There are so many educational toys and games out there. There are so many educational videos and books. They can be great resources and great tools to help your child learn about the world around him. But don’t forget about the simple things that can be just as effective. You are an educational game for your child too.
Use every day experiences to help your children learn and practice numbers and letters. We are often so busy, and so focused on other things, that we don’t even realize all the numbers and letters we see during a typical day. Think about your day from morning until night. You get up in the morning and look at the time on your alarm clock. You might read the paper or the news online before breakfast. You read the back of your cereal box. You call someone on the phone, by dialing numbers. In the evening, you might measure ingredients for dinner or set the timer on the oven. You might change the channels on the TV. You might have to put AA batteries in one of the many toys all over your floor. These are all opportunities to teach about numbers and letters.
Encourage your children to be a part of whatever activities you think they’d enjoy. Let them dial the phone or measure the flour. Let them read the letters on the sign at the end of the street. Have them tell you how much the strawberries cost at the supermarket. Let them weigh the potatoes on the scale. There are endless ways that you can make letters and numbers part of your daily routine.
A fun way to practice numbers is something we like to call Math Snacks. We get multiple bowls and different snacks like goldfish, pretzels, and cheerios. First, have your child sort them into different bowls. It may seem like a simple task, but sorting is an important skill. Then play games like eating one or two and counting what’s left. Try using math words like minus, total, and subtract. The more your child hears those words, the more familiar they’ll become. When the bowls are empty, don’t forget that zero is an important number too!
Once you start to pay attention, you’ll see numbers, letters, and words all around you. The great news is that when you model these skills, your child will start to notice them too. Have fun!
