Time

Add to My Folder

By Hilary White – educational and craft writer

Original article published on 7th October 2015

Despite the complexities of time as a concept, there are lots of activities you can do with your children to help them explore aspects such as ‘night and day’, ‘old and new’ and ‘growing up’.

Old and new

Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Self-confidence and Self-awareness

Make a collection of old items. Check whether your local museum has a school loans service, and send home a note asking if children can bring in an old item. Give parents a few suggestions for everyday items, such as books, teacups and saucers, records, dolls and other toys, board games, items of clothing and ornaments.

Help the children to explore the items, and wherever possible, compare an old item with its modern equivalent; for example, a delicate teacup and saucer with a mug or a vinyl record with a CD. Look out for signs of age in the old item – chips and cracks in china, the yellowing pages of a book, the faded colours of an old board game.

Encourage the children to use all their senses to explore the items – for example, many old things have a distinctive smell. Set the items in context for the children by linking it with their parents and grandparents – Sasha’s mummy played with this game when she was a little girl.