Let's Talk Time (3-5)

Having an understanding of time and how to measure it is very critical to the way we live our lives. Children between the ages of 3-5 start to have a better understanding of time even if they have not yet figured out how to tell it themselves. They are beginning to understand the different parts of the day and, no matter how much they understand, they can be exposed to these concepts all the time in order to deepen understanding. In order for children to better understand the idea of time and all of its elements we must talk about time around our children. We can talk to them about a variety of things like their schedule and the amount of time they have left in activities they are doing.

To help children develop an understanding of time, use words like hours, minutes, seconds, morning, afternoon, evening, night, days of the week, month of the year, and seasons. As children get older they will develop a better understanding of time and its complexity.