With the second Sunday of March just around the corner, this is the perfect time to teach your kids in Montessori Preschool Winnetka about Daylight Savings Time (DST) and how to tell time. Preschoolers may seem too young to learn about time, but with the hands-on teaching technique that is the Montessori system, they can learn the essential basics of time telling. One of the best ways to teach kids about Daylight Savings Time and time, in general, is by using crafts. Since kids tend to have short attention spans, it's essential to develop a learning program that will capture their attention. Nothing works better than arts and crafts! Keep reading to learn how you can approach the topic of time and Daylight Savings with your Montessori preschoolers! A Little History of Time and Daylight Savings Time
Before you dive into the arts and crafts, it's necessary to give the kids a little history of time and daylight savings. In fact, don't be shocked if one of the three-year-olds ask interesting questions about the origin of time! To demystify this topic, give them a simplified background of time and daylight savings, and why you have to set the clock forward one hour on the second Sunday of March. While kids may find the history of daylight savings complicated, they can understand the concept of springing forward and falling back through the use of a hands-on learning clock. Keep it light and fun. Let them adjust the clock themselves and experience the magic of being an hour ahead. Explain what this adjustment means to their sleeping, eating, and learning schedules. Time Crafts to Help Kids Understand Time Hands-on play and learning are fundamental elements of the Montessori education method. With this in mind, below are some fun and creative crafts that you can use to help kids learn how to tell time and adjust for daylight savings. Paper Plate Clocks Paper plate clocks are analog clocks that resemble the digital wall clocks in most homes. Before doing this craft, explain to the kids this to them as they may not be familiar with analog clocks. Once you've gathered materials, engage the kids in making the paper plate clocks. If possible, they can work in groups to enhance their teamwork skills. As they make the clocks, explain basics such as what time corresponds to each number and what they would be doing at that time. You may also explain the difference between the long hand and the short one. Paper plate clocks not only help kids learn how to tell time, but they are also great for teaching numbers! Clock Crafts with Images Another great craft to help kids understand time is using clock crafts, but this time with images instead of numbers. Preschool kids may have a hard time learning numbers, but it may be easy to tell time if they associate it with a certain activity. For example, if they wake up at 6 a.m., you could use an image of a child waking up on the 6 o'clock mark. Do the same for other activities the children engage in, such as eating lunch, snacking, taking a nap, watching television, and going to bed. They associate a particular time with a specific activity, and this makes it easier for them to understand and tell time. DIY Watch Bands Making DIY watch bands is an excellent and creative way to help kids learn about time. You can print blank watches, draw the clock faces, and indicate a different time on each watch. Let them decorate their watch bands with their preferred crayon colors to make the activity exciting. The kids can go around asking each other what time it is on the wristwatch. Not only will the preschoolers learn how to tell time, but they will also go home proud of their new watches! Clock Matching Sensory Bins A time-telling matching sensory bin is used to help kids match analog and digital clocks as they learn time. The container should have digital clock cards and corresponding printed analog clocks, each set to a different time. The kids' job is to match each digital clock to the exact analog clock. They also get to glue the digital cards on top of the analog faces, a fun activity that you can do indoors or outdoors. Teaching time and daylight savings to kids in Montessori Preschool Winnetka is an essential step in the learning process. Consider incorporating these fun activities that will not only educate the kids but also help them advance their sensory and social skills! Comments are closed.
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