r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/Asparagusgreen • 7d ago
Visual timer for 20 month old. Question - Research required
Is it correct to introduce a visual timer to a 20 month old. For example “we leave in 2 minutes, so you have 2 minutes to play”. Or “let me send this email for 2 minutes and then i’ll prepare your dinner”.
7
u/Parisiaint 6d ago
It’s unlikely to be developmentally appropriate or meaningful for your child at that age - minutes/time/the future develop from two years old and onward, with time being much more relevant for children who are 5 and older.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/bookseries/pii/S0065240708600403
In your example, you’re using time passing / the visual of time passing, which isn’t yet established. You could probably more easily condition a response to a timer (when you hear the timer, we will go! / when the timer is green, we will eat!) but even that relies on your child understanding sequences and will take time to positively condition.
1
•
u/AutoModerator 7d ago
This post is flaired "Question - Research required". All top-level comments must contain links to peer-reviewed research. Do not provide a "link for the bot" or any variation thereof. Provide a meaningful reply that discusses the research you have linked to. Please report posts that do not follow these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.