It’s Summer, and if you are like most parents, safety is on your mind. There are many things to be extra aware of this time of year, such as: pool safety, sun protection, and hot car precautions. These are all paramount to children’s safety, but I want to add to it by introducing a simple and fun safety measure that you can start with your toddlers… the Phone Number Song! As many of you travel or take your children to various outings, your child wandering off or losing sight of you can be quite scary, for both child and parent. There are approximately 800,000 reported missing children in the U.S. every year, so we must do what we can to protect our children by providing them with the resources they need to be found! In case of this emergency, the Phone Number Song is an easy way for children to memorize the information they need to help a grown-up contact you. Here is a sample, sung to the tune of Frere Jacques:

Reinforcers to this activity can also be fun for families. Here are a few ideas to help your children memorize your name, address and phone number:

1. Use an abacus to represent your number from top to bottom.

2. Use flash cards to write out parts of your address and then put them in order.

3. Have children practice introducing you by name.

4. Conduct trial runs dialing your number from someone else’s phone. When you answer on the other line, say, “Hello! This is (insert your name here)!”

5. Send a letter to a family member and have your child practice writing your return address.

6. Make a mailbox out of a shoe box to practice sending letters to anyone they imagine!

7. Create a phone book that they can fill in and decorate.

8. Phone number hop scotch. Print out your phone number, one by one, and place them on the floor to hop scotch upon!

9. *Place a button on your child’s shirt with your name and phone number on the back side. (*This is helpful for young children who are visiting high capacity public places but have not yet memorized your information.)

It is imperative that children know your name, phone number and address so they are equipped to find you should they ever lose their way. As Crème’s VP of Education and as a mother of two young boys, it is my responsibility to equip my own children with these skills, and to share with you crucial information that may someday come in handy for yours!

Be safe!

Dr. Masek

Vice President of Education
Crème de la Crème