Setting Up On*Task On*Time

Photo courtesy of anthony kelly
Once children, and parents, have planned out their daily routine by placing stickers in order on a plastic disc, the disc is then placed on the timer. The timer is set and children can go about their activities, using the timer to see if they are indeed on task and on time. A daily routine, such as getting ready for bed, can be modified to require as much time as your child needs to take a bath, brush their teeth, read a book and then finally the goal of turning off the lights.
It is important to realize that, when placing the stickers on the timer dial, each wedge of the disc represents one minute. Without knowing this, it is easy to set up the disc incorrectly. The disc comes with plenty of stickers to represent many common household tasks, and if there is not a sticker already made for your desired task, there are blank stickers and a dry erase marker to create your own. As your child grows and their daily needs change, there are more stickers available at the Timely Matters website.
Using On*Task On*Time
One important feature is that you can use this for as much, or as little, of your child’s day as you wish. I use the timer for the three major parts of the day:
1. Getting ready for school
2. Dinner time
3. Bedtime
During the rest of the day, the timer is set aside and the children are able to enjoy some free time to do as they please, but it is entirely up to the parent and child how much of the day is scheduled.
Tracking and Rewarding Children for Successful Time Management
The back of the timer features a rewards chart for tracking children’s success in managing their time. This is a big hit with most kids, as they love the visualization of a job well done! On*Task On*Time is useful in providing the awareness of time management to young children without the need to nag them.
Children are responsible for setting up and independently completing tasks on time, therefore, learning the value of managing time independently. Allowing the child to take part in deciding how long each activity should take helps them take ownership of their responsibilities. The timer allows parents to reward children that are managing time independently and gently remind those who are not to check the timer. My children love the timer so much that they enjoy keeping themselves on task!
Enter to Win Your Own!
Until March 31st, you can enter to win an On-Task, On-Time Scheduling Toy of your own! Check out our Spring Cleaning and Organization Survival Kit Giveaway for all the details.