Check It Out! Products You Can Use: Put Time on Their Side
Put Time on Their Side
Planning is a skill many people struggle with so it’s a wonderful skill to begin teaching at an early age. Kids tend to live in the moment. Whether playing a game or watching a movie, all distractions fall away and they get absorbed in the sensory experiences they’re engaged in.
That’s fine, until children need to transition to the next thing or when panic sets in because time has run out. Planning is about picturing the future and making sure you have the gear you need to get what you want done. Making it a habit to plan out a day is a great way to build organizational skills in your young ones. Here are products that help:
Easy Daysies is a magnetic daily planner that allows kids to move written tasks from one side of the board to the other as they are accomplished. This gives them a visual reminder of what’s to come and what has to be done. This concept also helps trigger feelings of success in children when something is completed.
Time Tracker Visual Timer & Clock
Planning is also about giving yourself enough time to complete a task comfortably. Some people habitually under estimate the time it takes to do something. That’s why we love products that introduce the concept of time lapse. Understanding and relating to the movement of time takes practice.
Products that can help kids learn vary from a simple egg timer to the Time Tracker Visual Timer & Clock from Learning Resources. This multi-tasking timer has all the tools for transition alerts along with a clock, lights and sound effects. Use these tools and make a game out of your child guessing how long it takes them to do a routine task like brushing teeth or getting dressed. This will help them learn how long things take.
So, take the opportunity to teach your kids about planning and give them (and yourself) the gift of time
For more play ideas and toys for children with special needs go to www.ableplay.org. This website was created by the National Lekotek Center to encourage children of all abilities to experiences the benefits of play. Find us on Facebook
Reviewed by Ellen Metrick, Director of Industry Relations & Partnerships, National Lekotek Center; emetrick@lekotek.org
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