We have all been down the bath toy aisles at the store, and if you haven't, now is the time to start! Bath time is a great way to incorporate learning while having fun. For educational bath toys we purchased both letters and numbers. I chose to work on the numbers 0-9 first. The numbers were convenient for me since its only ten numbers verses twenty-six letters. Starting with so many letters can feel crazy overwhelming at the beginning for them and for a parent as well. Remember Parents, this has to be fun for you too; if it’s not, then it won’t be for them either. I suggest you start introducing no more than two numbers at a time. While in the tub, I place the two numbers on one side of the tub. Once my child can recognize a number then they can move it to the other side of the tub. This is a great way to motivate them because it’s a visual for them of the numbers they have mastered. This allows them to take ownership of their learning while also understanding the concept of having learned that number. Once my child can identify the two numbers, I simply add a new consecutive number. You will find that it may take them a day to learn two number and possibly numerous days to learn other numbers. It’s crucial that you go at their pace of learning. It’s also extremely important to give them lots of positive praise and big smiles once they move a number to the other side of the tub. This lets them know they have done well and it makes it a lot of fun for them to continue learning the rest of the numbers. There are many types of games you can play with these toys to help them learn several different skills such as: memory, spelling, counting, etc. Consistency is key to every child's learning environment. The more time you put in, the more progress you will see them make. To aid you in being consistent, set goals. Ex: to recognize 4 numbers without assistance in 3 weeks. The goals should be made with their pace of learning in mind. No goal is to small... just make it fun!
What bathtime learning activities do you use? Leave a comment.
