Learning a Phone Number

Image courtesy of www.clker.com

We are now at the point that I want my son to know my cell phone number, for safety reasons. He needs to memorize ten digits, but that won't be a problem. Young children's minds are like steel traps!

Here is what is working for us.

I wrote the first three digits on one piece of paper (a long notepad page, like what you might use to jot down a grocery list) and put a sticker of The Thing next to them.

The next three digits went on another piece of the same type of paper. A sticker of Diego and Baby Jaguar went next to them.

The last four digits - same thing. Spiderman is crouching next to them.

Over a few days, I coached my son on the first three digits.

"What is the first set of numbers in my phone number? The Thing says, '___.'"

Very quickly, my son could say the first three numbers in his version of The Thing's voice. So I added the next set.

"What are the first numbers in my phone number? The Thing says, '___,' [pause for my son to say them] and Diego and Baby Jaguar say, '___.'"

Sooner than I thought it would happen, he could recite the first six digits. Today at the pool, he made a new friend and asked him over to our house sometime. He told the boy the first three digits of my phone number so he could call us. Hmm, I guess I have to add in a little lesson about needing all ten digits of a phone number, and also whom it's okay to give the number to!

Today I introduced all ten digits in the same manner. I have no doubt he will soon know the full number. We are working on our address in the same way as well.