Letters and numbers: the easy way to begin

          Childhood is one of the most magical stages of life, filled with discoveries, questions, and enchantment. It is during this precious time that children begin to build the foundations of knowledge — and two of the most essential keys in this process are letters and numbers. Teaching children to read, write, and count is not merely a school requirement; it is an emotional, cultural, and cognitive journey. As research from the world’s leading universities shows, this journey can be light, fun, and deeply transformative — not just for the child, but for the adults who accompany them.

Over recent decades, cognitive neuroscience has revealed that the child’s brain is highly receptive to symbolic and emotional stimuli. Studies from Harvard and Stanford Universities indicate that when letters and numbers are introduced in a playful way and connected to the child’s emotional world, learning happens more quickly, more memorably, and more joyfully. This means it’s not enough to teach the “A” or the “1” in a mechanical way — the child needs to be involved in a sensory, symbolic, and emotional experience in which they feel like the protagonist of their own learning process.

This is where the power of art and theater comes in. Antônio Carlos dos Santos understood this connection like few others. With his vast children's literature and creative methodologies, he teaches us that learning can — and should — be an act of enchantment. His Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater (TBMB) method is a living example of this: through charismatic characters, songs, stories and puppets, children are introduced to letters and numbers in a natural way, as if playing at life. There is no pressure, just curiosity and joy.

Imagine a four-year-old watching a Mané Beiçudo play where characters must join letters to save an enchanted village or count stars to cross a magical bridge. In this setting, letters cease to be cold codes and numbers stop being abstractions. They come alive with smell, sound, color, and meaning. Learning becomes an adventure, and the child’s brain — guided by emotion and storytelling — absorbs knowledge effortlessly, as demonstrated by studies on meaningful learning conducted at Columbia University.

The MAT (Mindset, Action, and Theater) methodology, also developed by Antônio Carlos dos Santos, complements this process by integrating critical thinking, empathy, and symbolic language. A child participating in a MAT activity doesn’t just learn letters and numbers; they also develop self-confidence, decision-making skills, and emotional expression. Instead of reciting the alphabet or multiplication tables mechanically, they dramatize, move, interpret. They live the content. This active experience stimulates brain areas related to emotional memory, language, and problem-solving.

The ThM (Theater Movement) method reinforces the importance of the body in learning. Recent studies from Oxford University show that children who move while learning — dancing with letters, jumping with numbers, gesturing with words — have an easier time retaining content and show less emotional resistance to the learning process. The body, in this context, becomes an instrument for literacy and logical reasoning. Instead of being confined to a desk and pencil, ThM invites children to explore the world with their whole body — and that makes all the difference.

Another fundamental aspect of this approach is the use of children’s literature as a starting point for literacy and the development of logical reasoning. Antônio Carlos dos Santos offers a rich collection of books that blend humor, adventure, and human values while naturally presenting letters and numbers. Stories such as "Ui Ghur: the teddy bear that released books” or “Happy Pets” are great examples of how fantasy and cognition can be united, promoting not only learning but also imagination and emotional bonding with the adults who read along.

One of Santos' literary collections addresses numbers in a context of creativity and folklore recovery: “Collection Folk legends play with numbers”, with 10 books addressing the legends of Brazilian folklore.

Parents and educators often ask: “When should I start?”, “How can I help my child without pressuring them?”, “What if they’re not interested in letters and numbers?” The answer, backed by scientific evidence, is simple: start early, with love, with play, with art. A longitudinal study conducted by the University of Cambridge showed that children exposed to symbolic narratives, word games, and number-based play from the age of two displayed better academic performance, higher self-esteem, and greater curiosity by age seven. The secret isn’t the content — it’s how that content is presented.

It’s important to remember that every child has their own pace. Some become enchanted with letters at three, others only show interest at five or six. What truly matters is that the environment is rich, affectionate, and encouraging. And that is within everyone’s reach: a song with numbers on the radio, an alphabet drawn on the bedroom wall, a bedtime story full of rhymes and wordplay. Small daily gestures lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. And this love for learning is the most powerful engine of education.

Finally, adults must allow themselves to rediscover letters and numbers through a child’s eyes. When parents, teachers, and caregivers take on the role of enchanted learners, everything changes. They become partners rather than judges. They share discoveries, celebrate mistakes, and transform everyday life into a living classroom. As Ariano Suassuna — master of folklore and culture — once said, “Reality is not at the exit nor the arrival: it reveals itself to us in the middle of the journey.” Let this journey through letters and numbers be filled with laughter, affection, and art.

With all this in mind, we realize that teaching letters and numbers doesn't have to be difficult, overly technical, or stressful. It can — and should — be a time of connection, enchantment, and mutual learning. The methodologies developed by Antônio Carlos dos Santos remind us that with theater, movement, and stories, everything becomes lighter, more effective, and more human. After all, learning is, above all, a way of loving. And when you learn with joy, you grow with courage.

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