HANDS ON LEARNING: 3 FUN WAYS TO TEACH KIDS THEIR PHONE NUMBERS

There are so many new skills and concepts being introduced in the preschool, kindergarten, and primary years. The best way to make sure they stick? Active, hands on learning!

Reinforcing new skills through movement and working with manipulatives during hands on activities creates that awesome mind-body connection that solidifies learning and memory…plus, it’s just more fun than a pencil and paper!  We’re working on having my kindergartener learn our phone number and came up with these three hands-on movement games as part of our Brain Boosters: Active Learning Games for Kids series!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
-A pack of disposable party cups
-A permanent marker

WHAT TO DO:

1 – Stack It Up! Write out the phone number, writing one number on the side of each cup. Stack the cups, open side up, with the first number of the phone number on the bottom. Place a blank cup on the top of the stack.

Have the child cycle through the whole stack of cups: pulling off the bottom cup, saying the number, and placing it at the top of the stack. When he gets to the blank cup, he’ll know he’s starting the phone number over again. This activity is great for bilateral coordination!

2 – Match and Stack! (pictured at the top of the post) This game will give kids a secret dose of core strengthening, and arm strengthening, and hand strengthening while they play in a hands and knees position.

Write numbers 0 through 9, a *, and a # – one number or symbol on the bottom of each cup. Set the cups out to look like the telephone keypad. Create another set of cups with only the numbers of your phone number written on the bottom.

Place the cups with your phone number in a stack with the first number on top. When you say go, have the child stack the “phone number cups” on top of the matching numbers on the “keypad”, like he’s dialing the number. Repeat and see how fast he can get at it!

3 – Memory Stack! Now that your kiddo has had some practice, set him loose and see if he can remember the phone number on his own! Write the numbers of your phone number on the bottom of a set of cups and place them, out of order, on the floor or table. Can the child stack them up in the right order?

HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-For an extra challenge, try “Match and Stack” with the “phone number cups” set out on the floor out of order, rather than in the correct sequence in a stack.

-Try “Stack It Up” and “Memory Stack” with other concepts like spelling words!

SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: Bilateral coordination, visual motor integration, coordination, visual perceptual skills, cognitive skills, strength

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