Imaginary Play: Telephone

Imaginary Play: Telephone

You would be surprised how many children enter into grade school and do not know their phone numbers. It is not a necessity to enter into grade school knowing that information but it sure does make a parent relax a bit and it never hurts to learn it as soon as you child can retain that information.

Telephone toys

are a great tool in helping a child retain that information. Letting them see the numbers and play on them helps for the child who is visual. Hearing the button sounds and how they associate with the numbers helps the child that is auditory. The action of pushing the numbers helps the child who is kinesthetic.

Telephone toys

can help all that happen without calling folks you didn't mean to call. Now in most cities you have to know the area code in addition to the 7 numbers of your phone number, so a little extra practice never hurts. It is a long number to remember for adults sometimes. So giving a child all different types of learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic will help make that number memorable.

This is a great

telephone toy

because it even allows the children to program in numbers and record messages. The children can write the numbers, which is a great skill to practice, on the notepad. You can also teach your children phone etiquette and how to call 911. Remember that even if you have an old cell phone that doesn't work any more and has your SIM card removed - 911 still works if the battery is in it. So be sure and teach that skill on a telephone toy instead of your cell or real phone.

In my preschool class I bring in

telephone toys

and you would be amazed at how much they love to play on them. I give the children numbers to call by writing them on a piece of paper. It is a great way to match the numbers. You can also take it up a notch and give them a number on a piece of paper to dial a few times and then cross one number out that so they can not see it anymore. See if they can remember it. :) Have fun with this and even do it with more numbers each time.

As with most preschool educational toys, you don't "see" them learning or you may not see immediate results, but give them the right toys and a little guidance and you will be amazed when it does click one day. And most likely it will click in the right situation. Children always rise to the occasion!