Your child spends his time asking you how soon we arrive? Maybe it’s time to teach him to tell the time. How to go about it, what watch to buy him and at what age? Our tips and tricks to help him tell the time like a grown-up.
Even if he is generally very proud of it, it is not enough to have a watch on your wrist to know how to tell the time. Between all these needles, the numbers and his difficulty in positioning himself in time, benchmarks and patience will be necessary to help him integrate this learning. However, around 6 years oldgenerally when entering CP, your child is able to distinguish hands and numbers and so able to recognize what time it is. The purchase of a suitable watch (distinction between the two hands, analog dial) is then useful to allow him to train. For the youngest, don’t hesitate to make them aware of the notion of time by using tools such as the hourglass, the timer, dedicated books and apps.
1. Choose an age-appropriate watch
To help him in his time learning, the best is still to invest in a watch adapted to his age, so that he can scrutinize the rotation and the placement of his hands when he sees fit! As for the choice of the learning watch, favor a model with needles, such as the Baby Watch, the Vtech Kidizoom or the famous Flik Flak from Swatch.
2. Brushing your teeth, a time to put to good use
It is customary to say that for toothbrushing to be effective, it must last 3 minutes. A good starting point to offer him to scrutinize his little dial during this little daily ritual. Indeed, 3 minutes is fast, so the child will be able to stay focused, and by repeating the operation with each brushing, he will become aware of the time that has elapsed. With white teeth as a bonus. And to facilitate timing, we start at a specific time such as 8 a.m. in the morning or 8 p.m. in the evening.
3. Bedtime, the right timing to remember
Another practical reference, to help him memorize bedtime. Indeed, knowing that when his watch or the living room clock says 8:30 p.m., he has to go to bed will motivate him to know how much game time he has left. Do not hesitate to tell him what time he is leaving the table for example, then to tell him how much time he has left before putting away his toys. You can also use an hourglass if he does not yet know how to count or/and does not know numbers well, to help him become aware of the passage of time. To be used during small moments like when brushing his teeth or when he gets dressed. And of course, we notify him of the time that has elapsed.
4. The book I learn the time with Sami and Julie
A book to learn to tell the time, that’s what the book offers “I learn the time with Sami and Julie”. Inside, 8 lessons : first of all the hours, then the half-hours, the quarter-hours, etc. Of the erasable exercises (felt and sponge provided) will also allow him to reproduce the needles according to the different models.
5. The Time Timer, a visual cue
Ideal tool to help the child become aware of the passage of time and to find his way in time in a playful way, the timer will also teach him to develop his autonomy. Small and easy to use, just set activity time scheduled (1 hour maximum) and it is displayed in red on the clock. It then decreases as time passes until the buzzer sounds.
6. Hugo the snail coloring page
The good idea, the hours of the day coloring book Hugo the snail Illustrated by Maëlle Le Toquin. This teaches the little ones to associate the main moments of the day (breakfast, recess, home from school, bathing, brushing their teeth and the evening story) with a particular time. A fun way to teach him to tell the time by following the days of all these little characters.
7. The paper clock, a hand drive
The moment is therefore propitious for a small creative workshop where you will realize together a paper clock. All you have to do is cut a circle out of a cardboard sheet and another one of smaller circumference that you will place on top. Draw them 12 digit clock and cut them out carefully. Then stick them on the big circle. Do the same with the numbers (5, 10, 15…00) for the minutes and stick them this time on the smaller circle. Cut out two arrows, a small one for the hours and a large one for the minutes (you can write their names on them) and secure them with brads in the center of your clock. You can now turn the hands together and let him know what time it is. You are not manual? There are dials sold turnkey as My little Montessori clock at Larousse.
8. Learn to tell the time app
Free, the application Learn to tell the time teaches children, from 4 years old, how to read the time, on analog and digital clocks. Practical, it is available on 5 levels to allow progressive and fun learning. In addition, once he knows how to tell the time in French, your child can learn it in English, German or even Korean if he likes.
9. The interactive clock
Originally created to offer a learning material to teachers, this interactive clock developed by the site computer-teacher to learn how to tell the time can also help you teach it to your child. On one side, the analog clock with the small hand indicating the hours in blue, that of the minutes in green and that of the seconds in red. On the right, the time is displayed digitally. Practical, by checking or unchecking boxes, you will be able to keep only the hands or the display of the hours of the day that interests you. It is also possible to make your child move the hands so that he can change the time and train as he pleases.
10. Ask him the time!
Finally, once he has understood the principle and mastered numbers and time, the best way for your child to know how to tell the time perfectly is to ask her regularly “what time is it ?”. It will take him a little time (and concentration) at first to answer you, but in a while, the clock will no longer hold any secrets for him! And the next time you tell her “I’m coming in 2 minutes!”he will take you at your word.