ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the different ways in which time is valued and appreciated as a major contributor to the development of children's learning. Time is born from the tempest. Time is born from the years. The importance of time as continuity, time for day-to-day events and activities, and time for long-term projects is discussed. The use of time on a daily basis is illustrated by descriptions of two typical days, one in an infant-toddler centre and the other in a preschool. Time is valued for the continuity it gives children and adults as they live and grow together over extended periods. Time is valued within the day through the 'rich normality' of everyday experiences – time to meet, to be, to do, to think and reflect, to talk, to listen, to rest and to eat. The time the children work can be short, or it can be long.
