Time, Cookies and Barney, or Wishbone If You Prefer!

As you drive along, you hear squeaking from the back, "How much time left?"

"A half hour more."

Ten minutes later, "Is it a half hour yet?"

Young children and comprehension of time don’t go together very well. But time, cookies and Barney do.

Barney, yes, that purple dinosaur show, was a favorite of my children, as well as Wishbone. Each show was one half hour long and watching a few a week, the kids knew the feeling of about how long it took to watch one show - one half hour. So instead of answering "a half hour," we’d say "a half hour - one Barney or Wishbone long." Much easier to understand and relate to!

So where are the cookies in this? Another way to judge time segments! If the trip takes 60 minutes, the trip is broken up into 6 cookies.

20 minutes into the ride, when the question of "How much time left?" The answer is "The trip takes 6 cookies, you’ve eaten 2, how many cookies are left?" Throw a bit of school in there!

Cookies are what my just-turned 11 year old still uses. Yes, she could use minutes, but cookies are just more fun!