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Teaching Numbers

Velauriea knows her letters pretty well and can even write parts of her name. She recognizes most of the letters and knows the alphabet. She can count to almost 20 but has trouble writing/recognizing numbers even when I write them. What are some simple activties/games we can do to work on numbers? I thought of making a workbook with tracing pages? She does not yet go to pre-school, I am working with her on things like cutting with scissors.

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Thank you all for the advice: I am sure going to try the chocolate puddding/shaving cream ideas. And just keep letting her draw and paint and use her motor skills naturally. She is getting so that she can actually cut with scissors. They also have these Mother Goose "Big Ideas" kits from the library that use books to teach numbers, sorting, and building, and come with an activity. The one we have now has plastic animals that you can count thier feet and put them in groups, and the building one has wooden blocks to manipulate.

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Why is this important to you? All and I mean all the studies show that kids are ready to learn to read and write at 6 or 7. You can teach her earlier but why not let her just do a good job being three years old. Socialization is a wonderful thing. She may read earlier but by 3rd or 4th grade the other kids will be on the same level. Why waste wonderful playing time with what amounts to rote school work?

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Why is this important to you? All and I mean all the studies show that kids are ready to learn to read and write at 6 or 7. You can teach her earlier but why not let her just do a good job being three years old. Socialization is a wonderful thing. She may read earlier but by 3rd or 4th grade the other kids will be on the same level. Why waste wonderful playing time with what amounts to rote school work?

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My son learned his by reading number books and playing with a ruler.

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Hi L.,
I'm the mother of two teens, a boy, 16 & a girl, 13. When they were your daughter's age, I worked with them both on their letters & numbers. I think you are on the right path. Try to keep the learning fun! When you go to the store or out & about, look for signs with numbers and ask Velauriea if she can "find number 2" ! If she likes tactile learning ( most preschoolers/toddlers do), make large numbers that need to be "filled in" and be creative; sand, play-dough, yarn, macaroni noodles, dried beans- you get the picture. Have fun doing a craft and then save the filled in numbers to keep on using to teach & reteach the number. Start out slow: 1-9 is good and once she is proficient with the single digits, introduce zero and double digits. Maybe work on one "family" at a time ( the "tens" or "teens" family,etc.)A good card game is "UNO"- just take out the "special" cards until she understands enough to begin playing the game in the regular manner. Play "memory-find" with the numbers- cards turned over in rows and she has to match two of the same numbers. You can also teach her "GO FISH" with the cards. You can buy a number-teaching pack of cards that you can use as well. Mix up the cards out of order, have a "number line" that shows the correct order- have your daughter line up the cards underneath your line, matching them so they are the same.
Some stores that specialize in teaching supplies may offer simple jig-saw puzzles that have each number paired with a picture of objects that correspond to that number ( Number 3 on one jig-saw piece and three red apples on the other jig-saw that fits only that piece).I even used to make pancakes in the shape of different numbers to teach my kids!
Be creative! Let her learn at her own pace, but if you do a little lesson( she doesn't have to know it's a lesson) every day or several times a week, she'll get it!
Have fun and enjoy your precious daughter!
God Bless!
H. Y.

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When I worked with kindergartners, We would put shaving cream in a ziplock bag. The kid could then trace the numbers without the mess. And if you are really frisky you can dye it with food coloring.

W.

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Numbers are pretty abstract for a lot of people especially young children. There's a difference between recognizing a number and really knowing what 3 means. Try showing her 3 of the same object (3 apples) and showing her the written number 3 so she gets used to connecting the written image with what it means. Play a matching game with her using real objects - match the number of object with the written number. Give her the written number and tell her pick out 3 goldfish crackers, then show her a 5 and have her pick out 5 goldfish crackers. I LOVE that you use scissors with her! So many parents are afraid of scissors but they are a necessary skill for kindergarten and really help develop the fine motor muscles you need for writing.

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Have you tried flash cards? You can get them at Staples.

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Hi L.,

A lot of that comes with the different stages of brain development. Just like new foods, present the numbers from time to time, and when her brain is at the receptive point, she'll learn it. Same thing with language and reading, it all comes in time, at one's individual pace. Don't sweat over it, just enjoy her great imagination right now, that's where her brain is developing now!

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Hi L.,

A fiend of mine would have her daughter trace numbers and letters with her fingers.

: ) M.

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