Hand Games that Teach

There are some simple little hand games that serve as learning and memory tools for kids, and kids really enjoy possessing these "special" tricks.

Here is a hand game that may help your child learn how many days there are in each month just by using his or her hands-in this case, just the knuckles. Some people may find it easy to simply learn the classic rhyme "Thirty days hath September, April, June and November...or is it December?..." Well, this rhyme may not have stuck with you, or maybe your child is having difficulty learning it and relating it to each month and how many days there are in every month. Try this Month Magic technique instead and see if this makes more sense to both your child and you. Once you have set it to memory, you'll never forget or be confused about how many days there are in each month of the year.

To begin, you will need both your hands closed up like a fist. Hold them up in front of you and look at your knuckles as mountains and valleys. The knuckles are the high points on your fisted hands, the mountains. Between each of the four knuckles is a low point, the valley.

Using your right hand's pointer (index) finger, touch your first knuckle and call it January. It's a high point (a mountain), and every mountain has 31 days in that month, so January has 31 days. Now continue: a valley is next and that's February. It's a low point on your hand. Valleys always have the lower number of days associated with them: 30, except in February's case of either 28 or 29 days. Moving on to March, you'll find that you are at a high mountain point again, so this month has 31 days. April follows, and we find ourselves at a low point, a valley which has 30 days. The mountain region is next and May has 31 days to guide us along.

The months continue across both hands, and you'll see that this rule follows throughout the calendar year. This simple hand game is not only a fun way for your child to be confident in knowing how many days are in each month, but it's also an easy educational device that they can learn and then share and teach to others. It's important for children to have confidence in their knowledge about everyday things, like how many days there are in each month; and now they can possess a tool to check with that they will never misplace.

Using hands again, here's a fun trick you can try and then share with all your children, family and friends: I call it Knuckling Under. First, touch the fingertips of your left hand to the fingertips of your right hand. Now bend your two middle fingers down and place them so that both middle-fingers meet at the first joint. It's important that you make sure that you keep these joints together.

You'll find that you can separate your thumbs at will; you can separate your index fingers or your pinkies, but it will be impossible ( if you have kept your middle fingers touching) to separate your ring fingers! This is a little example of body discovery and awareness-a fun hand trick that you can share with your child at any age, that can also serve to get him or her to start to wonder and question. It's something that can be shared with any young friends. This trick takes concentration, and also shows us how some muscles and nerves in our body react when other parts of our body are not able to be used. It's fascinating to see how our fingers depend on each other, and how they are interrelated.

As a parent and teacher it's always important that you keep learning and sharing all your ideas, skills and knowledge with your children. Your children always look up to you for guidance, and by talking to them and teaching them some fun, safe and varied learning techniques or games, you are helping them to grow and be challenged.

There are many great books at your local library that can teach you even more games and stories that you in turn can teach and share with your children. Weekends are a good time for you and your family to explore different libraries and learn together by reading and making new discoveries about everyday things.

Article provided by Homesteader