5 Ways to Teach a Kid How to Wait

Being stuck in a waiting room is difficult enough for adults. Now imagine how tiring it could be for children? However, there are some simple tricks to help children learn self-management skills. What’s more important, none of these tricks require any electronics, phones, or toys!

5. Visualize time

Before a certain age, usually 9-10, children don’t fully understand how time passes. Their perception of time differs from that of adults, and slowly begins to develop around the 3rd grade. That’s why it may be difficult for them to tell half an hour apart from an hour and a half! However, children work better with visual clues, especially if they are visual learners.
Instead of saying “We have to be ready in 30 minutes!” or “You have to be in bed by 9:30,”, try using visual clues such as the sunset, shadows, and nightfall. Address your child by saying, “We will head home when the sun becomes orange-red,” or “When your shadow is right below you, you have to head home from the park!” Ask your child to draw comparisons between different visual clues. Let them express how lengthy they think this is, such as saying, “Oh! That’s almost as long as dinner time.”

4. Teach your kids games they can play alone

Despite the fact that humans are social by nature, it’s very essential for children and adults to develop the skill of having “alone time”. When children learn to play alone without the need for a play date or partner, they learn how to keep themselves busy. Mental games are easy to buy and teach to children. They also heavily rely on the ability to imagine and wander in the mind. Instead of keeping your child occupied with a smartphone app or game, introduce him or her to jigsaw puzzles, interactive books, writing prompts, and even role play. These games are more powerful in developing meaningful skills children will need throughout their lives, while smartphones can hinder their creativity and imagination.

3. A life-saving game for public places

Waiting for the school bus or for a meal can be boring if not supplemented with some kind of activity. The next time you are waiting for that pizza, try this game with your child: choose a random color, sound, or letter and start observing surrounding objects that correspond to the chosen feature. Whoever can come up with 15 or more objects lying around in the outdoors wins the game

2. A simple way to not interrupt adults

The “Interrupt Rule” was developed by Allison Hendrix, a prominent blogger. The idea is quite simple. Agree on a certain gesture with your child whenever they want to tell you something while you are busy with a conversation. For example, if your child wants to tell you something while you are talking with a neighbor, they will put their hand on your arm. Once you notice that your child needs your attention, tap on their hand 3 times to let them know that you will be with them shortly after finishing the activity at hand. This helps children feel they are given the necessary attention they need without having to make afuss.

1. Waiting for big events (birthday, Christmas)

Children could be more excited about Christmas or Easter than you, and that is completely natural. However, it isn’t always easy for them to understand how soon or far the upcoming date really is, even if it is as seasonal as Halloween. But don’t worry, what could help is a calendar to keep track. This works best if it’s an interactive calendar, where the child gets a daily task to do, such as doing a craft, sending a postcard, or making a snack. If possible, get a themed calendar to make the wait for Christmas and New Year’s even more enjoyable!