Time is a very important topic in math that we encounter every day. It helps us understand when things happen. Time is something we can measure, and it goes on forever.
Teaching time to children can be challenging, but we can follow a simple progression to introduce it to them:
Step 1 : Understand long and short durations : We can teach kids to compare the time it takes to do different activities. For example, walking to school takes longer than going by car. Talking to a friend on the phone takes less time than going to their house.
Step 2 : Arrange events of the day : We can help children understand the sequence of events in a day, such as morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This helps them develop a sense of time throughout the day.
Step 3 : Days of the week and months of the year : Introduce the concept of days of the week and months of the year. Teach them the order of the days and months and how they repeat in a cycle. You can also talk about the different seasons and their sequence.
Step 4 : Read a calendar : Show children how to read a calendar and understand the dates and days. They can learn to recognize important events and how to organize them based on dates.
Step 5 : Introduction to the 12-hour clock : Introduce the 12-hour clock system and teach children about hours, minutes, seconds, and the terms “a.m.” and “p.m.” Help them understand how time is represented on a clock with an hour and minute hand.
Step 6 : Introduction to the 24-hour clock : Teach children about the 24-hour clock system used in many countries. Show them how it differs from the 12-hour clock and explain its uses.
Step 7 : Conversion between 12-hour and 24-hour clock : Help children understand how to convert time between the 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats. Practice converting different times to reinforce their understanding.
In addition to these steps, it’s important to teach children about the different units of time, such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years along with the conversion of units of time. Show them how clocks and calendars help us measure and keep track of time.
Remember to make the learning experience fun and interactive by using visuals, clocks, calendars, and real-life examples. By following this progression, children can gradually develop a better understanding of time and how to read and measure it.
Teaching time with kid-friendly, clear, and easy-to-understand posters from Uncle Math School by Fun2Do Labs :
Ignite kids’ curiosity with engaging stories for role play and skits, making the learning of this concept an exciting and effective experience. Teaching time through stories from Uncle Math School by Fun2Do Labs :
Learning time can be made enjoyable by incorporating interactive games and activities.
Pretend Play :
Tiny learners adore engaging in pretend play, making it an exceptional method for teaching various concepts. One effective approach is to employ pretend play to introduce children to the sequence of activities performed throughout the day. They can be encouraged to imagine themselves performing all the tasks from waking up in the morning to going to bed at night, thereby familiarizing them with the specific order of activities.
To proceed with the exercise, children can be provided with color-coded cards indicating different periods of the day, such as morning, afternoon, evening, and night, as well as cards denoting long and short durations. The educator then acts out a specific activity, and the children raise the card that corresponds to the appropriate time of day for that activity.
Help your kids practise time with interesting and engaging fun worksheets and solutions from Uncle Math by Fun2Do Labs.
