Ten Creative Ways to Teach Your Child Numbers

Ten Creative Ways to Teach Your Child Numbers

 

1. Count items around the house

Gather up items around your house such as buttons, pencils, paper clips, etc. Put them in stacks and count
them with your child

2.Play Hopscotch

Use chalk and draw a hopscotch game outside. Make sure to say the numbers out loud as you play.

3. Play "Go Fish"

Play "Go Fish" with a deck of playing cards. You can take out the face cards to play. Kids love playing
games. This one is a lot of fun and they will be learning at the same
time.

4. Cook with your kids

Include your child when you cook. Have him count the cups of milk, the tablespoons of margarine, or the eggs
when you cook. Show him the recipe as you cook so he can follow along

5. Read counting books

Check out counting books from the library. Read counting books to your child. Have him practice counting
as you read the book.

6. Have a treasure hunt

Fold up ten pieces of paper. On each piece of paper draw a number of items. For example, draw one
fish, two triangles, or three apples. Also write a clue on the paper telling
where to find the next number "clue". Start the game with number one and end
with the number ten. Have your child count the items on the page before you read
the clue.

7. Play a telephone game

Using a toy telephone and a telephone book, have your child call an order a pizza. Help him read the number and press the numbers on the phone. You can also call the florist and have
flowers delivered. Let your child use his imagination.

8. Play board games

Play board games with your child like Monopoly. Let him be in charge of rolling the dice. Have him count the dots on the dice and then have him move the piece as he counts.

9. Make a counting book

You can purchase a blank book at an educational supply store or make your own with construction paper and
a three-hole punch. On each page have your child draw or trace a number. Have
him draw items such as balls, worms, or smiley faces to correspond with the
number. Make pages for one to ten or one to twenty if your child is older.

10. Play an "I spy" game

Take turns playing "I spy". Look around your room and say, "I spy something we have two of (or three of)..." It could be speakers for your stereo, cushions on the couch or pictures on the
wall, or anything you can count.

technology: learn and listening

When it comes to teachers learning and valuing the effective use of new technologies, some schools are discovering that the kinds of training programs offered in the past may not represent the most generative method of reaching a full range of teachers and their students. The key term is "generative" - meaning that behaviors and daily practice will be changed for the better as a consequence of the professional development experience.
Fortunately, some schools are now identifying approaches more likely to encourage teachers to employ these technologies on a frequent and sustained basis to enhance student learning.

Lead districts are finding that adult learning, curriculum development projects and informal support structures are proving powerful in promoting recurrent use aimed at deep curriculum integration.
After two decades of providing software classes to teachers, we need to explore different approaches — those honoring key principles of adult learning while placing both curriculum and literacy ahead of software and technology.

As will be explained later, adult learning strategies are fundamentally different from training strategies and usually more promising because they are tailored to the learning styles, preferences and needs of teachers in ways more likely to win their commitment than the approach more typical of training models.
In some places, eager planners have "put the cart before the horse" - emphasizing the purchase and installation of equipment without providing sufficient funding for the staff learning required to win a reasonable return on the huge investments being made.
many schools, the failure to fund and design robust professional development leads to "the screensavers’ disease" — the educational equivalent of an accountant’s red ink — as hundreds of computers sit idly glowing throughout the day and the district’s investment proves a huge waste of funds.
This challenge should be about using new tools to help students master the key concepts and skills embedded in the science, social studies, art and other curriculum standards. It is not so much about powerpointing, spreadsheeting or word processing. The focus should be on teaching and learning strategies that make a difference in daily practice — on activities translating into stronger student performance. As a result of these practices and the use of these new tools, students should be able to . . .

• read, reason and write more powerfully
• communicate productively with members of a global community
• conduct thoughtful research into the important questions, choices and issues of their times
• make sense of a confusing world and a swelling tide of information
• perform well on the new, more demanding state tests requiring inferential reasoning 
•  
•  
•  
•  

How, When and Where Stimulate?

Give your child activities, experiences or stimulation games that promote his/her development. Remember that games vary according to age, progress in behavior, necessities and interest.
Look for a relaxed atmosphere with sufficient space, preferably with natural light, decorated with simplicity, clean, and tidy.
Before beginning the exercises, you should select the most attractive  

MATERIALS: different shapes, different colors, washables, resistant and easy handling for the baby's hands so he/she can grab them, suck, throw and later on pass the objects from one hand to the other.  

REMEMBER: do not use brittle, toxic or sharp objects and plastic bags. The selected toys should be given to the child one by one, alternating them in order to make each one a novelty. 

The person in charge of taking care of a baby must show a calm demeanor and interest in the baby. They should appear happy and motivated. Remember that babies can perceive people's mood and reaction.
The ideal MOMENT for the stimulation games is when the baby is awake, calm, alert and healthy. Take advantage of moments such as during bath time, feeding or when the baby is playing. These tend to be the best moments to stimulate your child.
The core idea is to use the daily routines and transform them in play situations that the child and you enjoy. Always remember that we are stimulating the baby's intelligence and capacities through love. 

 

GAMES

GAMES 

 

 

playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors (where it may be called a tot lot in some regions.

 

Modern playgrounds often have recreational equipment such as the see-saw, merry-go-round, swingset, slide, jungle gym, chin-up bars,sandbox, spring rider, monkey bars, overhead ladder, trapeze rings, playhouses, and mazes, many of which help children develop physical coordination, strength, and flexibility, as well as providing recreation and enjoyment. Common in modern playgrounds are "play structures" that link many different pieces of equipment.

Playgrounds often also have facilities for playing informal games of adult sports, such as a baseball, adiamond, a skating arena, a basketballcourt, or a tether ball.

"Public" playground equipment refers to equipment intended for use in the play areas of parks, schools, child care facilities, institutions, multiple family dwellings, restaurants, resorts, and recreational developments, and other areas of public use.

A type of playground called a playscape is designed to provide a safe environment for play in a natural setting.

 

 

Recognizing the need for such, former President Theodore Roosevelt stated in 1907:

City streets are unsatisfactory playgrounds for children because of the danger, because most good games are against the law, because they are too hot in summer, and because in crowded sections of the city they are apt to be schools of crime. Neither do small back yards nor ornamental grass plots meet the needs of any but the very small children. Older children who would play vigorous games must have places especially set aside for them; and, since play is a fundamental need, playgrounds should be provided for every child as much as schools. This means that they must be distributed over the cities in such a way as to be within walking distance of every boy and girl, as most children can not afford to pay carfare.

The jungle gym, monkey bars, or climbing frame, is a piece of playground equipment made of many pieces of material, such asmetal pipe or rope, on which children can climb, hang, or sit. The monkey bar designation refers to the rambunctious, climbing play ofmonkeys.

 

 

Gross and fine motor development from 13 to 24 month

It is very important to recognize what a toodler should be doing at a certain age, like his of her motor skills month by month, so if there is something missing we must take the baby or toodler to an specialist and start an early intervention that can help him to achieve his goals in life. Like I wrote about the first 12 months now I'm going to explain a little about the second 12 months.

The thirteen month:
Gross motor:
-Stoops to pick up an object from floor while holding on with one hand.
-Climbs on a low ledge or step.
-Backs downs stairs and slides down from one step to the next.
-Dislikes all forms of restraint.
-Can stand alone without support for at least 5 seconds.
-Sits down from a free standing position.
-Moves to rhythms.
-Walks in a side-step pattern along furniture.

Fine motor:
-Can grasp 2 cubes in one hand.
-Uses index finger to point.
-Removes small objects from a cup.
-Drops toys and watches them fall.
-Builds tower of 2 cubes.
-Puts 3 or more cubes in cup.
-neat pincer grasp of raisin, using thumb and index finger.
-Pokes, bangs, pulls, turns and twists everything within reach.

 

The fourteen month;
Gross motor:
-Stands alone.
-Kneels on floor or chair.
-Crawls over low barrier.
-Creeps like a bear, hands and soles of both feet in contact with floor.
-Able to start and stop when walking, with equidistant alternation of feet.
-Stoops and recovers toys from floor.

Fine motor:
-Can pick up and hold 2 small objects in one hand (cubes, spools)
-Can hold 4 cubes in hands at one time.
-Piles 2-3 cubes.
-Voluntarily releases and goes after object.
-Reaches for object by smooth, continuous movement with no spatial error.

The fifteen month:
Gross Motor:
-Climbs upstairs on hands and knees.
-Sits on a small chairs for short periods.
-Walks a few steps sideways and backward.
-Picks up object from a standing position and flings it.
-Can climb on chairs, sofas, tables.
-May climb out of crib, high chair or stroller.
-Has discarted creeping.
-Is ceaselessly active- starting, stopping, starting again, climbing and clambering.
-Uses rapid "running-like"walk.
-Throws ball standing or sitting: extends arm at elbow joint.

Fine Motor:
-Puts a pullet in a bottle and then pours it out.
-Can open a small, hinged box.
-Tries to turn doorknob.
-Wants to hold and carry something in aech hand.

 

The sixteen month:
Gross motor:
-Trots about well; rarely falls.
-Can walk sideways (does so while pulling a pull toy)
-Hurls ball without falling.
-Tries to take steps on a walking board.
-Climbs and descends stairs with help.
-Attempts to kick a ball, but steps on the ball instead.
-Stands on right foot with help.
-Activaly uses arms, legs, and all parts of the body.
-Tries to walk on tiptoe.
-Squats down smoothly.
-Seats self on a chair.
-Recovers standing position after stooping.

Fine motor:
-Builds tower of 2-3 cubes.
-Turns pages of a book a few at a time.
-Scribbles in imitation.
-Can put round block in formboard.
-puts beads in box.

 

The seventeeth month:
Gross motor:
-Stoops and recovers.
-Tries to stand on a walking board.
-Likes to lug, tug, and drag things.
-Phisically venturesome.
-Can walk upstairs with one hand held.
-Rejects baby carriage.
-Can stand on right or left foot, holding on.
-Constantly testing own strength -how big a box she or he can pick up or push, etc.

Fine motor:
-Builds tower of 3-4 cubes.
-Begins to show hand preference.
-Has difficulty in coordinating hands and feet.
-Hands not agile at wrists.

The eighteen month:
Gross motor:
-Onset of creeping backward downstairs.
-Picks up toy from floor without falling.
-Moves chairs to cabinet and tries to climb.
-Tries to climb out of crib.
-Walks fast; seldom falls.
-Can climb into adult chair and seat self by turning around.
-Uses whole- arm movement in ball play.
-Walks with one foot on walking board.
-Jumps off floor with both feet.
-Walks into ball; not able yet to make definite kicking motion.

Fine motor:
-Dumps raisin from bottle spontaneously.
-Turns pages of a book, 2 or 3 at once.
-Shows hand preference.
-Builds a tower of 3-4 cubes.
-Scribbles a circular stroke.
-Turns knob of radio or tv.

 

The nineteen month:
Gross motor:
-Walks up and down stairs, with help.
-Squats from standing position tp pick objects up from floor.
-Walks with one foot on 2"wide walking board, one foot on and one foot off.
-Can pick large ball on ground without stepping on the ball.
-Climbs up onto everything.
-Likes to move to music.
-Runs without falling too frequently.
-Can stand on either foot, holding on.
-Pushes, pulls, throws, and carries objects while walking.
-Walks sideways without crossing feet.

Fine motor:
-Fully developed grasp, prehension, and release.
-Builds tower of 3-4 cubes.
-Holds 2 objects in one hand.
-Holds container with one hand, releases small object into container with one hand, and then dumps out.

 

The twentieth month:
Groos motor:
-Jumps forward.
-Runs.
-Walks up and down stairs, one hand held.
-Seats self on a small chair by sliding onto it.
-Hands from bar grasping with hands.
-Kicks ball forward.
-Picks up object from floor without falling.
-Pushes and pulls around floor large toys, boxes, etc.

Fine motor:
-Makes tower of 4-5 cubes.
-Can throw a small rubber ball.
-Fits related objects together appropriately by releasing, pressing, turning (ring onto pole, peg into hole, nestling etc.)
_Can put lid on oblong box.

The twenty-first month:
Gross motor:
-Walks up stairs, holding rail with both feet on one step.
-Walks down stairs, one hand held.
-Gets onto and down from adult chair unaided.
-Kicks large ball in forward direction.
-Squats in play.
-Walks with one foot on walking board.
-Stands on either foot, holding on.
-Loves to jump, run, throw, and climb.
-Rhythmic response to music with whole body.
-Throws ball overhand.
-Jumps in place.

Fine motor:
-Makes tower of 5-6 cubes.
-Can fold a piece of paper once imitatively.
-Uses one hand more than the other.

 

The twenty-second month:
Gross motor:
-Experiments with various kinds of large-muscle activities involving thrust or acceleration.
-Jumps with both feet off the bottom step or staircase.
-Goes quite easily from standing to running.
-Walks up stairs and down stairs, holding on, both feet on each step.
-Pedals small tricycle.
-Pushes and pulls large toys, boxes, etc. , around floor.
-Can quickly alternate between sitting and standing.
-Can kick a large ball without falling.

Fine motor:
-Builds tower of 6 or more cubes.
-Is beginning to learn to put pop-it beads together.
Can string several large beads.

 

The twenty-third month:
Gross Motor:
-Can seat self at table.
-Can throw a ball into a basket.
-Walks up and down stairs alone, both feet on one step at a time, holding onto railing.
-Bands at waist to pick up something off floor without falling.
-Tries to stand on tiptoe imitatively.
-Runs fairly well.
-Throws object overhand instead of tossing.
-Usually runs when moving from one place to another; runs rather than walks.
-Squats on floor.
-Jumps in place.
-Pedals small tricycle.
-Climbs out of crib.
-Stands on walking board with both feet.

Fine motor:
-Can make a train of 3 or more cubes.
-Strings beads together.
-A little more adept at joining pop-it beads together.
-Builds tower of 6 or more cubes.

The twenty-four month:
Gross Motor:
-Visually monitors walking, watching placement of feet in order to be able to deal with obstacles in path by avoiding them.
-Runs, but generally lacks ability to start efficiently or stop quickly.
-Jumps crudely with 2 foot takeoff.
-Walking rhythm stabilizes and becomes even.
-Goes up and down stairs alone without alternating feet.
-Can walk appoximately on line.
-Likes to walk on low walls with one hand held.
-Can walk a few steps on tiptoe.
-Can be trusted alone on stairs.
-Can walk backwards 10 feet.
-Can quickly alternate between sitting and standing.
-Tries to balance self on either foot, not yet succesfully.
-Is sturdy on feet; less likely to fall.
-Still geared to gross-motor activity.

Fine motor:
-Turns pages of a book, one at a time.
-Manipulates more freely with one hand; alternates from one hand to the other.
-Has fully developed right or left handedness.
-Increased smoothness of coordination in fine motor movements.