Telephone Basics
Learning to use a phone
Instructions
- Show a child a telephone and share the basics - where to talk into the phone, how to hold a phone to hear, buttons to push to make a call or numbers to dial on a rotary phone, etc.
- Locate and count the phones in your home - landline and mobile phones
- Ask the child to tell you some of the uses of phone (for example, to keep in contact with family members and friends, to get help in an emergency, to use for work purposes, etc.)
- Play the game "Telephone" when you have three or more players. Everyone sits in a circle and the first person begins by whispering a word in the player's ear to his right. That player then whispers the word he heard to the player on his right. Continue around the circle until everyone has whispered the word. The last person says the word out loud. See if the word is the same that was started by the first player. Talk about how important it is to listen.
Simplify
Have an imaginary phone conversation with the child. The adult can be the caller and asks to speak with the child. Use toy phones or old phones to help with role-playing. Next, let the child initiate the pretend phone call. Encourage the child to lead the phone conversation.
Extend
Write the child's phone number - using area code and the hyphen on a strip of paper. Have a number spinner from 0 to 9 and ten types of markers (pennies, raisins, etc.) Let the child spin and say the number aloud where the arrow stops. If that number is part of his phone number, place a marker on the number. Continue spinning until the phone number is complete with markers.
QUESTIONS FOR CHILD
If you needed to contact your mom or dad and had to use a phone, what number would you call?
How would you get help in an emergency in your home, in a car, on a walk, in the pool, etc?
Materials
- telephone/cell phone
Share This Activity
Curriculum Plan Resources
Skills Focus
- Shape - Heart
- Color - Review
- Number - Six, 6
- Alphabet Letters - H, P
- Senses - Hearing
- Character Trait - Honesty
- Target Words - Good-by, Many, Match, Why
Monthly Proverb
If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.
Did You Know?
"Children with below average language skills can make rapid improvements if their parents take simple steps to change the way they interact with them." University of Sydney
Books to Read
"Museum ABC"
by Metropolitan Museum of Art (Activity 11)
"My Very First Book of Shapes"
by Eric Carle (Activity 2)
"Big Red Barn"
by Margaret Wise Brown (Activity 8)
"My Very First Book of Shapes" VIDEO
by Eric Carle (Activity 2)
"Big Red Barn" VIDEO
by Margaret Wise Brown (Activity 8)
"Museum ABC" VIDEO
by Metropolitan Museum of Art (Activity 11)
Music Playlist
"Old MacDonald Had a Farm"
by Countdown Kids Album 100 All Time Children’s Favorites (Activity 10)
"SalveRegina - Antiphona (tonus monasticus) in Honorem Beatae Mariae Virginias"
Album Salve Regina Gregorian Chant by Benedictine Monks of the Abby of Saint-Maurice & Saint-Maur, Clervaux (Activity 21)
"You’ll Be In My Heart"
by Phil Collins Album Tarzan (Movie Soundtrack) (Activity 18)
"Old MacDonald Had a Farm" VIDEO
by Countdown Kids 100 Silly Songs (Activity 10)
'SalveRegina - Antiphona (tonus monasticus) in Honorem Beatae Mariae Virginias" VIDEO
by Benedictine Monks of the Abby of Saint-Maurice and Saint -Maur, Clervaux (Activity 21)
"You'll Be In My Heart" VIDEO
by Phil Collins Tarzan Movie Soundtrack (Activity 18)
Monthly Materials List
Click Here to view the list!
Fingerplay / Poems / Songs
Up Down Turn Around
(Activity 14 Month 8)
Up, down
Turn around.
Touch the sky,
And touch the ground.
Wiggle fingers
Wiggle toes
Wiggle shoulders
And say "hello"
Up, down
Turn around
Touch the sky,
And touch the ground.
Pat your belly
Blink your eyes,
Blow a kiss,
And say “good-bye “
I Need To Be Honest
(Activity 13 Month 8)
I need to be honest
My mom and dad say
And telling the truth
Is just one way!
Why be honest
I ask mom and dad.
You will feel your best
When the truth is always said.