Teaching Address and Phone Number

Phone Number

It is very important that your child can repeat his phone number.  Setting the number to a song will help make sense of the numbers.  There are two songs can be used.  First write out the phone number so that the child can see the progression.  Point to each number as you sing the song.

Tune:  Do You Know the Muffin Man
Do you know your phone number
Your phone number
Your phone number
Do you know your phone number
123-555-1234

Tune:  Camptown Ladies
555-1234
Fred's phone number
555-1234
That is Fred's number.

Tune:  Where is Thumbkin?  or Are You Sleeping?
Allow the child to sing the echo. 
123, 123
555, 555
1234, 1234
Call my mom, call my mom.
shared by amber

Tune:  The Farmer in the Dell
1-2-3
4-5-6
7-8-9-9
That's how I call my mama!
shared by sherryl

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
555-1234
555-1234
555-1234
555-1234
555-1234
I can say my phone number for you

Learn Your Address

Just as with the phone number, it is important for a child to know their address.  Once again, setting your address to a song will help a child remember these non-sense words. 

Tune:  The Muffin Man
3527 West Purple Road
West Purple Road
West Purple Road
3527 West Purple Road
That's where Fred lives

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
3527 West Purple Road
3527 West Purple Road
3527 West Purple Road
3527 West Purple Road
3527 West Purple Road
I can say my address for you

Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney is a wonderful book to help your child understand her address.  Learning can be taken a step further by recreating the sequence starting with your child's room moving all of the way up to the world map.  Click for more Me on the Map ideas.

Postal System
Discuss the mailing system and the importance of your address.  Here are a few ideas:  Walk to the mailbox and watch for the postman.  Look at various items from the mail.  Look on a map.  Google earth is really cool.  Have your child send himself a letter through the USPS.

Calling 911
Children need to know how to get a hold of the police department, fire department, and hospital in case of an emergency.  Now that the child can recite his phone number and address, the child is ready to practice contacting 911.  Have the child dial a play phone and tell the "dispatcher" his name, the emergency, and the address of his home.  This is also the time to discuss what denotes an emergency and that 911 is never to be called for any other reason that a true emergency.  Also, as a family conduct a practice fire drill.  Discuss a meeting place outside the home.

Make Tin Can or Paper Cup Phones
Supplies:  two tin cans with the tops removed (make sure no sharp edges remain) or two paper cups, a nail, a hammer, string, various decorations

Directions:
1. Decorate each tin can or cup.
2. Turn both cans/cups upside down. In the center of each can/cup, hammer/push a nail through the bottom to make a hole. Remove the nail.
3. Poke one end of the string through the bottom of one can/cup.  Make a knot on the inside. Repeat with the other end of string in the other can/cup.
4. Have each person take a can/cup and move apart until the string is taut.
5. One child places the can/cup to his ear while the other person talks directly into the other can/cup. The sound will travel over the “wire.”

How does this work? As you speak, your voice produces vibrations. If the string is stretched tight enough, vibrations will travel down the string causing the bottom of the can/cup to vibrate.  This causes the air inside the can/cup to vibrate.  These vibrations travel through the air to the person’s ear to create sound.  (Source HowStuffWorks.com)

Send Thank you, Birthday, or Christmas Card
Have your child assist you with the card by helping to sign her name and telling you her address.  Demonstrate the proper way to address and stamp a card.

 On the My Home worksheet, help the child write his phone number and address on the house.  Have the child draw a picture of himself in the doorway.

Be the Example
The greatest teacher that you child has when it comes to phone etiquette is you.  Children watch how you handle phone solicitors, phone calls during family time, and cell phone etiquette while driving, in crowds, and at home.  Teach phone etiquette with your future teenager in mind!

• Using a magazine or newspaper, find and cut out the letters in the child's name and glue onto a sheet of paper.

• Aqua Doodle and Magna Doodle are great fun to practice writing.

• Help the child look up their phone number and address in a phone book.

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