Reading with children
a blog by Magic Tales
Crafting Your Own Stories: A Fun Approach to Learning Numbers
Learning numbers is an essential element in a child's early education. However, a child may ask, 'Why should I learn numbers?' or 'What's the fun in that?' To answer this begs a necessary twist in the traditional methods of teaching - crafting your own stories. This approach engages children's imagination and learning capacity, significantly improving their numeric skills.
How is it done?
Crafting a story plays a crucial role in teaching children numbers and basic arithmetic. For example, instead of asking 'What's 2 plus 2?', frame it as, 'If you have 2 apples and your friend gives you 2 more, how many apples will you have?' This not only makes the learning process enjoyable but also shows the practical application of numbers in everyday life.
The narrative aspect is crucial here. Set a character, plot, and dialogue which will make the concepts more appealing. Using familiar contexts can work wonders in making the child grasp the idea more profoundly.
It's also possible to choose pretext from pre-existing children's books that already contain some element of numeracy in them. Reading such books to children and then asking them relevant questions to promote a deeper understanding of the story and the extension of numeric cognition wrapped within it.
Infusing numbers in storyline can be done in innovative ways. Let's say there is a character in the story that loves to bake. She bakes 5 pies a day, but she only has a big enough oven to bake 3 at a time. This raises the question, 'How many times does she need to use the oven to bake all the pies?' Mathematics, through this process, becomes a tool to advance the narrative.
A fun and vibrant approach will ensure that children find joy in learning numbers. In this respect, numbers are not just abstract matters to be dealt with in school but become significant elements of our daily lives.
Finally, parents and educators need to remember: there is no hard and fast rule about how you present these stories. Experiment, add a dash of fun, and see the wonders that unfold in your child’s learning journey.
Crafting stories thus works as a magical tool in unraveling the mysteries of numbers in a fun-filled way. So why wait? It's time to craft your own stories and teach number learning like never before!
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