"I am going to count from 3 to 0 and then you need to be done playing..." "I said 10 minutes ago that you need to get ready to leave..." Are you a parent and have you said this countless times to your child? Fear not! The use of a simple visual timer might be the solution to all those countdown problems!
Many young children find it hard to understand and visualise time. How long are 10 minutes really? What does it mean if I have 30 minutes to play online games? Providing younger children (think about children roughly aged 4-8) with a visual timer that shows them how long they have to play, do their homework or get dressed for school, gives them something visual and tangible to anticipate when they need to be done with an activity or when the next one will start.
Many children enjoy predictability and routine and adding a timer on a daily basis can be helpful for many children. Use the helpful "when... then..." phrase as well while using the timer: "When the mouse is finished eating his cheese (see reference to mouse below), then we will switch off the TV and have dinner together." This adds additional predictability for your child as they know exactly what to expect.
Head over to your phone's app store and download this fun, interactive Mouse Timer with a cute mouse that indulges on apples as the time ticks!
Google Play store: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=mouse%20timer&c=apps&hl=en&gl=US
Sunny greetings from Amsterdam,
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