Safety first: learning your phone number

What happens if your child gets separated from you in a store or at the park? Does he know your name? His name? Your address? Your phone number? Of those, his name and your name are easy to learn because he hears them every day. But, what about your cell phone number?

In trying to figure out an easy way for my son, nearly 4.5 years old, to remember my cell phone number, I started trying to think of songs he readily knows. “Happy Birthday” came to mind as one that he knows well, and likely most kids his age do too!

Give this a try to the tune of “Happy Birthday” if your cell number is 469-123-4567:

My mom-my’s cell phone

is four-or six nine

one-un  two three-ee

four fi-ive six seven

To help commit this to memory, I’ve written my cell phone number on a piece of paper that we keep at the kitchen table, and when we pass the table or sit down for meals, we sing the song together. He thinks it is pretty funny but understands it is important because this number is how he can reach me if he ever needs me.

Coupons, scissors, oh my!

Here’s a trick we just discovered today! This morning I was sitting at the kitchen table clipping my coupons and my almost 4-year-old son asked if he could help. I handed him the stack I’d already cut from (which still contained plenty of coupons we wouldn’t use), we got his scissors out, and he went to town!

Those coupons are perfect for kids to cut up (not to mention they’re free)! The coupons themselves are outlined by short, straight lines, perfect for learning how to cut along a line, and the pages are full of other things that kids love to try to cut out… food items they like, people, letters, etc.

One of the skills that kids should learn before kindergarten is how to use scissors. It is not only good for manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination, but it is a pre-writing activity too.

Before you know it, you’ll have a coupon-clipping, bargain-hunting child on your hands!

Measuring up

Ready for a secret? All you need to keep your 2.5-5 year old entertained for a LONG time is a retractable fabric (or vinyl) measuring tape! My son received a real metal one with a gift, but that one retracts too quickly and can easily cut those little hands that don’t know to be out of the way, so that one now lives in the garage. However, the measuring tape that I keep with  my sewing supplies is a much safer substitute… and worth at least 15 minutes of fun all on his own!

If your little one doesn’t already know the magic of pulling out the tape, then pushing the “magic” button to make it retract, be sure to show him/her that first. This may be enough fun for the first go-round with the measuring tape!

Once your child is comfortable with how it works, let him/her play with it to “measure” things on his/her own. Ask your child how long his/her favorite toy is, or how tall his/her favorite chair is. Work together to discover how long his/her arm is, and how tall he/she is (doing this in front of a full-length mirror makes it a lot more concrete for young minds, and gives an opportunity to make some great funny faces while you’re at it).

This is a great chance to talk about numbers, recognize numbers, talk about what “half” means, compare numbers, etc.

You may even want to enlist your new measuring expert to “help” you determine if a piece of furniture or a toy will fit in a certain designated space. Ask your child to measure the item, then measure the space. Write down the numbers. Which one is bigger? Will it fit? If your child answers incorrectly, let him/her see if the item will fit by him/herself.

Writing on the wall

The next time you’re at the store with your little one, have him/her help you find the items on your grocery list by reading the aisle labels — the signs that usually hang from the ceiling with a general listing of what is on each aisle. This is a great chance for him/her to see numbers and letters in action! Ask your child to find aisle 7, or ask your child to find the aisle that has “Baking Goods” on it (or whatever is listed on the aisle label). You might even want to help your child make the connection between what he/she reads on your grocery list and the signs — matching up the words and/or first letters.

Table of Contents: guide to the good stuff

Recently I’ve noticed that many of our favorite children’s book collections have been reprinted as compilations. Not only do these larger books save shelf space, they also provide a great new tool… a table of contents! This is the section of a book that most people tend to overlook, but it is actually a fabulous place to stop and spend some time with your child.

Rather than just flipping through the book to find your child’s choice of bedtime story, take the time to read through the table of contents together. Explain that the table of contents is like a map for the book — it helps you figure out where you want to go, and tells you how to get there.

One of our favorites is “A Treasury of Curious George” by Margret and H.A. Rey. Every time we read this book, we open to the table of contents and figure out what story to read. This book is a great one to use for introducing how to use the table of contents because it not only lists the titles of the stories, but also has a small illustration to go with each.

After choosing the story, ask your child to read the number that is next to the story title in the table of contents. This is a great opportunity to work on number recognition, especially in this book since there are over 100 pages in it. Explain that that number is the page number for the story. Show your child how the number listed next to the title matches the page number you need to find in the book; you can liken it to a treasure map, with the story of choice being the treasure!

Ask your child to find the chosen story in the book by using the page numbers, and not just flipping haphazardly through the book. This will eventually help your child to compare numbers when searching for the right page. You can guide your child through the thought process of, “Is the number I’m looking for smaller than or bigger than (less than or greater than) the number on the page in my hand?”

The possibilities for learning are endless! And to think, most people tend to flip right past the table of contents to get to the “good stuff!”

Use a magnetic calendar

When children approach age 3, they often begin to have a fascination with time, but don’t yet have a way to grasp it. You may answer their excited question of, “When does the garbage truck come?” with “Tuesday,” but that means nothing if the child doesn’t know when Tuesday will come around again. Magnetic calendars are a great way to make this abstract concept much more concrete for your little one. There are many on the market, but the one I’ve found to be the best deal for the price is sold at Super Target, in the puzzle section. I think it was around $10, no more than $15, and I see years and years of use in its future. (I can not find it online, otherwise I would post a link. As of the date of this posting, they are still on the shelves at Super Target. A good, but more expensive, substitute is the magnetic calendar by Melissa & Doug.) The calendar comes with magnets for the dates, months, years, holidays, weather, activities, “firsts,” and other events. Depending on your child’s age and maturity level, you might choose to hang the calendar at his or her level, or you may need to keep it out of reach (to avoid the choking hazard of the magnets, especially if you have a toddler around).  We use the magnets on our calendar to keep track of what days we have doctor appointments, hair cuts, trips to the museum, trips to the library, when our library books are due, when we’re going on vacation, etc. We’ve even made our own markers using Post-it notes for when grandparents are coming to visit, and for that all important day of the week when the garbage truck stops by! (Garbage day is practically a holiday to most little boys!) The calendar also has magnets for the weather, so your little one can play “weather reporter” and update the weather daily (or as it changes through the day). An added plus is that the calendar will help with number recognition, counting, and, eventually, adding. So, the next time your little one asks what day it is, or when tumbling will be, send him or her to look at the calendar!

Speed Limit signs teach the tens

This is a great technique from my friend Jade:

I wanted [my 3.5-yr-old daughter] to be able to recognize some of the 2-digit numbers (like 20) and say them as “twenty” instead of “two-zero”. So while driving one day we approached a speed limit sign and I talked to her about what the sign meant and the number below it. Within a few days she was pointing out every speed limit sign and easily telling me that it was 20, 30, 40 or 50! The only problem is she is calling it “speed lemons”! It’s too cute to correct!

Thanks, Jade!

License Plates

Early this morning my kiddos and I sat outside at Starbucks and watched the mile-long drive-thru line of cars go by. We turned it into a game. My son would try to read the license plates to me before each car went past. It was great for quick recognition of numbers & letters… pre-reading skills!