Why is the concept of time so abstract for children?

Time is a concept that seems obvious to us as adults. However, for your child, it's a much more complex concept to grasp. Why is it so difficult to understand the concept of time? And how can you help them better understand it?

1. An invisible and immaterial concept

Unlike everyday objects that your child can touch and manipulate, time is an abstract idea. It cannot be seen, touched, and never stops. Understanding that seconds, minutes, and hours are constantly passing is far from intuitive! This difficulty stems from the fact that time has no shape or texture. Children operate primarily with elements they can directly manipulate. Thus, without a concrete medium to represent time, they struggle to perceive its existence and flow. Explaining the sequence of activities through words alone is not enough to visualize time. But you can make it real!

At this age, their way of thinking is still very sensory. The concepts they integrate often involve physical experimentation: they can stack blocks to understand height, mix colors to see a transformation, but over time, they can neither touch nor shape it. This makes it all the more elusive and requires learning methods adapted to their stage of development. We can offer them elements to help them visualize time.

2. A different perception of time

Children live primarily in the present moment. Their brains are not yet sufficiently developed to project actions into the future or analyze past events in a structured way. For example, telling a child "We're leaving in 10 minutes" doesn't necessarily have concrete meaning for them, because they don't know how to estimate this duration. This mode of perception is normal: before a certain age, the notions of future and past are blurred, and only the present moment seems tangible. This is also why a child may ask "Is it soon?" several times without really understanding what "soon" means.

In addition to this shifted perception, emotions play a crucial role. When a child is absorbed in an activity they enjoy, time seems to fly by. Conversely, if they are impatiently waiting for something enjoyable, each minute seems like an eternity. This subjective experience of time explains why they may seem impatient or frustrated when they have to wait.

3. The influence of cognitive development

Learning about time evolves gradually.

• Before 3 years : The child perceives routines without understanding their temporal organization.

• Between 3 and 5 years : He begins to differentiate between morning, afternoon, and evening, but without measuring their duration. He also perceives the repetition of days, but without understanding their logical sequence. This period corresponds to kindergarten, the teacher introduces time with tools displayed in class, such as the time beam and the representation of the seasons.

• From 6-7 years old : He learns to tell the time and structure his days, then begins to integrate the notion of week, month and calendar. His first notebook marks a change that helps him realize the value of learning to organize himself.

The environment plays a key role. A structured framework with precise time markers helps children better understand the concept of time and organize their activities.

4. Learning time: a progression

Children gradually learn to understand time through concrete markers such as sunrise, meals, school, or bedtime. By repeating these cycles and using appropriate tools, such as an educational clock, they will begin to better understand how time is organized. This learning process is based on real-life experiences: a child learns that in the morning, they have breakfast before going to school, and that in the evening, they take a bath before going to bed. These recurring routines are essential for helping them structure their perception of time.

5. How can you help your child better understand time?

Here are some tips to make this concept more concrete:

• Use visual cues : A clock with colors for different times of day helps children anticipate key moments. The abstract concept of time begins to be represented with this tool. Adults can add images to activity schedules to explain how the day unfolds. A calendar can also illustrate the sequence of days of the week.

• Speak in terms of events rather than times : Saying "After snack, we'll go to the park" is more meaningful than "We'll go to the park at 4 p.m." Children understand a sequence of activities better than a specific time.

• Establish rituals : Well-established routines provide a reassuring time structure. Repeating the same activities in the same order every day helps children anticipate and navigate their way more easily.

• Associate durations with concrete elements : Experiment with a duration for a known activity (“The song lasts 2 minutes”).

• Use a visual timer : Hourglasses or timers that display the passage of time help children better visualize how long an activity or wait will take.

• Make learning fun : Create challenges with a timer or an egg timer. For example, "What can you color in 30 seconds? What can you color in 1 minute?"

6. The impact of understanding time on children's autonomy

Once a child begins to understand the concept of time, they become more independent. They can anticipate events and better manage their daily activities. They know that after breakfast, they must brush their teeth, and after their bedtime story, they must go to bed. This independence allows them to better navigate transitions and limit frustrations related to waiting or unexpected events.

The impact goes far beyond simply organizing the day. A good understanding of time builds self-confidence, as children become able to navigate and anticipate events. As they grow, this time management will help them in their academic learning and daily activities.

Conclusion

The concept of time is a gradual process that requires patience and repetition. With the right tools and clear explanations, children can gradually understand how time is organized and become more independent in managing their daily lives. The more concrete reference points they are given, the more comfortable they will be with this essential concept, which will accompany them throughout their lives.