Kids should know where they live and who to call if they get separated from you. Happily, there are some amusing ways to make this information stick.
Most young children don't venture alone in public. But they should still know where they live and who to call if they get separated from you (or another caregiver) away from home. If you're having a hard time teaching kids important addresses and phone numbers, check out these four tips from real parents. They might help the information stick!
1. Bring on the Applause
Shout out your phone number while clapping or stomping at the breaks: "9-1-4" [clap] "5-5-5"[clap] "1-2-3-4." Movement is a great way to help kids connect what they're learning. —Melissa Stewart, a kindergarten teacher in Cornwall, New York
2. Revamp classic tunes
Pick a song that your child knows or is catchy, like, "Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?" Then change the lyrics to match your information. "Oh where, oh where does Jasmine live? Oh where, oh where does she live? At 1-2-3 Main Street, City, State." —Jessica Pierce, a kindergarten teacher in New Castle, Delaware
3. Match it up
Write each numeral of your phone number on a separate note card. Shuffle them up and have your child try to lay them out in order. This gives your kid something to see, in addition to hearing you say the numbers. —Dominique Pompey, a kindergarten teacher in San Diego
4. Act it out
Print out a cell-phone keypad that looks like yours (a toy phone works too). Let your child practice dialing your number. Double the learning by pretending you're a pizza place and asking them where to deliver the pie. —Pierce
This article originally appeared in Parents magazine's October 2021 issue as "Teach Your Child to Memorize Their Address and Phone Number" Want more from the magazine?
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