How to Teach Children Number Recognition

Children as toddlers are in the phase of informal learning which is easier than the formal school learning because it happens automatically along with play and fun. You can teach her numbers through daily informal conversation which will be easy to grasp.

Toddlers are aware of the happenings in the surroundings as they are excellent observers and their minds are so sharp that they learn things quite fast. You can enhance this ability by planning your child's activities.

But, make sure that the routine remains informal for her, she must be enjoying it like her daily activities. It should be a planned activity only for the parents.

Numbers are everywhere around so your task won't be much difficult. You just have to keep pointing them out to your child and ask her to do the same. Observe your child during the playtime. She begins to address numbers related to the objects with which she plays. You just have to encourage her in identifying them correctly.

You can play the number game anywhere anytime with your child. Make bubbles in the bathtub and ask her to count or let her count the number of fingers while washing them. You can also create a scene of a market place and teach number recognition through a conversation between the shopkeeper and the customer.

Assign the character of shop keeper to the child and you be the customer. Arrange a few countable items on the counter and ask for a certain number out of them. If the child does a mistake in giving the correct number of items, correct her with soft words and motivate her for further activity.

Counting more and more improves number recognition. A toddler stays with the toys for maximum time. There is a lot of scope to expose your child to numbers through toys. Buy as much number toys for her as possible.

The more the child sees numbers the better and faster will be the recognition. Objects like phones, remote controls, blocks, magnetic numbers, etc., can be preferable toys for number recognition. Monitor the child while playing and occasionally point out numbers and motivate the child to name them.

Children often enjoy imitating elders and doing things like them. Take help from your child in sorting out the grocery that you have just bought. Ask her to separate all the tomatoes from the stock. As she begins to find and separate them, you count them for her and she will automatically repeat after you.

This is a tactile method used for number recognition. Every week parents teach the child to form a number out of the clay. The child takes it as a fun activity and learns a particular number while playing. Keep naming that number constantly to reinforce the recognition. Make sure that you are using a non toxic children clay because children tend to put their fingers in the mouth or smell the clay or their hands during the activity or after, without washing their hands.

Paint the walls, the door and the floor with numbers. If you want to decorate the room on temporary basis, use big posters painted with numbers and paste them on the wall. You can arrange a game as well using the numbers painted on the floor. You can say a number and ask the child to hop on it. She will enjoy it as a game and you will be satisfied for completing your task.

There are n number of nursery rhymes that have numbers. Play on the rhyme and start singing it. The child will enjoy the rhythm and she will also try to sing it. Performing actions with the song like showing the numbers using hands and counting them will enhance learning.

These are a few ideas to teach your child number recognition which will be the basic step in teaching mathematics to your child. Be patient, teach your child with love and see the progress she makes with the informal learning.