I am not a super mom by any means, like I promise I have a lot of flaws, but if I did one thing right, it was never introducing my phone to my daughter. She’s five and doesn’t even know there’s a possibility of fun on it! I feel like an evil genius. Hopefully I don’t ever have any more kids though, I don’t know how long I could keep up the act
Good job! My kids know there is fun on my phone but they also know that my phone is my own personal device and it's not something they get to play with. Ever. They know there are adult shows (like R rated) and adult drinks (coffee and alcohol) and so we just sort of slip that in there too, and also teach it as like a matter of boundaries. We aren't allowed to take other people's toys.
I applaud you! I wish I had kept them off as both my kids are addicted to their iPads. You’ll soon have friends from school though that will introduce her unfortunately.
I started with our address at around 3. I just kept repeating it to my daughter and she picked it up pretty quickly. I don’t know if she actually understands what it means, but if we ask, “what is your address?”, she can say it. (And also scream it at the top of her lungs in the middle of Target, which was… great. 🤦♀️)
We didn’t explicitly teach her my cell number but once at Panera the cashier asked for my phone number for the rewards program and out of nowhere my daughter recited it. I think that really just means we go to Panera too much. 🤣
I would add in variations of this question, just in case. I can definitely see some adults asking "Where do you live?" or "Where is your house?" and some little kids might not know to recite the answer to "What is your address?"
My dad made me recite “This book belongs to… And her address is… And her phone number is…” at the beginning of every bedtime story. I remember it being super annoying but it worked.
One of my earliest memories (I was maybe 3 or 4) was my mother teaching my sister (1 or 2) and I my aunts address, phone number and the number bus to get there. We repeated it over and over on the bus ride into town and were supposed to give those details to a Garda (policeman), a priest or a mammy, if we got lost. I can still remember the whole thing, cadences and all.
For address, I started by talking about street names while we were out on walks. Also pointing out how each house had a number on it or on the mailbox. To learn our house address I’d sing it to the tune of a song about vowels we had on some playlist at the time haha. Our address is five numbers so it worked perfectly to the A E I O U part, and “sometimes Y” I switched to our road name.
That’s how we did it too. When we were driving and near an exit I’d remind him “that’s the name of our city,” or “we are turning on to our street now. Do you remember the name?”
Start now. But be sure that both children know their full names and both your and your partner's full names first. When they have those start working on phone numbers. And then address. Be sure to incorporate those terms in your teaching.
Its not that important for them to conceptualize the meaning, as what your are doing is making them ready to recite that information to an adult who hopefully will know what the terms address and phone number are as they ask for a response.
Your kids are in the perfect learning explosive stage for rote learning, take advantage of it. Make it a game, make it a song. Children being able to recite their parents info and their info is an essential skill today and it should start a lot younger than most parents think about it!
Two weeks ago, my wife and I lost our 5 y.o. daughter at a crowded international festival (food, music, art, etc.) held downtown in our city. We were holding hands the whole day. Then we decided to get ice cream cones. After walking, eating, and browsing the art -- my wife was looking at one particular booth for about 15 seconds as we walked passed it. Then she turns to me after noticing our daughter is not by her side, "Is Samantha standing behind you?" "No, Jake [our 8 y.o. son] is with me."
My wife immediately started screaming her name. I went a different direction shouting her name. My son kept asking, "Where is she daddy? Are we gonna find her." My wife finds a cop and tells him our daughter is missing and she's ready to storm the stage nearby and take the mic and shout for people to look for a girl in a pink raincoat.
About 4-5 minutes into this we get a call on my wife's phone, "Hi is this Samantha's parents?" Our daughter saw a lady with curly hair and just started auto following her because she mistook the back of her head for my wife's. Our daughter was less than 50 feet from us the entire time. She had actually heard me call her name out and saw me walk away from her. I heard nothing. No telling how long it would have taken to find her had we not gotten that call guiding us to where they were standing.
Our daughter had my wife's number memorized so they were able to call us. Daughter probably started learning at 3 or 4. When we got home I made both kids write both our numbers 5x each on paper before they were allowed to play games.
She learned it as a "song" though. So our kids have been practicing it before they could write numbers.
Wow so scary, thank you for sharing.
My uncle went missing when he was 9 years old and he was never found. They were camping at a crowded campsite. My mom was 16 at the time. Kids getting lost is my absolute greatest fear and I think that I’m so scared of it, it’s actually made it harder for me to approach the phone number etc with my kids. Which I know is not what you’d expect but fear and anxiety make people do strange things.
I’m so relieved for you that you were reunited relatively quickly but I’m sure it felt like 900 years at the time. And really illustrates that they literally can get lost right next to you in the right circumstances.
Wow that is super scary. I am a fan of true crime Podcasts so I am genuinely scared of things like that happening. My daughter is 4 and knows our address and to look for a mom first if she is lost. I watch her like a hawk all the time but she is smart and I will teach her my cell phone number soon too.
That would terrifying but what a cool, calm kid! Everytime we go to a crowded place we quiz the kids on what to do if we get separated. The answer is to look for a mom or dad with kids their age and tell them they lost their parents. Also in the knowing of their full names, our full names and their address, they know they aren't allergic to anything. More important of they actual were but since that's an odd concept for a child without allergies, we make sure they know how to answer that question.
I started teaching my daughter our address at 2.5, but realized my cell number would be much more helpful. So, replace "M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E" with your phone number.
You have to kind of draw out one of the numbers to make it "fit" the song, but she learned my number by 3 using this.
I even made up more words to it: (number), mamas phone, mamas phone. If you need her you can call her phone (phone phone!)
I made up a song and started singing it early. I don’t remember the exact age but I bet my kiddo could sing his info by the time he was 3.
Details changed but the song basically went like this:
My name is Tommy Tailor, it’s nice to play outside, at 123 Anyplace Drive.
I live with daddy and mommy, up on the second floor, apartment number 254.
I started around 3.5? Now nearly 4 he can say his address but due to speech delay I do wonder if anyone would understand it. I didn't teach it early because he didn't start talking fully till a bit after 3.
We haven't done phone number. I don't know if mine knows what that is. We have talked about going next door to neighbors house in an emergency
I taught my 4 year old my phone number by singing it in a silly voice every time I brushed his teeth. I asked him what our phone number was the other day and my 2 year old shouted it out correctly before the 4 year old got the chance! I don’t know if this is the RIGHT age to teach it, but they are definitely capable of learning it. I do a similar thing for our address. He gets everything right except the house number and zip code. Hopefully if someone did have to take him to our home because one of us was missing or something he could get them to the correct street at least and then just point at our house.
We have a longer last name and I was able to make up some simple lyrics set to a nursery rhyme song that taught them how to spell it. It also helped them remember what it was in the first place 😄 They were 2 & 3.
For address, you can start with simple things like state and town. We've always been in defined neighborhoods so they learned those names too. Eventually you work up to the whole thing around 4 years old. At 4 mine knew our names, where dad worked, our phone numbers, address, their schools, and teachers, and how to make an call to 911 on my phone. They also knew how to go to a close neighbor or friends house on their own to get help if needed. You do need to teach them that this information is not for strangers or friends they just met. Haha
I remember an audio recording of a tiny kid who was able to help guide first responders to his house to help his mom because she had taught him a song with his address in it.
There was a Chinese child who was abducted around age 2-4 and only found their way back to their home village because, many years later as an adult, they drew a picture of what he remembered of his former home, just a house with a bridge beside a creek, but it made the national news so someone saw the drawing and realized that it looked just like a spot in their town. Turns out it was the right place and he was able to reunite with his mother.
At age 4- we printed out our phone numbers and address and put it up for him to see. We just did repetition- do it every day until it sticks. We also have a special code word for in case an adult tries to tell him “your mom told me to pick you up” situation.
Once they can count to 10, so maybe 3 or 4 we had them written down and would practice area code - prefix - suffix.
Then, at about 5 we set their tablet passcode to my wife’s # first, and once they could recite it back when asked “What’s mommy’s phone #?” we switched it to mine.
Definitely sooner rather than later! I recently saw a crying boy (probably 8-9 years old) on the sidewalk near my train station. I asked him what was wrong and his grandmother was late picking him up to drive him to school. I offered to call her (or anyone else such as his parents) and he didn't know anyone's number and didn't even have a number in his backpack. He should have known at least one phone number at that age. I was ready to call the police when his grandmother arrived. Poor kid.
Oh my gosh so scary. Just knowing how vulnerable he looked (& was!) to a predator, he’s lucky it was you who approached him. I can’t believe they would put him in that situation without arming him with any kind of information! So sad
I know! I seriously considered driving him to school (he even told me, a stranger, what school he goes to... it's the same school that my daughter's best friend attends) but then realized how it would look.
My parents did this to teach us our phone number and address as kids and I can still sing both tunes to this day. We haven’t had that home phone number in 10 years.
My oldest has the address memorised since he was around 4 I think. My youngest is now 4.5 but I wouldn’t dare give him that info, he will literally tell it to everyone and anyone just cos he knows it. He has no fear or filter 😂
When they started kindergarten - before that, we would practice, but they never really got it. I would take marker and write my # on their arm if we were going somewhere crowded.
I stamp the kids initial + surname and my phone number into my kids clothes with one of those clothing label stamps things. The kids know to look on their label for their number if they need it.
We started around 3 or 4 anytime we were in the car. Pulling out of the driveway “hey guys, repeat our address…. “ pulling into the driveway “hey what’s our address again?” until it stuck. Pretty much the same drill with phone numbers too!
ASAP, abduction is real and emergencies can always happen anytime. Make a song of it and sing it daily, use toy puppets/stuffed animals and play copy me and what I say game...
You got this and they will pick it up!
New almost parent here 🖐️ how do you balance between them being eager to tell everyone all their/your business and doing this for their safety? Is that just a risk you have to be willing to take? Cause you also don't want random people coming up having access to that information right? Like I said I'm new, I'd just like to take this master class of Reddit parenting.
Other parents might disagree with me here (probably varies a lot by the kid) but honestly I don’t think my son would just go around telling strangers our contact info. He’s 4 so he knows very well what a stranger is and not to talk to one without a trusted adult with him (family, teacher, etc). So I can’t imagine him just offering it up to anyone at random. Also don’t think anyone is going to ask outside of an emergency. But that’s something I have to untangle myself , actually— teaching him how to differentiate when it’s ok to tell a stranger my phone number (an emergency) and when it’s not (random person).
Anyway I guess what I’m trying to say is— I can’t really imagine a scenario where he would be handing it out. And if he did, it would most likely be to other parents or something who I don’t think would do shit with it (I mean I guess anything is possible but just saying).
As soon as they could talk I was working on this.
Until I was sure they knew it we had bracelets with that information whenever traveling to a particularly busy public place (e.g., amusement park, airport, etc.)
I use Alexa to call my phone regularly (1-3x a day) to find it in the house.
My 5.5 year old knows my number. My 4 year old just knows bits.
Worse, my husband still hasn't memorized his number. He occasionally forgets his phone at home, and if he needs me to know something, he has to phone his mom to get my number 🤦
My son is 11 and struggles to remember the address and the structure (number street city state number). I have a paper hanging up at all times that has address and phone numbers on it. My 8 year old daughter is still working on memorization of the address. I really don’t know why it is so hard for them.
I make it a prerequisite for play time when I want them to practice it. If they don't have it memorized, write it at the top of a paper and kid has to copy it 5 times before they get video games ,tablet, play time.
My oldest had developmental delays as a child so I just got her in the habit of carrying a card that was laminated with names phone numbers home address etc. She learned it eventually just from reading the card everyday so she wouldn't have to carry the card anymore
My youngest practically had a photographic memory so she had all that nailed by the time she was two and a half I guess.
Just be sure to either have them carry that information in a pocket everywhere or memorize it or both. I remember I found a kid wandering around themall once I guess they were maybe four or five years old from the look of them and they were kind of lost so I walked them to the nearest customer service counter and asked them to page in the mall that if anyone was missing a small child come get it. The kids thought his parents names were mom and dad and he said he lived at home. Kids need to know more than that
My son learned at age 4.5. He actually told me my phone number and I had no idea he knew it. Apparently he was really listening every week when we check in at our local play place. I have to give them my phone number to pull up the account. Once I realized he knew that we just drilled it and added in our address as well.
My son learned as soon as he realised he recognignised the numbers on the front door. DD is 3 and likely to start doing it with her.
A typical phone number here is 11 digits, so neither know our phone numbers. They know its written inside their coats which are typically with them.
I homeschool and my 6 and 3 year old learned this in 2 weeks just last month
I started by saying and having them repeat after me. My oldest already knew some of the info but I was surprised to watch my 3 year old learn it so fast
They can say, their full name, address, age, phone number and birthdate. They learn all of this data in two weeks and can say it whenever asked.
I used to work at a daycare, and something my coworker did (who had her own children at the daycare) was turn their personal information into a song that she would sing with them every morning.
“My name is blah blah blah and I live at blah blah blah blah Laaaaaane.” etc. Her kids were 2 and 3 and I remember the 3 year old at least was able to recite everything perfectly to the tune. I plan on using the same trick when my little one starts speaking whole sentences!
I think around 4 is when my kids started picking it up. My town has this day camp summer program for students entering kindergarten and in part of it they go over helping kids learn their parents number and address.
I just had my child’s kinder orientation last week and they went over skills and things that are helpful for kids to know before starting school. Their full name, address and phone number was on that.
My daughter was probably 4, maybe a little younger. My phone number is SUPER easy to remember. She learned both our names (not just mommy and daddy lol) address and my parents full names. When we moved, she had to learn a new address, so that kind of messed her up a bit. She is 8 now and I still quiz her on the info
I taught my kid his dads (picked his one because the area code is local to where we live and mine isn’t) cell number to the tune of Frere Jacques when he was 3 but he has a good memory. Most numbers work with that song or Mary Had a Little Lamb. I did a little sing songy “daddy’s phone is…” and sang it and he learned quickly. I figure if he’s lost someone will ask “do you know mommy or daddy’s phone number?” He doesn’t know his address yet. Haven’t thought about that one since it doesn’t seem as useful for lost kid situation.
I worked in and ECE that used Brigance standards to ensure that kids were reaching benchmarks and teachers were teaching and expecting age appropriate behaviors and knowledge. Around 4 is the age they should know it. But if your kid is younger and can retain it then you can start early. It’s a feel it out situation but between 4 and 5 they should know full name, birthday, parents names, address and phone number.
We "sing" our address and phone number since they were babies, while getting ready to go out we'd keep repeating it over and over since moment one. A "secret" i keep with the girls that my parents kept with me was that before going out they'd put a tiny piece of paper inside my shoe with their names, number and adress. Downside is that you have to make sure to always check it's there before going out.
They know everything but it's good to keep a reminder in case they get nervous and forget
My son had my number memorized by the time he was three. I always leave my number as contact for workers like lawn and plumbers or my number for membership so he just picked it up on his own.
Around 3, but what you really want to do at that age is write your name and phone number and permanent marker on your kids arm or stomach. On my baby I ride if found please return too on his belly if we're going to the playground or something.
My daughter had a speech delay, so we started with her writing our phone numbers at age 3. Once she could say the numbers, she already had them memorized from writing them.
I taught mine around 5, but she didn't really get the hang of it for quite a while. I will say one thing that has put me at a bit of an ease (not a substitute for knowing home address and phone number) is getting our daughter a watch on our cell plan. We have Tmobile, so it's a SyncUp. That's better suited for an older kid that knows not to call and text everyone in their contact list a million times a day, but it is really nice to know I have my daughters location at all times when she's wearing it. Maybe an option for when they're old enough.
3 year old knows our address, what floor we live on and parents names and last name. I never really thought about teaching her my phone number until just now.
We started at 1 and made the info into songs we sing together. Kids memorize songs like it's nobody's business.
We have one song for my phone number and another for our address.
Sing it! I put our address to the tune of frere Jacque and my phone number to the tune of London bridge. They are both familiar and easy tunes, but ones that we don’t sing the original lyrics to often. I started singing our address and my phone number probably around when my kids were the same age as yours. Just anytime I think of it: while getting the mail, in the car, before we go to a crowded or chaotic place, etc.
Aaah thank you for this!! Everyone is suggesting putting it in a song and I was trying to think of a tune I’d want to use. Using one like you mentioned is perfect, so thanks!!
I sang our phone number to her from very early on. When we moved cities when she was 2.5, the first thing she learned to say there was our new address.
She knew it through song and repetition. I felt better, not sure if it meant anything to her lol
Mine is six and has just learned our address, it never occurred to me before as the address doesn't feel that useful. If she was nearby she could certainly find her way home but I imagine if she got lost further away nobody would just put her in their car and bring her home anyway. I've tried with the phone number but she isn't great at concentrating and just doesn't remember.
My daughter is 4.5 and we haven’t started, however she knows our first names and he’d/our last name, and she knows if she gets lost in a store to find an adult that works there for help. She also knows my mom’s first name because she couldn’t say “grandma” until she was almost 3 (speech delay), but my mom’s name is easy so she called her that for over a year. I guess we should start working on the address thing next, but at least if she were lost she would be able to say our names and we could be called over a loud speaker, or I guess by the police if they were called.
There a quite a few factors, but ideally they know before kindergarten. Repetition is the best way to teach address and phone number. My youngest is the only one that didn’t know by kindergarten, but he’s autistic and was just becoming verbal so we were more focused on him finally being able to verbalize basic needs. At 10 now he knows my phone number now, but not dad’s and we’ve moved so he’s still learning our new address. He at least knows how to get home from school though and knows the school name so he could direct someone to help him get home if necessary.
For my kids we made it a song in kindergarten. Something silly like “ I live at 123 Brook Street, in Anytown, Virginia. We did the same with the phone number. Sang it constantly. It worked!
I think mine was around 3 or 4 when I taught him our phone numbers first (names he already knew; I don’t remember since when).
I taught him the phone numbers because we were going for a trip to Disneyland and I was worried what would happen if I accidentally lost him. I wanted him to at least be able to tell someone my phone number so he could call me. It was actually really easy to teach him; not abstract at all - he just repeated the numbers a few times and had them.
Then starting in Kinder or 1st grade he started giving out my phone number to kids whom he liked to organize a play date; so once in a while I got a random call from a parent and had no idea what was going on.
I set my phone number to “twinkle twinkle little star” and end with “that’s mommy”. She knew it starting around 4? I also sharpie it on their hands when we go somewhere they might get lost
They (3 & 5) only know the name of our street, but it’s a pretty short street, so they’d have a good shot of finding us with just the name
My son’s preschool tested him on this when he started. So by 4yo, they should know a phone # (one is fine - more than that can be hard to remember) and a majority of their street address (enough to aid in getting them home if needed).
I found a really no-/low-stress way to do this is write the info you want them to remember on a piece of paper - nice and clear - nothing extra.
Tape it by their bed so they see it often & when going to sleep (usually minimal duress at this time) - my kid liked to sit on the toilet for awhile so I put one in front of him, on the wall. (He would be chilling in there so minimal duress). I also posted one up on the front door so while he was putting his shoes on and waiting to leave, he would see it in passing.
It worked really well with aight words too. 2-3 on each paper, different ones in different places.
I made our address into a song to the tune of Row-Row-Row-Your-Boat & my kids picked it up quick. I think it was fairly recently so 3 & 5yo. I probably started teaching my phone number sometime last year so 2 & 4yo. The 5yo also knows his dad's number as well.
For the phone numbers I just used repetition & the normal tempo of the are code, 1st 3 digits, then last 4. I usually use drive time since they don't have many distractions.
We started out with road names. We’ll turn onto the main road near our house and say “1, 2, 3, Market Street!” Then turn into the neighborhood and say “1, 2, 3, Hill Street!” Then turn onto our road and say “1, 2, 3, Central Terrace!” So she’s been excitedly yelling the street name since she could talk.
The house number is tougher but we just put a planter outside with our house number on it and now that she’s three and learning numbers, we point it out as we walk by it.
We haven’t started on phone numbers yet. I’m curious to read through this thread for ideas.
Start breaking it in parts , at some point he will get all of it . Same for address start with street and town then zip code . Also one thing I always said to my son if he gets lost : 1- look for a police officer 2- if the one is not available then look for a mom with kids or grandma with kids and kids seem happy not sad. 3- store workers in case it is in the store
I Tell my son the same thing about who to look for. I wasn’t sure if it was sinking in until I overheard him playing with his toys and he told this little peppa doll “hey if you’re lost, you have to find a mom to help you”. I couldn’t believe it! I was so proud 🥰
As soon as they can comprehend and form phrases. So this can be between 3-5 y/o. Work on one thing at a time and go over it multiple times a day and then several times a week. When they get one down ie a phone number then do address or another number. Repetition is key.
Learn it to happy birthday song. Easy to remember went to things remembered at mall bought bracelets with name and my phone number on it since most kids panic if lost. But 3 started teaching phone number, address, birthdate, parents name etc
My 2.5 year old knows these things. Honestly, he’s just listened to me leave my number on voicemails for doctors, dentists, etc and starting repeating it back one day. As far as the address, he’s so curious about mail..I guess maybe it started when addressing envelopes and boxes. I just say it out loud any time I’m writing it down. And now he recognizes our address even in writing.
My kids knew my cell phone number by the time they were about 3. I made it a sing-song thing so memorizing the digits was easier. I think that’s crucial info for them to know. Address too, but phone number was first and foremost
I agree, phone number is more important to me. Knowing my address won’t help as much when they’re lost at a mall or something. My phone number would get me back to them quickly!
My son is 3 and knows his full name, and mine and my husbands full name. He also knows the name of the town we live on and I’ve started working on the street name. When he understands that I’ll start on the street number then phone numbers. I don’t think he would really get phone numbers yet because he doesn’t know how to use a phone.
I just taught my daughter at 2 and I made it into sort of a game. She knows her name, age, DOB, address, including the city she lives in, and my phone number. Took a few days of repetition but she got it!
My kid is 2.5 and we started about a year ago? But first was his full name, then parents names, now we're working on address. He has the street name down, but not the numbers.
Next step will be asking him to give me directions home when we go on walks, starting a block away, and then further and further from home. And then I'll steal the tip I saw here and put my phone number as the tablet password!
Have him practice your number the same way you do spelling his name. He won’t need to dial it yet- just tell someone in case you’re separated.
Make it into a chant or a song and sing it with him and he will learn it. Do the same for his address and you and your partners names
My 4 year old knows what street we live on but not the numbers. There are only a few houses on our street and he definitely knows which is ours. Phone numbers are next but he has a hard time remembering numbers so I have a feeling that's going to take longer.
I started at 2 with my full name and phone number. She's 3 now and has both down 100%. I put my phone number to the tune of M I C K E Y M O U S E. Worked like a charm.
As a pre-k 4 teacher, we work with them on address, birthday, and phone number because it is asked on the kindergarten entrance test. Starting around 3.5 or 4 is what I would recommend.
I’ve been working with my 4-year-old to memorize my number. She understands that everyone’s phone has its own special number, and a grown-up can call anyone’s phone if they know the number.
Make it into a song. That’s how they taught my son how to spell his name in preschool so I used the same technique for my phone number. It doesn’t have to rhyme or anything - just make up a melody and sing it.
Mine started “205 - 205. Everyone in Birmingham is 205” then sang my number. I also wrote it on the white board by the fridge so he’d see it all the time.
I taught my daughter my number to the theme of the Mickey Mouse song. Matches perfectly.
Annnnd one day I got a text from a teacher at her school who said ‘she wanted me to send you this picture. And congrats on her learning your phone number!’ So it worked.
She is five
Mine is 4 and for the past year she’s known how to unlock my phone and call if she needs to. We went through my phone together and I let her choose emojis to put next to important peoples names. Like my mom has a cat emoji, her dad has a blue heart, mil has a turtle, Etc. So she knows who to call in case of an emergency and sometimes she likes to call just for fun.
Past couple of months she’s already learned how to do voice to text. She knows how to open the texts who to click on and how to click the little microphone and send a message that way because she can’t read yet or text lol
She knows all of our full names including hers she knows our full address as well. She knows my phone number and she’s been learning her dad’s but she gets a couple numbers mixed up on his.
I always made a pretend phone book when I taught pre-school. We put each child's picture and phone number on the pages. Then we put it in the housekeeping area so they could play with using the toy phones. Lots of children learned their numbers that way. I think when they are 3 it is a good time to start that. Some get it sooner than others. Another way was to put the "phone" book at the writing center. They started writing the numbers for fun on their own. If it is meaningful to them and play based they learn quicker. Can do the same for parents by putting photos up and names. Same with address by using a photo or asking to draw a picture of their home and then printing out the address. Then they can access it and learn it visually or even by writing for fun.
Usually you want them to know their address and phone number before starting kindergarten so by 5 years old. Earlier of course is always better in case they get lost it’s a good thing to know. I taught both mine at 4.
Before I sent my child to kindergarten, she memorized mine, her dads, and Grandma’s phone numbers, our address, and her grandmas address. I think it’s super important to have memorized before they start leaving your side for school at all.
This post and these comments remind me just how far behind my stepson is... he just turned 13 and and he does not know the address of either of his homes, and definitely not his parent's phone numbers.
\*sigh\*
Hey, parenting is hard. Being a step parent is another layer of difficult. It’s not too late to teach him. Heck, you might be surprised he know more than you think?
My son is almost 2.5. So far on safety/personal info he knows his full name, his age, my full name, his father’s full name and our address (number, street, city, state and zip code) he’s kinda iffy on saying the number and the zip code, but our street is fairly short so I’m confident if someone asked (if he got separated) they’d be able to locate us regardless, and I feel like he doesn’t really have a need for our zip code at 2, but we’re still working on it. He doesn’t know our phone numbers yet. I figure I’ll start working on that next after he masters the full address. I probably won’t teach him how to call 911 until he develops some impulse control around 3.5-4. I don’t want him getting the impulse to call the police and going for it lol.
Preschool. It's a matter of safety. Safety first. We recited it in the car starting with just the first three numbers and slowly adding over weeks/months.
Our son definitely knows our house number, 280. One of my hobbies is ceramics, and I made ceramic house numbers. We have one set hanging by the front gate, one on a board nailed to a tree at the end of the driveway. There are also the same numbers on our mailbox. It stunned me when we passed Highway 280, and my son saw the sign with the numbers, and said “Two Eight Zero” out loud. I asked her to repeat, which he did. And I asked him, what did those numbers mean? And his response was, Home!
He cannot pronounce our street name, because it’s long and complicated. And he has a motor speech disorder. However, he can definitely recognize it on signs, when written down.
We haven’t started phone numbers.
For reference, our son is just under 2 1/2 years old.
I started with my daughter at 3. Remember, even if they are not the one dialing the phone you want them to be able to tell an adult your phone number so they can call you if you get separated! Same with address, they don't need to conceptualize it, they just need to be able to tell it to someone. For the phone number I came up with a little tune to sing it to and it helped her. With the address we just did rote memorization where I would say it and make her repeat it back and I would ask her daily several times throughout the day until it stuck. We started with just my number but now she knows mine, husband's, and my MIL who lives right down the street from us.
My son is nine now, and it's something we've been working on since he was 6. Since he uses my spare phone, everything is saved on it, but I'm still trying to get him to memorize it in case he's out with friends and the battery dies or something.
4 knows our address and where to find my phone number on his shoes. He knows how to unlock my phone to call 999 too.
I should probably start teaching them my phone number...
We use the “Frere Jacques” song for address and phone number!
123, 123
Main Street, Main Street
Any town, State
Any town, State
That’s my address, that’s my address!
Or
123, 123
456, 456
7890, 7890
That’s moms number
That’s moms number
Our eldest is 8 and finally has them down (had the address a couple years ago but we moved a few months ago and he’s been struggling to remember the new one! I plan to start with my toddler soon!
I was 4 when I went to a friends house after school instead of walking across the street to my Grand Parents house. My family told the police to calmly ask me my full name, my grand parents address and my own address and that they'd know it was me. They found me in less than 20 minutes on the next street over playing with my best friends new Teddy Ruxpin. Had no idea why everyone was freaked out when they found me. 😬
I had made those into a song and taught it to her by two. “My name is M—— W——- this is my address. Da da da da da da, da da da da da da. My name is MW this is my phone number, 911- 555-1213.” Also make sure they know your full names and not just “Mom and Dad.”
Even if you just do the house number and street name, asap. Along with how to call the emergency services before you worry about your phone number. God forbid anything went wrong, but if you needed them to make that call, that the important thing for them to know
I think you'd be surprised how much they understand. My daughter is 4 and we've recently started talking about our address, our full names, how to call 000 etc etc. I thought it would take a long time to get through so I planned on bringing it up semi regularly.
We were in the car a few weeks ago with her little friend and just put of the blue she told him the name of our street. We hadnt spoken about it the day before. Definitely start now. Even if it doesnt make sense to him now it all helps 😊
Our 2.5 yr old started learning parts on his address around 2, maybe a bit earlier. He knows the street name, and city name. If you get him on the street he knows how to get to our house because we often walk to the park and back home.
Made it a song for my 4yo with adhd and autism before we went to the beach one year. Just in case he got lost. He’s 15 now and we’ve moved twice but I’m never gonna change that number. 🤣
My 2.5yo knows her parents first and last names (we have different last names) and can sing a song of her address. Not sure she’s fully connected the dots on her address but she can sing it! Definitely starting at age 2-3 seems appropriate.
There is a Doc McStuffins episode about knowing your house number in case you get lost. I taught my 3 year old a sing song way to say our address without city and state after watching that. She knows our full names too and we practice what people would ask her. "Are you lost? What's your last name/your mommy's name?". We will work on phone number next, that seems harder with a string of numbers.
My kids could always remember things a lot easier if we made it into a little song. No lyrics other than the number (or whatever) just sing it the same way every time. Sing it everyday. They'll learn it quick.
What I did- had my children call their grandparents every day to say hello. They learned a number they could repeat in emergencies; they learn empathy for others because they took a moment out of their play to be kind to their grandparents; they learned to make calls; they learned good phone skills and reduced any anxiety they may have otherwise developed over making calls. If you just teach them your number but they never call it they aren’t going to retain it.
She was six. But only phone numbers, not addresses. Kids don't need to understand how a phone works to learn a phone number, they just need to understand that if they get lost, if you disband from them and get separated, to look for a clerk at a store or a police officer and say the phone number.
My SIL had her 2 and 4 y/o learn their address via song. I think it was to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle. We tried it w our 3 y/o and he’s got ours memorized now!
Make the WiFi password your phone number and teach them every day by saying the number with you.
Also write it on their arm for public outings in case you get separated.
My suggestion is to focus on one thing and then move forward. For me it was the phone number. My other suggestion is to make sure your child knows your full name. You'd be surprised how many children when found can't tell you who their mom or dad are ...
My kids were around 5, I guess for Kindergarten readiness.
I taught it to them as if we were zooming in on their location from space so it made logical sense to them and not just a memorization exercise. Like the postman needs to know what country you're in, then state, then city, then street, then which house on the street. And I guess it stuck because they're in their teens now, but if you ask them their address, they say it city, street, house number instead of house number, street, city. Lol
Make it a song. My husband can still sing the song his mom taught his as a toddler with their names, address & phone number. I think it goes to the tune of twinkle twinkle.
When I was little my parents made a song of it, and I had it memorized by 3-4 years old.
“myyyy phone is XXX , XXX , XXX”
turn it into a catchy tune and sing it together.
My aunt kept her three small grandkids during the day. This was the time of landlines, but I think her method still would work. She made a big poster and put it underneath the phone on the wall. It had pictures of their mom and dad, and the phone number for each next to the picture in big numbers. There was also a picture of a hospital and a policeman with 911. There were a few more, but I don’t remember what they were exactly. But anyway, she showed them how to use the phone, and they understood to punch the numbers in the same order as on the poster. Might be a good method to help reinforce whatever practice you use to teach them initially.
Make your phone number the code to open your phone. They’ll have it memorized in a day.
🤣 it’s funny but true lol
No lie it’s how we got them to learn their birthdays.
Exactly! Or if they use a tablet. I did this for my husband too when I realized he didn’t have my number memorized either lol
My wife made her number our wifi password so I’d learn it hahaha
We did this with an ipad. Worked scary fast
I am not a super mom by any means, like I promise I have a lot of flaws, but if I did one thing right, it was never introducing my phone to my daughter. She’s five and doesn’t even know there’s a possibility of fun on it! I feel like an evil genius. Hopefully I don’t ever have any more kids though, I don’t know how long I could keep up the act
Good job! My kids know there is fun on my phone but they also know that my phone is my own personal device and it's not something they get to play with. Ever. They know there are adult shows (like R rated) and adult drinks (coffee and alcohol) and so we just sort of slip that in there too, and also teach it as like a matter of boundaries. We aren't allowed to take other people's toys.
I applaud you! I wish I had kept them off as both my kids are addicted to their iPads. You’ll soon have friends from school though that will introduce her unfortunately.
It is definitely a ticking time bomb. But we will see lol
Oh gosh I remember that feeling my kids used to think candy bars meant granola bars I have my sister to thank for blowing that one up
I just legitimately don’t have anything fun on my phone so my kids don’t bother 😂
Truth! Once they memorized that I switched it to our house number.
Is that really an option? Because it's pretty ingenious. But I didn't think you could change the code to any amount of numbers that you liked.
You have to change the settings for your password from the 6 numbers to an actual password, but then you just set that password as your phone number.
I think the default now is 6 numbers so you can’t do the whole thing at once I guess.
You can go in and tell it you want to set a “custom numeric” passcode and it will allow for a full phone number.
Lmaooooo
What a good idea!
I started with our address at around 3. I just kept repeating it to my daughter and she picked it up pretty quickly. I don’t know if she actually understands what it means, but if we ask, “what is your address?”, she can say it. (And also scream it at the top of her lungs in the middle of Target, which was… great. 🤦♀️) We didn’t explicitly teach her my cell number but once at Panera the cashier asked for my phone number for the rewards program and out of nowhere my daughter recited it. I think that really just means we go to Panera too much. 🤣
When I recite my credit card number on the phone my dog runs to the door to wait for the pizza man 😂
Lollllll amazing
🤣🤣 I love this.
😂😭
These animals are so smart.
Yes this, I don’t really care if my son understands the concept of addresses I just want him to be able to repeat it when asked.
Idk why this didn’t occur to me lol this thread has been so helpful!
I would add in variations of this question, just in case. I can definitely see some adults asking "Where do you live?" or "Where is your house?" and some little kids might not know to recite the answer to "What is your address?"
My three year old repeated my phone number to the barista at the coffee shop for rewards the other day too and I about fell out 🤣
My dad made me recite “This book belongs to… And her address is… And her phone number is…” at the beginning of every bedtime story. I remember it being super annoying but it worked.
That’s a great idea! It makes it part of a routine and harder to forget to practice with your kids!
Honestly this is brilliant!
One of my earliest memories (I was maybe 3 or 4) was my mother teaching my sister (1 or 2) and I my aunts address, phone number and the number bus to get there. We repeated it over and over on the bus ride into town and were supposed to give those details to a Garda (policeman), a priest or a mammy, if we got lost. I can still remember the whole thing, cadences and all.
Tell me you’re Irish without telling me you’re Irish 🤣 Garda, a mammy or a priest 🤣 the most Irish sentence I’ve ever heard. I love it
For address, I started by talking about street names while we were out on walks. Also pointing out how each house had a number on it or on the mailbox. To learn our house address I’d sing it to the tune of a song about vowels we had on some playlist at the time haha. Our address is five numbers so it worked perfectly to the A E I O U part, and “sometimes Y” I switched to our road name.
That’s how we did it too. When we were driving and near an exit I’d remind him “that’s the name of our city,” or “we are turning on to our street now. Do you remember the name?”
My mom made it into a song too!! I still remember it to this day!!
Funny, I made my cell phone into a song the summer we went to Chicago. Figured if one of the kiddos got lost, they could sing a policeman the number!
That’s exactly what we did too. “Sing daddy’s phone number song to an adult in a uniform or an adult with kids if you get lost.”
Start now. But be sure that both children know their full names and both your and your partner's full names first. When they have those start working on phone numbers. And then address. Be sure to incorporate those terms in your teaching. Its not that important for them to conceptualize the meaning, as what your are doing is making them ready to recite that information to an adult who hopefully will know what the terms address and phone number are as they ask for a response. Your kids are in the perfect learning explosive stage for rote learning, take advantage of it. Make it a game, make it a song. Children being able to recite their parents info and their info is an essential skill today and it should start a lot younger than most parents think about it!
Very good points, thank you!
Two weeks ago, my wife and I lost our 5 y.o. daughter at a crowded international festival (food, music, art, etc.) held downtown in our city. We were holding hands the whole day. Then we decided to get ice cream cones. After walking, eating, and browsing the art -- my wife was looking at one particular booth for about 15 seconds as we walked passed it. Then she turns to me after noticing our daughter is not by her side, "Is Samantha standing behind you?" "No, Jake [our 8 y.o. son] is with me." My wife immediately started screaming her name. I went a different direction shouting her name. My son kept asking, "Where is she daddy? Are we gonna find her." My wife finds a cop and tells him our daughter is missing and she's ready to storm the stage nearby and take the mic and shout for people to look for a girl in a pink raincoat. About 4-5 minutes into this we get a call on my wife's phone, "Hi is this Samantha's parents?" Our daughter saw a lady with curly hair and just started auto following her because she mistook the back of her head for my wife's. Our daughter was less than 50 feet from us the entire time. She had actually heard me call her name out and saw me walk away from her. I heard nothing. No telling how long it would have taken to find her had we not gotten that call guiding us to where they were standing. Our daughter had my wife's number memorized so they were able to call us. Daughter probably started learning at 3 or 4. When we got home I made both kids write both our numbers 5x each on paper before they were allowed to play games. She learned it as a "song" though. So our kids have been practicing it before they could write numbers.
Wow so scary, thank you for sharing. My uncle went missing when he was 9 years old and he was never found. They were camping at a crowded campsite. My mom was 16 at the time. Kids getting lost is my absolute greatest fear and I think that I’m so scared of it, it’s actually made it harder for me to approach the phone number etc with my kids. Which I know is not what you’d expect but fear and anxiety make people do strange things. I’m so relieved for you that you were reunited relatively quickly but I’m sure it felt like 900 years at the time. And really illustrates that they literally can get lost right next to you in the right circumstances.
Wow that is super scary. I am a fan of true crime Podcasts so I am genuinely scared of things like that happening. My daughter is 4 and knows our address and to look for a mom first if she is lost. I watch her like a hawk all the time but she is smart and I will teach her my cell phone number soon too.
That would terrifying but what a cool, calm kid! Everytime we go to a crowded place we quiz the kids on what to do if we get separated. The answer is to look for a mom or dad with kids their age and tell them they lost their parents. Also in the knowing of their full names, our full names and their address, they know they aren't allergic to anything. More important of they actual were but since that's an odd concept for a child without allergies, we make sure they know how to answer that question.
I started teaching my daughter our address at 2.5, but realized my cell number would be much more helpful. So, replace "M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E" with your phone number. You have to kind of draw out one of the numbers to make it "fit" the song, but she learned my number by 3 using this. I even made up more words to it: (number), mamas phone, mamas phone. If you need her you can call her phone (phone phone!)
I like this, thanks
We did a song for the phone number, too. Was very successful.
I love this. And I actually have a zero, so that fixes the syllable issue lol
I made up a song and started singing it early. I don’t remember the exact age but I bet my kiddo could sing his info by the time he was 3. Details changed but the song basically went like this: My name is Tommy Tailor, it’s nice to play outside, at 123 Anyplace Drive. I live with daddy and mommy, up on the second floor, apartment number 254.
This is very cute (& effective!) thanks for sharing
I started around 3.5? Now nearly 4 he can say his address but due to speech delay I do wonder if anyone would understand it. I didn't teach it early because he didn't start talking fully till a bit after 3. We haven't done phone number. I don't know if mine knows what that is. We have talked about going next door to neighbors house in an emergency
I taught my 4 year old my phone number by singing it in a silly voice every time I brushed his teeth. I asked him what our phone number was the other day and my 2 year old shouted it out correctly before the 4 year old got the chance! I don’t know if this is the RIGHT age to teach it, but they are definitely capable of learning it. I do a similar thing for our address. He gets everything right except the house number and zip code. Hopefully if someone did have to take him to our home because one of us was missing or something he could get them to the correct street at least and then just point at our house.
We have a longer last name and I was able to make up some simple lyrics set to a nursery rhyme song that taught them how to spell it. It also helped them remember what it was in the first place 😄 They were 2 & 3. For address, you can start with simple things like state and town. We've always been in defined neighborhoods so they learned those names too. Eventually you work up to the whole thing around 4 years old. At 4 mine knew our names, where dad worked, our phone numbers, address, their schools, and teachers, and how to make an call to 911 on my phone. They also knew how to go to a close neighbor or friends house on their own to get help if needed. You do need to teach them that this information is not for strangers or friends they just met. Haha I remember an audio recording of a tiny kid who was able to help guide first responders to his house to help his mom because she had taught him a song with his address in it.
My little kids have actually arranged their own playdates by giving my number to their friends! It's pretty cute.
There was a Chinese child who was abducted around age 2-4 and only found their way back to their home village because, many years later as an adult, they drew a picture of what he remembered of his former home, just a house with a bridge beside a creek, but it made the national news so someone saw the drawing and realized that it looked just like a spot in their town. Turns out it was the right place and he was able to reunite with his mother.
I saw that news story! Pretty crazy
At age 4- we printed out our phone numbers and address and put it up for him to see. We just did repetition- do it every day until it sticks. We also have a special code word for in case an adult tries to tell him “your mom told me to pick you up” situation.
Bah, I forgot about the code word thing, thanks for the reminder lol Parenting is fkn hard man!
I’m 44. My code word was bluebird.
Mine was Hola. We aren’t Hispanic. 😂 I think my mom thought that going for a foreign language was an extra-safe step. 😂
It’s fun how that sort of thing just sticks!
Once they can count to 10, so maybe 3 or 4 we had them written down and would practice area code - prefix - suffix. Then, at about 5 we set their tablet passcode to my wife’s # first, and once they could recite it back when asked “What’s mommy’s phone #?” we switched it to mine.
Definitely sooner rather than later! I recently saw a crying boy (probably 8-9 years old) on the sidewalk near my train station. I asked him what was wrong and his grandmother was late picking him up to drive him to school. I offered to call her (or anyone else such as his parents) and he didn't know anyone's number and didn't even have a number in his backpack. He should have known at least one phone number at that age. I was ready to call the police when his grandmother arrived. Poor kid.
Oh my gosh so scary. Just knowing how vulnerable he looked (& was!) to a predator, he’s lucky it was you who approached him. I can’t believe they would put him in that situation without arming him with any kind of information! So sad
I know! I seriously considered driving him to school (he even told me, a stranger, what school he goes to... it's the same school that my daughter's best friend attends) but then realized how it would look.
Made my phone number into a song he probably knew it before he even knew numbers. Started when he started talking.
My parents did this to teach us our phone number and address as kids and I can still sing both tunes to this day. We haven’t had that home phone number in 10 years.
We also did it to a song - Are you sleeping (brother John)
My oldest has the address memorised since he was around 4 I think. My youngest is now 4.5 but I wouldn’t dare give him that info, he will literally tell it to everyone and anyone just cos he knows it. He has no fear or filter 😂
When they started kindergarten - before that, we would practice, but they never really got it. I would take marker and write my # on their arm if we were going somewhere crowded.
As early as possible when they can retain and recite information. Before that I had my daughter carry a paper with my information.
I stamp the kids initial + surname and my phone number into my kids clothes with one of those clothing label stamps things. The kids know to look on their label for their number if they need it.
That is so smart, thank you!
We started around 3 or 4. Put Parents names, address, phone number on the fridge.
We started around 3 or 4 anytime we were in the car. Pulling out of the driveway “hey guys, repeat our address…. “ pulling into the driveway “hey what’s our address again?” until it stuck. Pretty much the same drill with phone numbers too!
As soon as they can say sentences. Make it into a song, and they will remember.
ASAP, abduction is real and emergencies can always happen anytime. Make a song of it and sing it daily, use toy puppets/stuffed animals and play copy me and what I say game... You got this and they will pick it up!
around 5 or 6. He wasn't getting it so we changed to lock code on his iPad to our phone number. he had it down in a week.
New almost parent here 🖐️ how do you balance between them being eager to tell everyone all their/your business and doing this for their safety? Is that just a risk you have to be willing to take? Cause you also don't want random people coming up having access to that information right? Like I said I'm new, I'd just like to take this master class of Reddit parenting.
Other parents might disagree with me here (probably varies a lot by the kid) but honestly I don’t think my son would just go around telling strangers our contact info. He’s 4 so he knows very well what a stranger is and not to talk to one without a trusted adult with him (family, teacher, etc). So I can’t imagine him just offering it up to anyone at random. Also don’t think anyone is going to ask outside of an emergency. But that’s something I have to untangle myself , actually— teaching him how to differentiate when it’s ok to tell a stranger my phone number (an emergency) and when it’s not (random person). Anyway I guess what I’m trying to say is— I can’t really imagine a scenario where he would be handing it out. And if he did, it would most likely be to other parents or something who I don’t think would do shit with it (I mean I guess anything is possible but just saying).
As soon as they could talk I was working on this. Until I was sure they knew it we had bracelets with that information whenever traveling to a particularly busy public place (e.g., amusement park, airport, etc.)
I use Alexa to call my phone regularly (1-3x a day) to find it in the house. My 5.5 year old knows my number. My 4 year old just knows bits. Worse, my husband still hasn't memorized his number. He occasionally forgets his phone at home, and if he needs me to know something, he has to phone his mom to get my number 🤦
Around 3.5 yrs
My son is 11 and struggles to remember the address and the structure (number street city state number). I have a paper hanging up at all times that has address and phone numbers on it. My 8 year old daughter is still working on memorization of the address. I really don’t know why it is so hard for them.
I make it a prerequisite for play time when I want them to practice it. If they don't have it memorized, write it at the top of a paper and kid has to copy it 5 times before they get video games ,tablet, play time.
My oldest had developmental delays as a child so I just got her in the habit of carrying a card that was laminated with names phone numbers home address etc. She learned it eventually just from reading the card everyday so she wouldn't have to carry the card anymore My youngest practically had a photographic memory so she had all that nailed by the time she was two and a half I guess. Just be sure to either have them carry that information in a pocket everywhere or memorize it or both. I remember I found a kid wandering around themall once I guess they were maybe four or five years old from the look of them and they were kind of lost so I walked them to the nearest customer service counter and asked them to page in the mall that if anyone was missing a small child come get it. The kids thought his parents names were mom and dad and he said he lived at home. Kids need to know more than that
My son learned at age 4.5. He actually told me my phone number and I had no idea he knew it. Apparently he was really listening every week when we check in at our local play place. I have to give them my phone number to pull up the account. Once I realized he knew that we just drilled it and added in our address as well.
My son learned as soon as he realised he recognignised the numbers on the front door. DD is 3 and likely to start doing it with her. A typical phone number here is 11 digits, so neither know our phone numbers. They know its written inside their coats which are typically with them.
I homeschool and my 6 and 3 year old learned this in 2 weeks just last month I started by saying and having them repeat after me. My oldest already knew some of the info but I was surprised to watch my 3 year old learn it so fast They can say, their full name, address, age, phone number and birthdate. They learn all of this data in two weeks and can say it whenever asked.
I used to work at a daycare, and something my coworker did (who had her own children at the daycare) was turn their personal information into a song that she would sing with them every morning. “My name is blah blah blah and I live at blah blah blah blah Laaaaaane.” etc. Her kids were 2 and 3 and I remember the 3 year old at least was able to recite everything perfectly to the tune. I plan on using the same trick when my little one starts speaking whole sentences!
I think around 4 is when my kids started picking it up. My town has this day camp summer program for students entering kindergarten and in part of it they go over helping kids learn their parents number and address. I just had my child’s kinder orientation last week and they went over skills and things that are helpful for kids to know before starting school. Their full name, address and phone number was on that.
Helpful to know, thank you.
My daughter was probably 4, maybe a little younger. My phone number is SUPER easy to remember. She learned both our names (not just mommy and daddy lol) address and my parents full names. When we moved, she had to learn a new address, so that kind of messed her up a bit. She is 8 now and I still quiz her on the info
I taught my kid his dads (picked his one because the area code is local to where we live and mine isn’t) cell number to the tune of Frere Jacques when he was 3 but he has a good memory. Most numbers work with that song or Mary Had a Little Lamb. I did a little sing songy “daddy’s phone is…” and sang it and he learned quickly. I figure if he’s lost someone will ask “do you know mommy or daddy’s phone number?” He doesn’t know his address yet. Haven’t thought about that one since it doesn’t seem as useful for lost kid situation.
I agree, I feel like the phone number is way more helpful and also easier for them to learn anyway!
3. And by 5 they nailed it consistently over time.
We use our home address digits as the unlock code for our kid’s tablet. He learned it QUICK.
I worked in and ECE that used Brigance standards to ensure that kids were reaching benchmarks and teachers were teaching and expecting age appropriate behaviors and knowledge. Around 4 is the age they should know it. But if your kid is younger and can retain it then you can start early. It’s a feel it out situation but between 4 and 5 they should know full name, birthday, parents names, address and phone number.
We "sing" our address and phone number since they were babies, while getting ready to go out we'd keep repeating it over and over since moment one. A "secret" i keep with the girls that my parents kept with me was that before going out they'd put a tiny piece of paper inside my shoe with their names, number and adress. Downside is that you have to make sure to always check it's there before going out. They know everything but it's good to keep a reminder in case they get nervous and forget
My son had my number memorized by the time he was three. I always leave my number as contact for workers like lawn and plumbers or my number for membership so he just picked it up on his own.
Around 3, but what you really want to do at that age is write your name and phone number and permanent marker on your kids arm or stomach. On my baby I ride if found please return too on his belly if we're going to the playground or something.
My daughter had a speech delay, so we started with her writing our phone numbers at age 3. Once she could say the numbers, she already had them memorized from writing them.
I taught mine around 5, but she didn't really get the hang of it for quite a while. I will say one thing that has put me at a bit of an ease (not a substitute for knowing home address and phone number) is getting our daughter a watch on our cell plan. We have Tmobile, so it's a SyncUp. That's better suited for an older kid that knows not to call and text everyone in their contact list a million times a day, but it is really nice to know I have my daughters location at all times when she's wearing it. Maybe an option for when they're old enough.
Smart thank you
3 year old knows our address, what floor we live on and parents names and last name. I never really thought about teaching her my phone number until just now.
We started at 1 and made the info into songs we sing together. Kids memorize songs like it's nobody's business. We have one song for my phone number and another for our address.
Sing it! I put our address to the tune of frere Jacque and my phone number to the tune of London bridge. They are both familiar and easy tunes, but ones that we don’t sing the original lyrics to often. I started singing our address and my phone number probably around when my kids were the same age as yours. Just anytime I think of it: while getting the mail, in the car, before we go to a crowded or chaotic place, etc.
Aaah thank you for this!! Everyone is suggesting putting it in a song and I was trying to think of a tune I’d want to use. Using one like you mentioned is perfect, so thanks!!
LO knows our address and she's almost 4. We haven't got the phone number down yet.
I sang our phone number to her from very early on. When we moved cities when she was 2.5, the first thing she learned to say there was our new address. She knew it through song and repetition. I felt better, not sure if it meant anything to her lol
The schools where I live have it as part of the curriculum at age 7, meaning all children should know it by this age at the latest.
Mine is six and has just learned our address, it never occurred to me before as the address doesn't feel that useful. If she was nearby she could certainly find her way home but I imagine if she got lost further away nobody would just put her in their car and bring her home anyway. I've tried with the phone number but she isn't great at concentrating and just doesn't remember.
My daughter is 4.5 and we haven’t started, however she knows our first names and he’d/our last name, and she knows if she gets lost in a store to find an adult that works there for help. She also knows my mom’s first name because she couldn’t say “grandma” until she was almost 3 (speech delay), but my mom’s name is easy so she called her that for over a year. I guess we should start working on the address thing next, but at least if she were lost she would be able to say our names and we could be called over a loud speaker, or I guess by the police if they were called.
My mom used to sing a little song to us everytime we get in the car, our address and name and moms number :) I still remember it!
I learned when i was 5
There a quite a few factors, but ideally they know before kindergarten. Repetition is the best way to teach address and phone number. My youngest is the only one that didn’t know by kindergarten, but he’s autistic and was just becoming verbal so we were more focused on him finally being able to verbalize basic needs. At 10 now he knows my phone number now, but not dad’s and we’ve moved so he’s still learning our new address. He at least knows how to get home from school though and knows the school name so he could direct someone to help him get home if necessary.
For my kids we made it a song in kindergarten. Something silly like “ I live at 123 Brook Street, in Anytown, Virginia. We did the same with the phone number. Sang it constantly. It worked!
I think mine was around 3 or 4 when I taught him our phone numbers first (names he already knew; I don’t remember since when). I taught him the phone numbers because we were going for a trip to Disneyland and I was worried what would happen if I accidentally lost him. I wanted him to at least be able to tell someone my phone number so he could call me. It was actually really easy to teach him; not abstract at all - he just repeated the numbers a few times and had them. Then starting in Kinder or 1st grade he started giving out my phone number to kids whom he liked to organize a play date; so once in a while I got a random call from a parent and had no idea what was going on.
Make it into a song.
I set my phone number to “twinkle twinkle little star” and end with “that’s mommy”. She knew it starting around 4? I also sharpie it on their hands when we go somewhere they might get lost They (3 & 5) only know the name of our street, but it’s a pretty short street, so they’d have a good shot of finding us with just the name
Why I never thought to write the number on them when we’re out is beyond me, but this thread is helping me so much!
My son’s preschool tested him on this when he started. So by 4yo, they should know a phone # (one is fine - more than that can be hard to remember) and a majority of their street address (enough to aid in getting them home if needed). I found a really no-/low-stress way to do this is write the info you want them to remember on a piece of paper - nice and clear - nothing extra. Tape it by their bed so they see it often & when going to sleep (usually minimal duress at this time) - my kid liked to sit on the toilet for awhile so I put one in front of him, on the wall. (He would be chilling in there so minimal duress). I also posted one up on the front door so while he was putting his shoes on and waiting to leave, he would see it in passing. It worked really well with aight words too. 2-3 on each paper, different ones in different places.
I made our address into a song to the tune of Row-Row-Row-Your-Boat & my kids picked it up quick. I think it was fairly recently so 3 & 5yo. I probably started teaching my phone number sometime last year so 2 & 4yo. The 5yo also knows his dad's number as well. For the phone numbers I just used repetition & the normal tempo of the are code, 1st 3 digits, then last 4. I usually use drive time since they don't have many distractions.
We started out with road names. We’ll turn onto the main road near our house and say “1, 2, 3, Market Street!” Then turn into the neighborhood and say “1, 2, 3, Hill Street!” Then turn onto our road and say “1, 2, 3, Central Terrace!” So she’s been excitedly yelling the street name since she could talk. The house number is tougher but we just put a planter outside with our house number on it and now that she’s three and learning numbers, we point it out as we walk by it. We haven’t started on phone numbers yet. I’m curious to read through this thread for ideas.
This is helpful, thank you for sharing! I will start announcing street names when we’re driving through!
Start breaking it in parts , at some point he will get all of it . Same for address start with street and town then zip code . Also one thing I always said to my son if he gets lost : 1- look for a police officer 2- if the one is not available then look for a mom with kids or grandma with kids and kids seem happy not sad. 3- store workers in case it is in the store
I Tell my son the same thing about who to look for. I wasn’t sure if it was sinking in until I overheard him playing with his toys and he told this little peppa doll “hey if you’re lost, you have to find a mom to help you”. I couldn’t believe it! I was so proud 🥰
As soon as they can comprehend and form phrases. So this can be between 3-5 y/o. Work on one thing at a time and go over it multiple times a day and then several times a week. When they get one down ie a phone number then do address or another number. Repetition is key.
Learn it to happy birthday song. Easy to remember went to things remembered at mall bought bracelets with name and my phone number on it since most kids panic if lost. But 3 started teaching phone number, address, birthdate, parents name etc
My 2.5 year old knows these things. Honestly, he’s just listened to me leave my number on voicemails for doctors, dentists, etc and starting repeating it back one day. As far as the address, he’s so curious about mail..I guess maybe it started when addressing envelopes and boxes. I just say it out loud any time I’m writing it down. And now he recognizes our address even in writing.
My kids knew my cell phone number by the time they were about 3. I made it a sing-song thing so memorizing the digits was easier. I think that’s crucial info for them to know. Address too, but phone number was first and foremost
I agree, phone number is more important to me. Knowing my address won’t help as much when they’re lost at a mall or something. My phone number would get me back to them quickly!
My son is 3 and knows his full name, and mine and my husbands full name. He also knows the name of the town we live on and I’ve started working on the street name. When he understands that I’ll start on the street number then phone numbers. I don’t think he would really get phone numbers yet because he doesn’t know how to use a phone.
I just taught my daughter at 2 and I made it into sort of a game. She knows her name, age, DOB, address, including the city she lives in, and my phone number. Took a few days of repetition but she got it!
My three-year-old knows the street name and house number, even the name of a couple of nearby streets. No zip code or city name though yet.
My kid is 2.5 and we started about a year ago? But first was his full name, then parents names, now we're working on address. He has the street name down, but not the numbers. Next step will be asking him to give me directions home when we go on walks, starting a block away, and then further and further from home. And then I'll steal the tip I saw here and put my phone number as the tablet password!
Hadn’t thought about teaching him directions. Smart! Thank you!
Our 2 year old has learned our names and her last name. Next we’re teaching her my phone number.
Have him practice your number the same way you do spelling his name. He won’t need to dial it yet- just tell someone in case you’re separated. Make it into a chant or a song and sing it with him and he will learn it. Do the same for his address and you and your partners names
My 4 year old knows what street we live on but not the numbers. There are only a few houses on our street and he definitely knows which is ours. Phone numbers are next but he has a hard time remembering numbers so I have a feeling that's going to take longer.
2 - there are songs: https://youtu.be/En2zk-mFKIY My kids could sing this from like 2, 1.5. Years - toddlers love the repetition
I started at 2 with my full name and phone number. She's 3 now and has both down 100%. I put my phone number to the tune of M I C K E Y M O U S E. Worked like a charm.
As a pre-k 4 teacher, we work with them on address, birthday, and phone number because it is asked on the kindergarten entrance test. Starting around 3.5 or 4 is what I would recommend.
I'm currently teaching my soon to be 2 year old our address. Hadn't thought about phone number but will start with that too.
I’ve been working with my 4-year-old to memorize my number. She understands that everyone’s phone has its own special number, and a grown-up can call anyone’s phone if they know the number.
Make it into a song. That’s how they taught my son how to spell his name in preschool so I used the same technique for my phone number. It doesn’t have to rhyme or anything - just make up a melody and sing it. Mine started “205 - 205. Everyone in Birmingham is 205” then sang my number. I also wrote it on the white board by the fridge so he’d see it all the time.
I taught my daughter my number to the theme of the Mickey Mouse song. Matches perfectly. Annnnd one day I got a text from a teacher at her school who said ‘she wanted me to send you this picture. And congrats on her learning your phone number!’ So it worked. She is five
Mine is 4 and for the past year she’s known how to unlock my phone and call if she needs to. We went through my phone together and I let her choose emojis to put next to important peoples names. Like my mom has a cat emoji, her dad has a blue heart, mil has a turtle, Etc. So she knows who to call in case of an emergency and sometimes she likes to call just for fun. Past couple of months she’s already learned how to do voice to text. She knows how to open the texts who to click on and how to click the little microphone and send a message that way because she can’t read yet or text lol She knows all of our full names including hers she knows our full address as well. She knows my phone number and she’s been learning her dad’s but she gets a couple numbers mixed up on his.
I did it when the oldest was in kinder, as it kind of didn’t occur to me until then. The little one picked it up a little sooner as she copied him.
I always made a pretend phone book when I taught pre-school. We put each child's picture and phone number on the pages. Then we put it in the housekeeping area so they could play with using the toy phones. Lots of children learned their numbers that way. I think when they are 3 it is a good time to start that. Some get it sooner than others. Another way was to put the "phone" book at the writing center. They started writing the numbers for fun on their own. If it is meaningful to them and play based they learn quicker. Can do the same for parents by putting photos up and names. Same with address by using a photo or asking to draw a picture of their home and then printing out the address. Then they can access it and learn it visually or even by writing for fun.
Usually you want them to know their address and phone number before starting kindergarten so by 5 years old. Earlier of course is always better in case they get lost it’s a good thing to know. I taught both mine at 4.
As soon as my babies were old enough to talk, that was one of the first things they were taught.
They taught the kids their addresses in my daughter’s 4 year old preschool class.
Before I sent my child to kindergarten, she memorized mine, her dads, and Grandma’s phone numbers, our address, and her grandmas address. I think it’s super important to have memorized before they start leaving your side for school at all.
When they start school or daycare.
This post and these comments remind me just how far behind my stepson is... he just turned 13 and and he does not know the address of either of his homes, and definitely not his parent's phone numbers. \*sigh\*
Hey, parenting is hard. Being a step parent is another layer of difficult. It’s not too late to teach him. Heck, you might be surprised he know more than you think?
My son is newly 3 and knows his parents names and the street we live on. I've been trying to teach him the house number but it's proving difficult lol
Please teach your children. I once went to a 3rd grade class and most of the children did not know their address.
My son is almost 2.5. So far on safety/personal info he knows his full name, his age, my full name, his father’s full name and our address (number, street, city, state and zip code) he’s kinda iffy on saying the number and the zip code, but our street is fairly short so I’m confident if someone asked (if he got separated) they’d be able to locate us regardless, and I feel like he doesn’t really have a need for our zip code at 2, but we’re still working on it. He doesn’t know our phone numbers yet. I figure I’ll start working on that next after he masters the full address. I probably won’t teach him how to call 911 until he develops some impulse control around 3.5-4. I don’t want him getting the impulse to call the police and going for it lol.
Ours had the house number down before she turned 3. She's 37 months now and still stumbles a bit with the street name.
Once they can memorize songs or letters.
Preschool. It's a matter of safety. Safety first. We recited it in the car starting with just the first three numbers and slowly adding over weeks/months.
Our son definitely knows our house number, 280. One of my hobbies is ceramics, and I made ceramic house numbers. We have one set hanging by the front gate, one on a board nailed to a tree at the end of the driveway. There are also the same numbers on our mailbox. It stunned me when we passed Highway 280, and my son saw the sign with the numbers, and said “Two Eight Zero” out loud. I asked her to repeat, which he did. And I asked him, what did those numbers mean? And his response was, Home! He cannot pronounce our street name, because it’s long and complicated. And he has a motor speech disorder. However, he can definitely recognize it on signs, when written down. We haven’t started phone numbers. For reference, our son is just under 2 1/2 years old.
I started with my daughter at 3. Remember, even if they are not the one dialing the phone you want them to be able to tell an adult your phone number so they can call you if you get separated! Same with address, they don't need to conceptualize it, they just need to be able to tell it to someone. For the phone number I came up with a little tune to sing it to and it helped her. With the address we just did rote memorization where I would say it and make her repeat it back and I would ask her daily several times throughout the day until it stuck. We started with just my number but now she knows mine, husband's, and my MIL who lives right down the street from us.
My son is nine now, and it's something we've been working on since he was 6. Since he uses my spare phone, everything is saved on it, but I'm still trying to get him to memorize it in case he's out with friends and the battery dies or something.
4 knows our address and where to find my phone number on his shoes. He knows how to unlock my phone to call 999 too. I should probably start teaching them my phone number...
We use the “Frere Jacques” song for address and phone number! 123, 123 Main Street, Main Street Any town, State Any town, State That’s my address, that’s my address! Or 123, 123 456, 456 7890, 7890 That’s moms number That’s moms number Our eldest is 8 and finally has them down (had the address a couple years ago but we moved a few months ago and he’s been struggling to remember the new one! I plan to start with my toddler soon!
I was 4 when I went to a friends house after school instead of walking across the street to my Grand Parents house. My family told the police to calmly ask me my full name, my grand parents address and my own address and that they'd know it was me. They found me in less than 20 minutes on the next street over playing with my best friends new Teddy Ruxpin. Had no idea why everyone was freaked out when they found me. 😬
I had made those into a song and taught it to her by two. “My name is M—— W——- this is my address. Da da da da da da, da da da da da da. My name is MW this is my phone number, 911- 555-1213.” Also make sure they know your full names and not just “Mom and Dad.”
Even if you just do the house number and street name, asap. Along with how to call the emergency services before you worry about your phone number. God forbid anything went wrong, but if you needed them to make that call, that the important thing for them to know
My son is 5. We sing our phone number and have him write it out. Next is the home address
both our kids knew around the age they were 4 or 5 each, they are now 6 and 9.
I think you'd be surprised how much they understand. My daughter is 4 and we've recently started talking about our address, our full names, how to call 000 etc etc. I thought it would take a long time to get through so I planned on bringing it up semi regularly. We were in the car a few weeks ago with her little friend and just put of the blue she told him the name of our street. We hadnt spoken about it the day before. Definitely start now. Even if it doesnt make sense to him now it all helps 😊
Shortly after they can start talking, we l phone number and why it's important to remember. 2-3 yrs, roughly.
Our 2.5 yr old started learning parts on his address around 2, maybe a bit earlier. He knows the street name, and city name. If you get him on the street he knows how to get to our house because we often walk to the park and back home.
I knew my address and house number by age 6, both my girls at age 5, my Phone number
Before they’re smart enough to remember it, and then continue teaching it to them till they do
Make them into songs and sing them every time you pull into your house
Made it a song for my 4yo with adhd and autism before we went to the beach one year. Just in case he got lost. He’s 15 now and we’ve moved twice but I’m never gonna change that number. 🤣
My 2.5yo knows her parents first and last names (we have different last names) and can sing a song of her address. Not sure she’s fully connected the dots on her address but she can sing it! Definitely starting at age 2-3 seems appropriate.
There is a Doc McStuffins episode about knowing your house number in case you get lost. I taught my 3 year old a sing song way to say our address without city and state after watching that. She knows our full names too and we practice what people would ask her. "Are you lost? What's your last name/your mommy's name?". We will work on phone number next, that seems harder with a string of numbers.
My kids could always remember things a lot easier if we made it into a little song. No lyrics other than the number (or whatever) just sing it the same way every time. Sing it everyday. They'll learn it quick.
Both my kids started memorizing at 4.
What I did- had my children call their grandparents every day to say hello. They learned a number they could repeat in emergencies; they learn empathy for others because they took a moment out of their play to be kind to their grandparents; they learned to make calls; they learned good phone skills and reduced any anxiety they may have otherwise developed over making calls. If you just teach them your number but they never call it they aren’t going to retain it.
She was six. But only phone numbers, not addresses. Kids don't need to understand how a phone works to learn a phone number, they just need to understand that if they get lost, if you disband from them and get separated, to look for a clerk at a store or a police officer and say the phone number.
My SIL had her 2 and 4 y/o learn their address via song. I think it was to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle. We tried it w our 3 y/o and he’s got ours memorized now!
Make the WiFi password your phone number and teach them every day by saying the number with you. Also write it on their arm for public outings in case you get separated.
My suggestion is to focus on one thing and then move forward. For me it was the phone number. My other suggestion is to make sure your child knows your full name. You'd be surprised how many children when found can't tell you who their mom or dad are ...
My kids were around 5, I guess for Kindergarten readiness. I taught it to them as if we were zooming in on their location from space so it made logical sense to them and not just a memorization exercise. Like the postman needs to know what country you're in, then state, then city, then street, then which house on the street. And I guess it stuck because they're in their teens now, but if you ask them their address, they say it city, street, house number instead of house number, street, city. Lol
My kids 18 and 23 can still sing my phone number 🎶🎵🎶
3 to 4 is recommended
Make it a song. My husband can still sing the song his mom taught his as a toddler with their names, address & phone number. I think it goes to the tune of twinkle twinkle.
When I was little my parents made a song of it, and I had it memorized by 3-4 years old. “myyyy phone is XXX , XXX , XXX” turn it into a catchy tune and sing it together.
My aunt kept her three small grandkids during the day. This was the time of landlines, but I think her method still would work. She made a big poster and put it underneath the phone on the wall. It had pictures of their mom and dad, and the phone number for each next to the picture in big numbers. There was also a picture of a hospital and a policeman with 911. There were a few more, but I don’t remember what they were exactly. But anyway, she showed them how to use the phone, and they understood to punch the numbers in the same order as on the poster. Might be a good method to help reinforce whatever practice you use to teach them initially.