Monthly Archives: May 2015

how to teach the time

HOW TO TELL TIME

Is it time for your preschooler to learn how to tell the time?  If yes, there are a few skills that your preschooler should master before learning how to tell time.

  1. Double Digits: For digital clocks, it is essential that your preschooler can recognize double digit numbers up to 59. Teach My Preschooler Numbers 1 – 100 is full of great tools to teach double digit numbers. You can also point out house numbers, street signs and page numbers. Mastering double digits is key for how to tell time.
  2. 5, 10, 15, 20: Learning to count by fives is key for reading an analog clock. Show your preschooler piles of fives, using objects like buttons, crayons or raisins! Simply practice counting by 5′s up to 60 and show your preschooler on an actual clock.
  3. Hours and Minutes: Make reference to the difference between hours and minutes. When you are making breakfast, explain that it will be ready in 5 minutes. Tell your preschooler that you will be meeting friends in the park in 1 hour and dinner will be in 3 hours. When teaching the time, do your best to stick to exact time frames, so your preschooler gets a realistic view of the length of 5 minutes, 1 hour or 3 hours.
  4. Past, Present, Future: During the day, make reference to the passage of time. Remind your preschooler of what happened in the morning and what you will do that evening. Talk about when your little one will have a bath and when they played at the playground that morning. Learning how to tell time includes understanding the concept of how time passes.
  5. AM and PM: Understanding time vocabulary is also important. Teach your preschooler the difference between morning, afternoon and night. Explain the terms AM and PM, so your preschooler becomes familiar with time vocabulary.

Learn how to tell time with Teach My Preschooler The Time. The set introduces preschoolers to hours, minutes, analog time, digital time and time vocabulary. Using a wipe-off teaching clock, book and digital time maker, preschoolers can master telling the time quickly! The set encourages numeracy, counting, decoding, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and parent/child interaction. 3 years+