Learning to tell time promotes child development

For a structured daily routine, agreements and keeping to times are essential. While for little ones mom, dad or other adults make sure that they are always in the right place at the right moment, older children take on this responsibility more and more themselves.

Being big and independent makes children very proud – and the newly acquired skill also promotes emotional development on top of that. Your children learn to be in the right place at the agreed time and thus automatically develop more sense of responsibility and independence. By independently keeping to times and appointments, children experience themselves as more independent and self-determined. The new ability to read the clock just like the grown-ups, makes children strong, gives them self-confidence and is good for their emotional well-being.

At what age should children learn to read the clock?

It cannot be generally determined when your child should learn to read the clock. Some children already show an interest in telling time from around five or six years old and are then already able to understand the concept of hands and the dial. Others take their time with it. And that is perfectly fine. At school age children's days are automatically organized around lesson times and schedules. Children have to by now at the latest get up and leave the house at the same time every day. That's why starting school is a popular occasion for a child's first watch, wristwatch or alarm clock. From around second grade, children also learn at school how to handle times.

What should you look for when buying the first watch?

Analog children's watches are best, with which children can repeatedly practice reading the time. The ideal children's watch has a clearly readable dial with minute markings, hour, minute and second hands. Without minute markings, precisely determining the time is difficult – and too many elements on the watch also confuse children.

A wall clock for the children's room or a children's alarm clock for the bedside table should be as quiet as possible so that your children sleep well at night and are not disturbed by the ticking of the clock. Above all, children's wristwatches are durable and easy to care for and can withstand a knock or fall. color and design are of course just as important! Whether a little fan of horses, space or football – there is the perfect watch design for every preference.

Tips for learning to read the time

Every little mind handles information differently and of course has different interests. But at some point everyone is ready to understand the concept of the clock. What helps you and your children on the way there:

• Develop an early sense of time spans: Your children will already, in toddlerhood, want to know how long they have to wait for big events or how much playtime is left. Be creative and find child-appropriate time descriptions that your little ones understand, such as "how many more sleeps" or "until the sand in the hourglass has run out".

• Learning clock and seasonal clock: Children are fascinated by the seasons and are also always interested in who has a birthday in which month. A learning clock or a play calendar are fun and show children in a playful way what time means.

• Stories and books for learning to tell time: With stories, books and games about reading clocks, children practice on their own and will soon be real clock-reading pros.

• Apps for learning to tell time: Specially developed learning apps help children understand the clock step by step and, with fun exercises, make learning child's play.

The first understanding of time

Even the very young are fascinated by seasons, calendars and illustrated schedules. Learning clocks and learning calendars are popular toys in kindergarten and at home. What day is it today, what is the weather like outside, which trees belong to autumn and what is the name of the month in which my birthday falls?

From about four years old, children learn to distinguish today from yesterday and tomorrow and develop a sense of what happens in the morning and afternoon or when the day turns into evening. But what does it really mean that it's almost eight o'clock and therefore far too late to build a marble run? Children usually only understand that later. How can we make time tangible for kindergarten children until then?

So many more sleeps: For generations, children have learned with this magical phrase how long they still have to wait for a special event or a big day. And it works just as well as ever!

As long as two drives to Grandma's: Using familiar situations, children can better estimate time spans and imagine how long that period will feel.

Until the sand timer runs out: By visualizing time intervals, children can see how much time has literally elapsed and how much remains. As a modern variant of the hourglass, a timer with a visible time span helps.

Learn to read the clock in 5 steps

When your children start to read the clock, they already know the numbers from one to twelve. But what about the hands on the dial? Talk with your child beforehand about the two hands that always move in the same direction (to the right) and that, as a team, indicate the correct time. And then get started:

1. Hour hand: Explain to your child that the hour hand shows the full hours. The small hand is the boss. As soon as it points to a number, that hour begins.

2. Minute hand: Now your children learn how the minute hand shows half hours and quarter hours. Practice different time settings with "quarter to", "quarter past" and "half" expressions.

3. Minutes: It's best to use a learning clock with a minute display. The minute hand is responsible for this as well and helps the hour hand to describe the time precisely.

4. Time intervals: Children who can already do arithmetic may now practice time intervals. How much time passes between the hours and half hours? And how do we express small intervals in minutes?

5. Practice, practice, practice: Whether on the learning clock, the kitchen clock or their own kids' alarm clock – ask your children the time from time to time – they will be proud to tell you and will anchor their new skills in the process

Tip: Use time indications from 1 to 12 o'clock at first and avoid 24-hour times like 15:00 for now. That makes learning easier.

This is how you can easily make a learning clock yourself

You need:

• Cardboard or photo paper

• Pencil

• Scissors

• 1 paper fastener

• Pens or paints for decorating

How to:

1. Cut a circle out of the cardboard.Tip:It's easiest if you draw the circle with a compass first. Alternatively, you can place a plate on it and trace the rim with a pencil.

2. Cut two hands of different lengths from the cardboard.Attention:The hands should be at least 1-2 cm wide so there is enough space to later push the fastener through.

3. Write the numbers 1-12 on the clock face.Tip:First write 12 at the top, 6 at the bottom, 3 on the right, and 9 on the left. Then write the two missing numbers between each.

4. Decorate the clock face as you like with colors or stickers.

5. Poke a hole in the center of the clock face and in the underside of both hands.

6. Push the paper fastener through both hands and the clock face and secure the fastener on the underside so that the hands can turn easily. Your learning clock is finished. Have fun with the wonderful world of time!