Son Having Difficulty Learning Numbers

I taught preschool for 6 years and can tell you with complete certainty that this is not something to be concerned about. He sounds like he is right on track. Don't bother him about it or he will start to have negative feelings about the learning experience. Unless his teacher has a concern you need not worry.

That's nice you're concerned, but definitely back off. My now 7 year old was clueless about numbers until she was over 5 (and well into kindergarten) She is now in second grade and is being considered for the Gifted and Talented program next year. She knows her numbers and can count well into the thousands (annoying actually! lol) My 5 year old, who will be in kindergarten next year, doesn't know her numbers. I'm not worried. Trust me, once they're in "real" school they'll get it.

That being said, it is still worth it to expose him to numbers. I read somewhere that a mom used to post things on the headrest of the passenger seat in her car - facing the child's carseat - so he was constantly looking at things (numbers, letters, pictures of coins) I thought this was a really neat idea (haven't used it yet myself though) Maybe try that?! Good luck. He'll be fine :)

Try making a game of flash cards. I have 6 y/o twin boys and that's how I taught them their colors, numbers, shapes, letters, etc. I got lots of flash cards from everywhere (you can make your own or even get some from the dollar stores) and we'd take them to restaurants and play with them. Mix them up so they're not in any order and just keep going. When they got one right I'd make a 'ding ding ding' noise and when they got it wrong, I'd make a buzzzz noise and they'd laugh like fools!!
I was told by a teacher that when introducing letters to kids, you should start with lower case letters since they are actually a bit harder to learn than upper case. I didn't know this until they were well past the introduction stage but looking back, I always thought that was a good idea.

Anyway, get a mini lunch box and keep a stash of cards in it and he can carry in the car, to a restaurant, etc. We kept this up and to this day still use flash cards, but now we're doing words from their school list, I got some that have a clock to learn to tell time, and of course math problems. They're all mixed up so it doesn't seem like they're just being bombarded with the same thing.

Good luck,

Julie

Back off for now. He will learn his numbers when he is ready. If you wait he will learn faster. Sing songs that have numbers in them. For example, 10 Little Indians. AF

My 6 year old just started the Hooked on Chinese program made by Hooked on Phonics. In this program, one of the first lessons is in numbers 1 - 10. They suggest a great game for teaching numbers. Pull all of the number cards out of a regular card deck and use them to play memory / concentration. The only difference is to have the child say the numbers out loud after flipping over each card. Both / all players take turns like normal, but if the player (whether it be child or parent, etc) forgets to say the number names or gets them wrong, then they lose their turn next round. My daughter knows her numbers in English, but is just learning how to say them in Mandarin. She is a bit older than your son, 6, but she really enjoys this game. I seem to lose turns more often than she does though as we are both new to Mandarin. It was her idea to learn.

I would just relax. If he has continued exposure he will eventually pick up on the concept.

My son is also 4 and I gotta say that my approach is that I let him set the pace of learning.
I have learned through experience with my son that he will learn much quicker and with less stress if I allow him to learn on HIS time table. And remember...He is 4 not 14. He is learning about his environment, social interactions, language, boundaries, manners, behaviors, cause and effect etc... That is a lot for a child to have to take in and still have to go to school to learn more about things he will eventually learn through his experience.

Keep playing games with him. Don't make it a chore or a task. Let him tell you when he has had enough. He may have other areas where he excels. We are not all great at everything we try so give him a break and relax. He will get there.
My son has a difficult time "performing" for me when I ask him questions about letters or numbers but I will find index cards I left in his play room with perfect letters written on them that he has done on his own without my help or guidance. Maybe he wants to feel more independent with his learning. All children have a different learning style (visual, audio etc..)and once you can find that style it will be easier to help them along.
He has the rest of his young life to go to school in a structured environment with lots of rules and boundaries. But for now, I say, let him be a kid and enjoy this time in his life without a lot of pressures to perform these tasks that, I believe, he will eventually come around to in his own time.

Leave it alone.
Don't sweat the small stuff.

I had a similar experience with my son. He knew all his numbers by 4 but went into kindergarten only recognizing 3 letters. Despite my certainty that we would have to intervene, he came out reading at a first grade level. By the next year he was reading at a third grade level. Now he's 12, and although math is still his "thing", he reads above grade level and is in his school's gifted program. My point is, just relax. If you are playing games and reading to him, he's getting a great head start!

I suggest like keep casually talking about them. Maybe you can post some numbers up in the house and refer to them (randomly placed out of order); or go for a walk in the neighborhood and talk about numbers on houses or signs. You can also talk about numbers while grocery shopping--price tags! Make it a game. Certainly speak with his teachers because maybe he's just a little shy about numbers but truly does know them. It may also just click one day so be patient.

Maybe get him evalutated just in case he has some form of dyslexia so that if he does you can get him help now rather than wait till he gets frustrated and low self esteem when he starts kindergarten. I am not saying that he is, but it is worth getting evaluated by a professional just because it is a very specific problem. Good luck.

Hi J.,

I actually agree with Suz, let him play and enjoy himself. I am a preschool teacher and if you are exposing him to the numbers, it is all in his little brain and will eventually come out. My son had the same problem-the kindergarten teacher told me that she would like to have had him in remediation classes but he reached the PALS benchmark of recognizing one letter (he recognized TWO!!). He had been in preschool part time only. We did a ton of other stuff, swimming, playing at the park, going to the library etc. By the end of kindergarten, he was reading on a second grade level and now that he is in first grade, they tell me how smart he is. Let him play and have fun as a kid because once he is in school, play time goes bye bye :o) Enjoy this time with your son. If he is verbal, recognizing everything else, then he is fine. I wouldn't worry!!!

once upon a time educators understood that *around* kindergarten age was the time when *most* kids are ready to start taking all the things they learn in play and start structuring them into elementary educational concepts. then it became canon that ALL kids must do this. and now it's becoming gospel that all littles must ENTER kindergarten knowing this stuff or they're *behind*.
stop worrying, mom.
once he's in the honors program in college, no one will question whether or not he was early learning his numbers. and many of his colleagues will be happy late-bloomers (whatever that means.)
kids learn when they're ready to learn, and your little guy is doing just fine as far as meeting schools' yardstick.
right now his job is to play.
:) khairete
S.

I don't think you have anything to worry about -- not even backing off. In your position, I'd show interest in counting and numbers and games. When he seems interested too, go with it. If he doesn't look interested, let it go. If he recognizes letters, he has the ability to recognize numbers.

I would play "I spy" with the tons of numbers around. Along those lines, you could do a number version of the alphabet game while riding in the car. (Race to find the numbers in order on signs and stuff while you are driving. Start by doing it as a game with your husband or older child) I would take J. in counting steps every time we ran into them. I would play chutes and ladders and hi ho cherry o with him. I would (try to) teach him to play war with cards. I might make time with a educational computer CD a reward for good behavior.

I had my own nursery school for 10 years. I would "back off" on making it a priority. When you do play with numbers and he gets even l right, make a lot of praise.

Some ideas that might help:
get a plastic storage box with a lid, put some sand or oatmeal in it. The lid is to keep the box intact and not spilled. Or make up some pudding and have a cookie sheet and draw the numbers with pudding. Have the child practice drawing "with your help" numbers or letters and talk about how they are made, such as 5 "go down, then make a belly, then put a hat and you've made a 5".
Grandma N.