Sunday, November 11, 2012

How to Teach Colors, Shapes, Numbers and the Alphabet To A 2-Year-Old .



In this months unit we are focusing these areas:
Hearing and recognizing ABCs in Print not signing. 
Hearing , Recognizing and Finger signing the numbers 1-5 or numbers 1-10 
Signing the primary colors along with Grey, Pink  Black, Brown and White. 
PlayingShape Games.
With these different goals in mind I will be using puzzles, painting , singing and dancing games to help establish a sense of just what these are.
Please keep in mind that they are 2 and their fingers are just getting the hang of signing , listening and then doing, cleaning up and standing still. I am impressed with our group. 
This lesson today Monday November 12th  is all about colors, and shapes. 
A fun thing to do is look for objects in magazines and glue them on cardboard and make your own signing flash cards. 
Most people have cameras on their phone. You can photograph your hands signing a sign and then find the sing in a magazine and glue it next to the sign or on the other side.
Paper plants and Index Cards are great for teaching colors and shapes .
You can make two of every color and shape and put in card in different places in the room and go on a treasure hunt with the stack of the other cards. Kids love to look for things.
It is fun and they learn.
What is that? You sing .. Where is Red. or where is the square.
Then you can find things that have those same shapes and colors in books and in real life too.

There are a lot of games you can do with this such as matching games .. they can watch you play this with them for a while and in no time they will be trying it with you.
At this point they are not putting everything in their mouths anymore so they are really ready to start simple copying games , and echo songs...
Try this at home. 
I am sending a new list of words next week.
For now check this out 

Keep signing with your child the ABC song 
Here is a link for that as well 

It is very important to remember to have fun and when you see your child loose interest.. Immediately do something else.. Do not burn them or your self out on signing ABC's or even counting. Just do it with them like a fun game. It will eventually come. 

On another note, keep signing and singing the signs we have been working on.
I will have your vocabulary lists updated by next week and you can use this all through November and December
In the meantime ... make a list of all the signs you already know.
Animal signs, sings around the house, Family and friends, manners , food and clothing. Along with colors , numbers and slowing introducing ABC's we have a great group of words to start communicating with. 
Ready.. OK lets go ! 

See You in Class 
Hugs
Miss M

How to Teach Colors to a 2-Year-Old
By Michelle Johnson, eHow Contributor


Online toddler games make learning colors fun.
According to developmental psychologist Judith Hudson, toddlers begin noticing colors around 18 months, the same period when they also start recognizing different sizes, textures and shapes. But even though a 2-year-old may recognize differences between colors, he may not know the names of the colors yet or have the vocabulary to say a color's name. By teaching him about colors in a fun, low-pressure way, you can help encourage the natural interest he has in colors at this age.
    Instructions
    • 1
      Point out colors you see in your daily life. When you get your daughter dressed, say, "I'm putting your pretty pink shirt on you." Offer her two different colored cups and ask if she would like the red or green one. Mention the colors of cars, flowers and houses you see while taking a walk. You don't need to bring up colors constantly, but finding ways to naturally work the names of colors into conversations with your 2-year-old can help her start matching a color with its name.

    • 2
      Buy some children's books intended to teach toddlers about colors. As you read, point out all the red or green or purple images on the pages. Even when you read books that aren't specifically about colors, talk about the colors you see in the pictures.

    • 3
    • Play color games. While sorting laundry together, pick up a pink sock and ask her to find the sock that matches it. Choose a "color of the day" and spend the day looking for all the items of that color you can find. Buy tablets that you put in the bathtub to change the color of the water. Mix red and blue or blue and yellow tablets and talk about the new colors the tablets make.

    • 4
      Ask questions about colors while your toddler is playing or while you are going about your day. Start by asking your toddler to point to the blue ball or to pick up the yellow block. When you think he may know specific names, show him a shirt or toy truck and ask him what color it is.

    • 5
      Help your 2-year-old play an educational computer game that teaches colors. Choose a game with one of her favorite characters, if possible. Games are often more fun than the old-fashioned method of using flashcards, and toddlers enjoy being "grown up" and working on the computer like Mom or Dad. Many educational games are also specifically designed to attract toddlers, hold their interest and help them quickly and easily learn new concepts.


 found the following worked for us, but we started this much earlier (when DS was around 1).  Find a toy or a shape that your child likes the most (I used teddy bear cut outs) and make large (8x11) flash cards (with one large teddy bear on it).  Then twice a day work with them for 5 seconds per card. Then re-inforce throughout the day as part of normal conversation (like let's put the brown shoes on or look at your red socks, etc).  

When will my 2-year-old know his colors?

developmental psychologist
Your child's ability to recognize different colors heats up at around 18 months, the same time he begins to notice similarities and differences in shape, size, and texture. But it will be a while longer before he's able to name the colors; most children can name at least one color by age 3. In the meantime, though, he'll love to practice, adding new colors to his mental palette. And he may surprise you by knowing and identifying colors even if he can't name them verbally. When you're out doing errands together, play pointing and matching games. Say, "I see a red flower," and wait before pointing to it to see if he points first. If he's wearing a blue shirt, ask him if he sees anything else around him the same color. Two-year-olds love looking at picture books of objects organized by shape and color. Start by asking him to identify things nonverbally. Say, "Can you show me the red square?" and let him point to it. As he begins to learn the names of the colors, you can reverse the game, pointing to objects yourself and asking, "What color is this triangle?" Either way, he'll delight in showing off his knowledge. When he's wrong, just say the correct name of the color in an encouraging tone.

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