Teaching Phone Numbers

As part of our community helper and safety unit, the kiddos have been practicing phone numbers.  When I was a preschooler, everyone had to memorize their home phone number.  Times have changed, though, and now it seems more logical that we teach young children to memorize one parent's mobile number.  In our class, everyone worked on mom's number.

Each student's phone number is written on an index card.  To begin, we invite them to practice identifying all of the numbers and locating them on the phone.  (I buy phones at yard sales all the time.  We had to remove the cords, because the kids were so confused and distracted by them that it made focusing difficult!  I'm old.)

Anyway, they spend a week or so dialing the number using the card.  For many students, that is enough of a challenge, and that is where the practice ends for this year.  I offered a challenge to the older students who were ready for it.  Anyone who memorized their mom's cell number was allowed to call her from our real phone!  They love this, and it provides for an authentic learning experience.

Phone calls to mom started this week.  We just love watching the kiddos' faces light up as they hear their mom's voice and get to talk to her.  It was absolutely the highlight of their week!

Do your children work on memorizing their phone numbers?  It is a fun and very important life skill!