A beginning understanding and sense of time may be considered part of a general kindergarten readiness, but time is complicated and confusing, even for some adults! Ever had to wait for 5 minutes that felt like an hour?
Telling the time is a skill, but understanding time requires many meaningful experiences. Time has long parts such as weeks, months, and years and smaller ones like days, hours and minutes. Because fall and Halloween are so exciting, children may certainly remember it happening before. Activities that are the same year after year, help children build the idea of “year”.
Fall has many wonderful activities that kids love to do every year. Halloween is, of course, a highlight but there are others like collecting leaves and jumping in leaf piles that are exciting for little ones too. While time has endings and beginnings: one month ends and another starts, it also has continuity. Being able to do the same things over again helps children understand that aspect.
Part of the fun of fall and certainly Halloween is knowing what it’s all about and what will be happening. To help your child develop a sense of time, repeat some of the tried and true favorites of the autumn season. Does your child like to collect leaves, rake them, and play with them? How about the yummy things to make and eat with fall fruits and veggies? Will you be picking out a pumpkin to ripen on the counter? What else did you do last year that you can do again?