#Judy clock mini how to

When my daughter was 3, we did “step 1” (hour number matching activities). Some kids might get the concept right away while others need to revisit the concept gradually with various examples. Observe when your child seems to be curious about time, and point out different clocks when you are out and about. I suggest a flexible timeline for proceeding through the teaching steps. Schools usually teach time somewhere between age 5-8, but we started early based on interest. These steps are inspired by the Montessori philosophy of isolating and mastering one skill at a time before progressing to the next.

Recognize modern clocks that have no numbers.

Introduce the clock as a circle with 12 numbers around the edges.

Since my hunt for a simple teaching clock was unproductive initially, I realized I could easily create my own clock learning materials.

#Judy clock mini how to

However, the shapes and colors were distracting from the intended purpose of learning how to tell time.

She was good at matching the shapes and had already learned her numbers long before we got it. After watching my daughter play with the toy, I realized that it was overly colorful and had many irrelevant parts. Initially, I had purchased the popular Melissa and Doug Shape Sorting Clock. My step-wise approach involved regular discussion about time paired with inexpensive, simple, interactive, and low-prep exercises. When I taught my daughter how to tell time, I prioritized teaching the analog clock with Montessori– inspired activities. How to teach kids time with Montessori inspired activities Digital clocks emit a bright, stimulating LED display light which can potentially disrupt sleep. Since analog clocks usually have no back-light, I recommend these for bedrooms.An audible tick-tock of a clock can be a nuisance, but the sound represents the rhythm of time.Fractions are introduced through the concept of quarter past, half past, and quarter till X o’clock. Mathematically, skip counting by 5s and multiples of 5 can be visualized.The round shape represents the rhythmic cycles of day and night.Kids can see the hands of the clock move eg, notice the passage of time.However, the analog clock is an important tool for establishing the concept of time because: Since digital clocks are convenient and ubiquitous, the author was concerned that the analog clock would soon be extinct.

I read an article from Slate about the current generation’s struggle with reading the analog clock.

Image credit: via Twenty20 Why should kids learn the analog clock?