The Timeline (A Toddler Taming Miracle)

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Every once in a while, after 50 years of teaching infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, I discover something new. This fall, it's the toddler timeline, and I use it daily to maintain my sanity and serenity. Here is an example:

I don't use this version of the timeline with the toddlers I care for, though. I start fresh daily and use a long piece of paper to write it out in marker or oil pastels. I start off with arrivals, lunch, rest and home. From there, they help me fill in the blanks as we go.

If they have a request, or I have something special planned, we can usually fit it in during playtime so I write it in. If we walk to the park, they help remember what we saw, and I write it down later. If we go to the zoo, we list the animals we saw. I also allow the children to draw freely on the timeline. It's always a work in progress, and the emphasis is definitely on the process, not the product.

This is a great learning activity and communication tool. It helps with behavior and memory. It creates a planning disposition. The technical term for this type of brain organization is executive functioning. Mixing drawings with words to create meaning is called a rebus.

Teachers, nannies, grandparents, and stay-at-home parents can all use this method easily and adapt it to their days. Taking a quick photo of the timeline at the end of the day is a nice way to pass along the narrative.

The children I care for love this simple brain-building activity, but I secretly do it for myself. Every time a child asks for something or wants to know what's happening, we go to the timeline and check. It takes so much angst out of our days. Having the timeline available helps them see that although every time of day may not be their favorite, there is always something they can look forward to. It's a great life lesson for everyone!

I hope this idea helps you as much as it's helped me.

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Nanci J Bradley is an early childhood and family educator, author, teacher, SELF-care facilitator, family aerobics instructor, and an all-around fun-loving person. She believes in the power of sleep, healthy eating, lifelong learning, and most of all, PLAY! She studied early childhood education at Triton College and received her BS in education from NIU in 1986. She received her MA in human development from Pacific Oaks College in 2011. She lives and teaches in Madison WI.