I have adorable twin girls in my preschool gymnastics class that I teach. They are 4 years old.
They dress alike They have identical haircuts. I CAN'T TELL THEM APART!
In the class it's important for me to call the children by their names. Especially when they are all doing something. I asked the mom if they could wear different outfits or hair bands or something so I can tell them apart and she laughed and said she's tried that and they get upset because they want to be exactly alike. If one has a blue rubber band then the other wants one.
I'm sure once I get to know them I will be able to tell them apart. The mom can easily. One is shyer than the other, that's all I know. And in my once a week, 30 minute class (with 4 other kids in it) I haven't been able to find a way to tell them apart.
Any ideas, moms?
Thanks for the suggestion to tell the mom that it's for safety, because it really is. With the kids all doing different things in the circuit, I need to use the children's names if they are across the mat. We aren't allowed to use any name tags on the children because a stranger could look in the class and see the children's names and use it to lure them away (or so our safety rules say).
I like the idea of using an initial. Maybe they will be okay with using an initial. I did try putting stamps on them at the beginning of class but I can't see the stamps from across the mat.
I may also try stickers on the kid's backs. Thanks moms!
Ask their mom to put a name tag on their back (on a piece of masking tape) so you can see it, but they won't know it's there.
J.
Considering what type of class this is you NEED to know which is which. Explain that to the parents and stress to them it's for safety reasons in case there's an accident.
I still don't get dressing twins the same. It seems just strange to me.
Tell the girls that it is very important for class safety for you to be able to tell them apart and to learn their names and so for today you are going to have X wear a blue hairband and Y wear a pink one. They are 4 -- they should be expected to make accommodations for their own safety and understand that it is required. And they need to learn that "getting upset" doesn't necessarily get you your way.
When they come in, ask one of them, "Which one are you?" When she tells you, write it in marker on her forehead.
Just kidding!
I honestly have no real suggestion! hehe. I think over time you'll figure it out...maybe. Often one will be slightly taller than the other or will have a freckle or mole that the other one doesn't. I'd look for something like that or ask the mom if there is something like that to help you know which one is which. My grandma is a twin. It was easy to tell which was which. And my cousins are twins. They look a lot more alike. I never could tell them apart, but I rarely saw them. So I imagine over time you'll be able to tell them apart somehow - maybe from their different personalities.
Just because the mom can't get them to wear different bands or something different, maybe if you ask them they would be willing to "help you".
Maybe you could get them wristbands that they wear ONLY when you give them to them in class. Get those cheapy rubbery bracelets and say "you wear the pink one. You wear the purple one." (or get actual sweat bands). If you only have two in your hand (diff colors), and you tell them that they need to wear them so you can tell them apart, what else will they say other than to comply?
Get 6 bracelets or wrist bands or something like that and give one to each child. Make it mandatory that they wear them. That way no one feels singled out and no one feels left out. Make sure Sue always wears pink, Fred always wears yellow, Beth always wears green, etc.
My grandmother and her sister were mirror twins and would play pranks on people. As adults, I still had trouble, and had to listen for them to talk. Aunt B. had an accent still and Grandma had mostly lost hers.
I would tell the girls that you understand that they like to be alike, but for class they have to do something to help you and their classmates get to know them better as individuals. What might they suggest? I would press for their mom to help you if they are unable to come up with something. A nametag might be a good solution since each would wear one.
Friend nannies for twins and she makes sure that even if they are otherwise dressed alike, some small thing is different. Otherwise I have no idea who is who.
I like the "Every student wears a name tag" idea (partly because I have trouble remembering students' names whether they're twins or not!)
I'd do just like my son's preschool class did until the teachers were familiar with the kids names. Have those sticky name tags, write each child's name and stick it to the back of their shirt (this is so you can see it and they can't take it off)
Sorry just saw that you tried the below already: Buy those stick-on name tags and make them wear a name-tag for class.
Maybe talk to their mom and come up with something to help you like color-coded hair ribbons our something. "Kaitlyn" always wears pink and "Megan" always wears purple.
O man I'm glad I dnt have twins I was always scared of this
Not being to tell them apart
Obviously these aren't your kids bT still
My moms friend has identical twin boys and you can't tell em apart bT one always carried a Woody and the other had Buzz.
Idk if that's possible but maybe give each one a different type of bracelet or something that's special just for them that you can tell em apart
Or
You could jut have em wear an " hi my name is" name tag lol
Idk I'm trying to be helpful lol
GL
E.<3
Hand stamps or stickers at the beginning of class or name tags for everyone. Might still be hard to see sometimes though. When I coached birthday parties all the kids wore nametags. Good luck
How about everyone in class gets to wear their name on their shirt...that way it isn't making them feel "different"...because everyone is doing it. But be aware that they may decide to swap name tags...I had identical twin girls in our church years ago...Mom put one color hair barrettes in ones' hair and another color in the other...so I could tell them apart...the little stinkers soon learned to swap barrettes....lol.
Do they have different name letters? Such as Becky and Jessica? Maybe there's a way they can wear something that is individualized to their name? Or put a B or J on their hand with a marker? Or mark one on her left hand and one on her right?
Good luck! Hope some other Mamas have ideas! That's tough!
i have twin brothers, and while they are fraternal for a couple of months they looked exactly alike and we were afraid to take their hospital ID bracelets off, the only one who could tell them apart was my dad. We learned to see the differences in their personalities, like you knowing which one is shyer, and used that to know who was who until they started to look a bit different.
For the time being I don't see that it would be a problem with saying, "You're (name)?" If she responds "yes," fine, if she says "No," just simply apologize and continue with what you are going to say. Kind of reminds me of Jason and Jeffrey on Caillou, NO one can tell them apart, lol!
There were twins in one of my kid's classes. Really until I got to know them I couldn't tell them apart either and they even dressed differently. I asked their mom once how she did it and she said they had a wrist ID until they were a month old by then she could tell the different personalities.
I have identical twins and they do like to dress alike and there are days when they don't (they are 6). Ask the mom if she could paint their nails and do something special on one of them if that is an option. I also know that there are places online that do personalized clothes - names on t-shirts and such. My twins love that, they will normally pick out the same design so they stay the same but they have their names on it (I also do that for teachers at the beginning of the school year).
I coached soccer and had twins, same thing. It just took some time but the personality is what did it. Just give it some time.
.
look for a freckle on a face or maybe ask them to come early and just chat with them. If you get to know them, like mom said that it can really help.
Maybe you could give them different color wrist bands when they come as a game for when they are in gymnastics. I feel your pain, I have had the pleasure of teaching identical twins twice and it aint easy.
