Almost every time I am at a store or a mall I hear parents screaming for their kids, or kids screaming for their parents. Kids wander off. It happens.
Have you ever had the experience of trying to help one of those kids find their parent? They are terrified and not often a lot of help.
We are always connected to phones or devices, and able to get a hold of anyone at a moments notice, but kids usually are not. Especially younger kids. We don't need to know phone numbers and for that reason we often don't think to teach them to kids.
Things Kids NEED To Know, If They Are Lost....- Their name. First & Last
- Their parent's name. First & Last
- Their parent's phone number.
Yes, they need to know these things! And yes, they can memorize a phone number with repetitive help. We all used to do it! It's a skill we have lost, but it's important for kids. It could also make them feel just a little bit better if they got lost. And would be a great help to anyone trying to get them back to their grown-ups.
How to teach it.......
- Make it into a song.
- Make a game of it.
- Set a group goal and when everyone has it there's a popcorn party or some other group prize. Make a chart!
- Set an individual goal and have each child pick for a prize box or get to be first in line, etc.
Disney has free educators guides that can be downloaded. These guides are made for the classroom but can be easily adapted to make a great monthly theme. Using these also means that you can show the corresponding movies without copyright issues. They have lots of great content, including power points, printable activities and games. 
