What is all this hype about flash card memorisation and mental mathematical abilities? Does it really help? Does it affect the child's brain? Or is it all rubbish? I've heard my Aunty go on and on about this and how her grandson is insanely smart due to flash cards and at the same time I've heard that it's all nonsense. What' do you ladies think?

Children are wired to learn about their environment through play. Play and interaction with an adult or a peer is a powerful medium in which children learn language and social rules, develop their imagination and motor skills and consolidate what they understand about their world. The use of flash cards and the push for mental math skills has no proven evidence base in terms of making your child 'smarter'. Rather than use flash cards, I strongly recommend that parents and caregivers spend the time to take part in their child's imaginative play and talk to their child about what is happening in their play scheme. It will certainly be much more enjoyable for their child.