When a child comes into the world they do not know or have the concept of time. They may hear their parents telling them that they need to be at an appointment or an activity by a certain time. It’s never a good idea to hurry our children along constantly or expect them to immediately stop doing activity they are in the middle of to leave.
Play is so important to children’s learning and allowing uninterrupted time is important. Showing that you respect their playtime and feelings reenforces the concept that you respect them as human beings. We can transition our children from play to leaving for another event, appointment or activity by teaching them to read the clock. We can also help them by telling them in twenty minutes we are leaving and you will have to stop playing. Giving them the transition allows them to prepare for stopping the activity.
You can start in the toddler years by buying a toy clock that has the numbers and hands on it. Allow your child to play with the clock and start to teach them the numbers on the face of clock. Your child may not be able to grasp the full concept, but you can position your clock with the hands showing the time that you will leave and compare to a real a real clock in the house.
There are many different toy clocks and activities in stores and online that can help children learn the concept of time. Have a fun time learning time with your children and bonding over the experience. I am certain that you will have no more battles over trying to get them out the door for activities and appointments. This is especially important for those with autism and other disabilities who have trouble with transitions.
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