These Shape Bias Language Cards were developed by infant researcher Dr. Robert Titzer, the creator of the award-winning Your Baby Can Learn program used by millions of families worldwide. These double-sided word cards focus on introducing literacy skills including learning to read individual words, phrases, and sentences. 

An abundance of research shows that the early language environment has lasting impacts on the child’s later learning. Infant researcher Dr. Robert C. Titzer created these Shape Bias Language Cards to highlight that the shapes of words (and many objects) are more important than their colors and to give parents descriptive sentences to read to their children that match the images. The descriptive sentences can be used as examples of the types of sentences that you can use throughout the day when talking with your child and describing your child’s senses.

The front of the cards shows the same words with different fonts and colors. This side of the cards is designed to help the child learn that words’ shapes are more important than their colors, specific fonts, or background colors. Once children learn this concept, they can learn new words at a faster rate. The back of each card has a photo and a descriptive sentence demonstrating that word's meaning. You can use the descriptive sentences on these cards as a model for how to describe objects and actions that capture your baby’s attention.

What is the shape bias?

The shape bias is the tendency of infants and children (as well as adults) to generalize information about objects by their shapes, rather than their colors, materials, sizes, or textures, when learning nouns.

Infants initially categorize objects inefficiently. However, a baby who has learned the shape bias is more likely to categorize objects according to their shapes instead of using color, material, size, or other less important attributes.

Why does knowing the shape bias matter?

Learning the shape bias can result in an increase in the vocabularies of infants and children (Landau, Smith, & Jones 1988; Smith, 2000). Infants or children who have learned the shape bias tend to learn words at a faster rate than infants and children who have not learned the shape bias (Gershkoff-Stowe & Smith, 2004; Landau, Smith, & Jones 1988; Smith, 2000).

Includes language development tips and a word cover to help isolate individual words. These cards are the 2021 version with new colors, many new images and sentences, and a redesigned box that opens on the longer side of the cards for convenient access.

For babies, toddlers, and young children ages 3 months to 8 years.

Approximate dimensions of Shape Bias Language Cards: These double-sided flashcards are about 7 inches by 3.7 inches.

American English and British English are both included in this box. The only word that is different is colors/colours. This set includes one card that says “colors” and one card that says “colours,” so you could use both cards and point out to your child that in some countries, some words have different spellings. Alternatively, you can remove the card with the spelling that you don't use.