ABSTRACT
Here is a list of suggested activities to develop a child's awareness of time and introduce new words associated with it.
Develop the child's awareness of seasons, months, days and weeks by using large calendars and time lines. Make the child's birthday special and mark off days on the calendar coming up to holidays and special treats.
Make use of a clock or watch to show the passing of time, for example:
‘When the big hand turns round to the 3, it will be time to go out and meet Evie from school.’ ‘When my watch shows 19.00 it's time to get ready for bed.’
Remember special events and days out by talking, drawing pictures, using materials collected (shells, leaves, conkers).
Discuss plans for the day/next day/next week and use the appropriate ‘time words’ – tomorrow, today, next Monday.
Before any trip or visit, talk with the child about what will happen and what he/she is likely to see and hear.
Talk about what happened yesterday, last week, last year – looking at photographs is a good way of remembering past events. For example: ‘Do you remember when we went to the seaside in the summer holidays last year?’
Common time words can be incorporated into conversations and stories such as: during, after, before, end, beginning, always, never, sometimes, first, last, early, late, occasionally, often.
Encourage the child to think about time:
‘When do we brush our teeth?’ ‘We brush our teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once before we go to bed.’
‘Shall we go to the park before lunch or after lunch?
