Ideas for fun ways to learn counting/numbers & letters

[Spookgremlin]

That gives the opportunity to get more familiar with it all without the pressure of answering questions and having to 'get it right'?

My ds is 3.5 and has great vocab, enjoys making up stories and learning abstract ideas like why such and such happens, cause and effect etc but is not so good at picking something up 'by rote'. He won't answer number or letter questions even when he knows the answer (say at preschool) though he is very forthcoming if he is sure.

I know it will come with time but just wondering how I can build up his confidence with recognising numbers and letters but just by incorporating them in a really playful way as that's how he gets things best.

Does anyone have any ideas for games or play for indirect learning of these things that I mightn't have thought of? Obviously we do puzzles and counting cars and apples at the supermarket, telling him words when he points them out but this is more recognition of the building blocks of those things I guess.

[Bootoyou2]

Orchard toys do some good counting games which my nearly 3 year old enjoys.

[ceeveebee]

We have those foam numbers and letters in the bath, they stick onto the tiles, and have really helped with recognition

[sillymillyb]

I sound like a terrible mother here, but DS watches loads of videos on youtube.... my favourite searches are: numbers for toddlers, counting for toddlers, shapes / letters / abc etc.

I back it up obviously with real life, but it worked really well for us as he just thought he was watching cartoons / songs.

[BlueChampagne]

In addition to the above, the V-tech phonics bus was popular with DS1.

[Bootoyou2]

Sillymilly we do that too on the iPad. She thinks it a treat to watch youtube alphabet songs etc! Only wish they were longer so I didn't need to get involved every 2 minutes ;)

[Spookgremlin]

Thanks for ideas, reassuring that everyone's doing similar type things!

Hadn't thought of ipad actually, he sometimes watches videos of trucks or animals and things on it, will look for alphabet and counting ones, thanks.

We did have bath letters but chucked them out when we moved, will replace as he might take them in more now.

Will check out orchard toys, we have the shopping ones and some jigsaws.

We actually have that vtech bus bootoyou2, but he has always just used it as a bus, will try and draw his attention to the letters. He's never responded that well to electronic toys which looks like it might be half the battle!

[BlueChampagne]

Numberjacks and Alphablocks on ipad?

[Spookgremlin]

He does love Numberjacks, again he gets very absorbed in the 'plot' and can repeat tons of dialogue, but doesn't seem to take in the number aspect

What's that one ds?

That's the blue one, she's a girl because she has eyelashes, she is on a mission to defeat the Spooky Spoon etc

Yes, but what number is she?

Number 4,5,16 20 mummy.

Think he might be winding me up will have a look on ceebeebies.

[Bootoyou2]

www.playdoughtoplato.com/2014/10/09/letter-tracing-roads/#_a5y_p=2607205

Saw this today and thought of your post!

[gutzgutz]

Had first parents evening for DS1 recently and teacher suggested a great idea for letters but it could equally work for numbers. Collect largish stones/ pebbles (beach ones are great but you could buy some if inland) and write a letter/number on it and then take a selection, say the sound/ number and DSIS has to tap on it with stick/ spatula/ finger.

Also try and find jolly phonics stage 2 on YouTube. Sings the letters in the way they are taught now with accompanying rhyme. Really effective, sticks in everyone's head!

Also, don't push it too much. DS has learnt so much in first half term of reception, I never thought he'd get it, but he is!

[Spookgremlin]

That looks great bootoyou2, just the sort of thing. Will print that out.

Thanks gutzgutz will look up the jolly phonics song, he likes videos with songs. Good idea to number things he would collect anyway, I think he would enjoy that more than being presented with numbered stuff.

Yes, absolutely won't push, they go at their own pace, just I started to worry I wasn't providing enough stuff around for when he was ready to pick it up and want it to be fun.