Child friendly Aramazu method quickly teaches youngsters to tell the time

August 12, 2010 Chopsy Baby

Getting to grips with ‘wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff’ may be simple for a young Time Lord, but knowing where to start when it comes to teaching your children to tell the time can be a bit of a puzzle.

Dad to four daughters, Jamie Rugge-Price, had exactly this frustrating experience, finding traditional time teaching methods ineffective.

Wanting to create a more child-friendly method, Jamie came up with a series of illustrated storybooks simplifying the confusing concept to a child’s way of thinking.

The finished method, Aramazu, was tested in school classrooms for three years and aimed at children old enough or capable enough to count to sixty.

For younger children who are quickly becoming familiar with the concept of time, Jamie also created a set of three storybooks for those who can confidently count to twelve.

For parents not entirely sure how to begin teaching their children the time, Aramazu boasts some pleasing results. A recent independent trial of the scheme by Primary Times, revealed that 85 per cent of children using the book learned to tell the time in a week. A staggering 50 per cent grasped the concept in just one hour.

For Chopsy Baby, Estelle Mainwaring tested out Aramazu: The learn to tell the time right now book, with six-year-old daughter Tammy.

Estelle says: “I was more than happy to test this book out with my daughter after having some serious panic finding out my neighbour’s five-year-old was already telling the time accurately.

“Honestly, I felt if my neighbour’s child was up to the job then my own six-year-old should be capable of the same. The only problem I found was teaching the time is a messy job. It’s actually very complicated when you sit down and think about it, so to be presented with this book was fantastic.

“I found it a little hard trying to get to grips with the way the book teaches but my daughter took to it straight away.

“The system is very visual and to make it easier. I photocopied the Aramazu clock and blew up the size to A3 which I think made it easier.

“It took a few goes at reading the book over the course of a week before it really clicked with her. Doing it during the holiday was also useful because I could dedicate time to her learning by keep pointing out clocks wherever we went and getting her to tell me what the time was.”

With the new school term quickly approaching, getting your child confident with the concept of time and how we measure it will help them understand the structure of their day.

Aramazu quickly wins the trust of children through its informal chatty style and layout. Essentially, it instantly forges a relationship with them by making them think they have the upper hand over their parents or teachers when it comes to understanding the new method.

Whilst parents may struggle with approaching the clock from a different perspective, this book is ideal for number confident children aged from four upwards.

Aramazu: The learn to tell the time right now book
£6.99
Skyla Publishing Limited