TEACHING KIDS TO MANAGE TIME & GET ORGANISED

Being organised, neat and tidy does not happen naturally, these are learned behaviours that can provide real advantages for both adults and children. Consider these tips to help young toddlers and children discover how to stay organised so they maximise their time, as well as learning to plan.

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Between school homework, extra-curricular activities, playtime, family dinner and downtime, children today can have more of a packed schedule than we might realize. That said, many kids are overwhelmed by trying to fit everything they have to and want to do into the few available hours after school. But even though most young children don’t have the cognitive skills to organize their schedules independently without help, you can start exposing them to a mindset of planning and prioritizing their time from a young age. When we teach children strategies for time management from an early age, they internalize them, which sets them up for lifelong success.

TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS FOR TODDLERS

For three and four-year-olds, time is essentially divided into now, and ‘later’, which is actually enough to help them to predict and plan what comes next. To reinforce that knowledge:

Create a picture schedule

As adults, we can use our phone, apps, and calendars to manage our schedules and plan our days. In the preschool world, pictures are just as effective for little ones. For example, pictures like a teddy bear for playtime, an apple for snack time, a book for storytime, pyjamas for bedtime, etc. This means that while under 4’s can’t typically tell you the exact time they have a snack, they know it comes after playtime and before the bathroom break. It gives them a comforting sense of order and predictability, which is important for toddlers.