Thanks to everyone for sending a photo of your child as a baby. This topic is always fascinating for young children, especially when they realise their teachers were babies too! Most children find the concept of time diificult because of its abstract nature. In the early years, the focus is mainly on the aspect of sequencing events and using the vocabulary of time.
This week, we’ll be learning how to read o’clock times as well but it’s important that children have the concept of time.
For many children time only exists in the present and they find it more difficult to remember past events than to imagine a future event such as a birthday.
Talk to your child about past events and use the language of time, such as:
- yesterday,
- today,
- tomorrow,
- last week,
- last month,
- quicker,
- slower,
- before,
- after,
- earlier and
- later.
Set your child challenges and time them. For example, ask them to tidy their toys away and time them. Talk about how long it took. Were they quicker or slower than yesterday?
As you begin to tell a story emphasise the opening phrases ‘once upon a time’ or ‘a long time ago’. When you have finished reading the story discuss the sequence of events. Use the language first, next, and then, and finally.
As always: have fun and keep it playful!