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7 March 2024

How to Help a Child Manage Time Well Between Study and Play

Balancing study and play is a crucial aspect of a child's development. Finding the right equilibrium ensures not only academic success but also the cultivation of essential life skills. In this article, we explore effective strategies to help your child manage their time efficiently, striking a harmonious balance between study and play to foster a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

1. Establish a Routine and Encourage Time Blocking

Creating a consistent daily routine provides a framework for your child to organise their time. Set regular wake-up, study, and bedtime hours. Routines provide a sense of predictability and help children transition smoothly between different activities. Also, teach your child to set aside specific blocks of time for different activities. This method helps avoid multitasking and ensures that they dedicate focused time to both studying and playing.
You can also adopt the use of visual aids such as calendars and planners to help them manage their time while fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility in your child.  

2. Prioritise Tasks and Set Goals

Teach your child the importance of setting priorities and goals. Help them create a list of tasks that need to be accomplished based on deadlines and importance. By understanding the value of tasks, they can allocate time appropriately, ensuring that both academic responsibilities and playtime are given due consideration.

 

3. Teach the Pomodoro Technique

Ever heard that after around 25–30 minutes, a child's info-retention game starts to dip? Trust the research on this one. Our tip? Chop those study sessions into bite-sized bits.   The Pomodoro Technique involves breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Introduce this technique to your child, allowing them to focus intensely during study intervals and then enjoy brief, rejuvenating breaks. This not only enhances concentration but also makes the overall workload seem more achievable.   During these breaks, let your child dive into something playful. Take a stroll, whip up some snacks, or dive into a board game together. When you break up study time and sprinkle in some fun, the motivation to learn stays alive and kicking. It is like giving learning a cool makeover!

 

4. Maximise Learning through Play

Make the most of your child's playtime to sneak in some essential educational skills. Yes, play is not just about having fun; it is a powerhouse for your little one's learning journey.   When children dive into play-based learning, they are not just having a blast – they are sharpening those critical thinking skills, polishing up their language abilities, soaking in new knowledge, and getting a boost in the social-emotional department. It is like learning in disguise! At Mavis, your child can anticipate an interactive learning experience featuring hands-on lessons designed to enhance critical analysis skills. This approach not only deepens your child's comprehension of new topics and concepts but also encourages active and playful exploration. Our teachers, through a combination of thoughtful planning and spontaneous interactions that tap into children's innate curiosity, aim to provide enriching and immersive learning experiences. Click here to find out more about how we integrate play into our curriculum.

Conclusion:

Helping your child manage time effectively is a gift that will benefit them throughout their lives. By implementing these strategies, parents and educators can guide children in developing essential time management skills that will serve them well in their academic journey and beyond.