healy is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby. She is a mum-of-two girls and loves writing about all things parenting, she is particularly interested in the toddler years and eco-friendly baby products, as well as children’s literature. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and has published short stories in the UK and Ireland, as well as previously writing freelance for her local paper.

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us
How we write our articles and reviews
Mother & Baby is dedicated to ensuring our information is always valuable and trustworthy, which is why we only use reputable resources such as the NHS, reviewed medical papers, or the advice of a credible doctor, GP, midwife, psychotherapist, gynaecologist or other medical professionals. Where possible, our articles are medically reviewed or contain expert advice. Our writers are all kept up to date on the latest safety advice for all the products we recommend and follow strict reporting guidelines to ensure our content comes from credible sources. Remember to always consult a medical professional if you have any worries. Our articles are not intended to replace professional advice from your GP or midwife.