Ways to Improve Your Child's Grades (6 of 10): Teach Your Child Time Management Skills

Preschool and kindergarten aren't too early to teach time management skills.

Perfect Your Child's Time Management Skills

Evelyn E. Smith

 

M. S. in Library Science, University of North Texas (2012)

 

It's often easy to pick out which students haven't learned how to manage their time since they only settle down to work after frequent prodding and monitoring, often putting off working on their assignment until after they've run after every excuse possible. Good students, however, know that they need to start work quickly and stay on task.  Moreover, since even the most unmotivated student will need to learn time management skills to succeed in the work place, parents and teachers need to start teaching time management skills beginning in kindergarten.

 

Brayton-Chung, Abby. (2013, April 28). Tips for teaching kids time management, planning, and organization (a. k. a.--executive function skills). Mama OT. Retrieved from http://mamaot.com/2013/04/28/tips-for-teaching-kids-time-management-planning-and-organization/

 

What are executive function skills?

 

 

Executive function skills are cognitive skills that are used to execute a task.

 

For example, it takes a long list of executive skills to get dressed each morning (Brayton-Chung, 2013, April 28, para. 1).

 

Executive function skills begin to develop in infancy and continue to develop into adulthood!

 

Thus, it's important to give children a “solid foundation” in self-management (Brayton-Chung, 2013, April 28, para. 2).

 

Executive function skills help children complete chores and homework, save money . . . , follow rules, and keep track of belongings.

 

Difficulty planning school projects, not knowing how to estimate how long doing an assignment will take, difficulty remembering sequential details in a story, and having a hard time recalling information while doing something else are signs that students are having difficulty learning executive skills (Brayton-Chung, 2013, April 28, para. 3-4).

 

Tips for developing executive skills in children:

 

• Time Management:

Time management may be defined as the ability to estimate how long a project takes and using this information to complete the task on time. To teach time management to children, Brayton-Chung uses a marker to color the face of a picture of a clock, so they can visualize the time they have to do their work.

 

• Planning: The ability to create a plan and follow it when completing a task.
   

Brayton-Chung teaches children to become “future sketchers”, planning out what their assignments might look like.  She also suggests using Post-It-Note calendars to help children visualize when assignments are due as well as allowing them to separate work into manageable chunks.

 

• Organization: Keeping track of information and materials.
Parents can set up a “Get-Ready-Do-Done” work space—a scheme that employs visual, spatial, and sequential organization skills. Children can also keep their homework in a special folder.    A visual reminder in the form of a photo of a child ready for school can also remind children not to forget lunch money and school supplies. 
 

(Brayton-Chung, 2013, April 28, para. 6-10)

 

Council for Exceptional Children. (2015). Time management for gifted kids. Family Education. Pearson Education, Inc. Retrieved from http://school.familyeducation.com/organization/gifted-education/38344.html

 

Learn to Tame Time

 

Distracted by special interests and overwhelmed by scheduled activities, gifted students sometimes have a hard time managing their time, so parents have to become management experts (Exceptional Children, 2015, para. 1).

 

Know Your Child

 

Parents need to know their child, or rather, they need to know his or her learning style.  Does he or she analyze or visualize, think step-by-step, or holistically, Knowing how a student learns helps teachers and parents help him or her pick out the right planning tools whether he or she relies on a grid, a picture, a to-do list or a flow chart. However, since many gifted and talented children don't want to structure their time, when a parent guides him or her in doing so, the parent needs to be both flexible and creative. But plotting out just one day might prove to a child how limited his or her choices are and thus allow him or her to focus on priorities (Exceptional Children, 2015, para. 2-5).

 

Know Your Plan

Time management skills help children complete class assignments on time.

• Set some ground rules before the gifted child can “master” time.

• Discuss what the child will do when he or she first gets home from school.

• Make finishing homework the student's first priority.

• Plan a homework space with his or her unique study needs in mind.

• Have reference works within easy reach [and discuss what Online reference sources his or her teacher will probably find acceptable. For example, most teachers don't allow students to use Wikipedia as a reference].

• No cramming: Emphasize that studying smaller amounts of information as the week progresses is smarter than staying up late to study for a test.

• Stay involved, although by middle school, children should be able to complete their homework without Mom or Dad's help.

• Too much work: When a student has more studying to do than he or she can accomplish, teach him or her to prioritize, allotting the maximum amount of study time where its needed most.

• Plan leisure activities ahead of time so the gifted child can take time out to “recharge.

(Exceptional Children, 2015, para. 6-14)

 

Time Tools

 

When setting aside tools to help the gifted student manage his or her time, choose aids that match how he or she thinks. Logical, analytical thinks like to organize while “creative, holistic, or 'feeling' thinkers have looser ways of being organized” (Exceptional Children, 2015, para. 15-17).

 

Time management apps for kids are available Online. http://www.smartappsforspecialneeds.com/2013/11/reader-recommended-of-apps-for-behavior.htm

Charts and Pictures



Planning by Picture

 

Use a time chart that looks like something a gifted child likes; for example, a picture of a pizza  or hamburger can help him or her visualize what he or she needs to do (Exceptional children, 2015, para. 18-19). Hmm—If homework is the meat, what does that make the pickles?

 

Planning by Pie Chart

 

Print out some blank pie charts, so he or she can daily plan out his or her activities (Exceptional Children, 2015, para. 20).

 

Grids and Lists

 

Here the priorities will change each day, but the gifted child will also need to balance long and short term goals (Exceptional Children, 2015, para. 21-22).

 

Planning by Activity/Planning by Time/Planning by To-Do List

 

Children can list activities by how much time they will take, or schedule activities by the hour, or prioritize activities with a to-do list (Exceptional Children, 2015, para. 23-25).

 

Crawford, Leslie. (1999). The instant guide to time management for kids: Teaching children organizational skills is key to helping them succeed in school and life. Great Schools. Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/students/academic-skills/1560-time-management-for-kids.gs

 

Researchers have linked the mastery of time management skills beginning in childhood with later success in life. That means that such self-discipline predicts academic success better than I.Q. does since academic problems increase with age if children can't keep to a schedule (Crawford, 1999, para. 4).

 

Because “girls tend to be better at time management than boys,” males don't do as well in high school and at the university level (Crawford, 1999, para. 5).

 

Even so, from toddler to teenagers, children can learn time management skills that will help them build “internal self-discipline”, although building this skill set occurs one step at a time (Crawford, 1999, para. 6-7).

 

Timely Tips

 

Body beautiful:

 

Post a “to do” chart for children in the bathroom, so even preschoolers can daily check off tasks like brushing their teeth and putting dirty clothes in a laundry hamper (Crawford, 1999, para. 10).

http://mrssolsclass.blogspot.com/2012/08/chore-charts-for-kids.html

A family timeline:

 

Parents and children can create a timeline for the entire family, allowing even small children to pinpoint important events in their lives (Crawford, 1999, para. 11)

 

Leaner screen time: 

 

Include children in decisions to budget their TV time, cutting back on TV viewing time to open up their schedule for other activities (Crawford, 1999, para. 12). This teaches children the economic concept of Opportunity Cost; for example, Mom might explain that the family can go to the Y twice a week if they don't watch TV that night.

 

Excuses don't count: 

 

Elementary and middle school children need to manage their own time in the afternoon particularly when both parents work, so help them list the tasks they need to do after school and post a chart, so they can check off each task (Crawford, 1999, para. 13).

 

Homework helper: 

 

Regularly help children prepare a homework chart, noting what they need to do in each subject every night (Crawford, 1999, para. 14).

8 tips toward better time management for children. Tutorfi.com. Retrieved from

http://www.tutorfi.com/ParentResources/timemanagementforchildren

 

Tutorfi.com provides the following tips for helping children to learn to manage their time wisely:

 

Like adults, older elementary-school aged children and middle school students should be able to

1. Use a calendar and/or day planner that has enough space to list times for projects.
2. Take a few minutes every day to look over the calendar and update their daily to-do list.
3. Break large assignments into smaller, more-easily managed tasks and then aim for realistic goals and deadlines.
4. Complete the most important tasks they need to do first.
5. Be flexible and allow for interruptions to their scheduling.
6. Save their most difficult tasks for when they can think the most clearly.
7. Learn when to say no when faced with multiple options on how they can best use their time.
8. Carry along flash cards or vocabulary cards that they can study while waiting in line or for an appointment.

Evans, Garret D. (2013). Time management for kids. EDIS. University of Florida IFAS. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he795

 

While parents don't manage their children the way a manager supervise employees, helping children structure their day helps the whole family make the time spent together more enjoyable . Most of these strategies require parents to teach children how to adhere to a schedule, but doing so increases the family's quality time (Evans, 2013, para. 2, 4, 6-7).

 

 

Morning Routine

 

“It's like waking a bear from its cave.”

 

Children sleep more deeply than adults, and they also need to get at least eight to ten hours of sleep nightly, so they might need some extra help getting up in the morning:

• Parents need to wake up 15 to 20 minutes before their children, showering and dressing before they oversee their children's morning routines.

• After waking the children, parents can then make breakfast while the children are dressing, although Mom or Dad might need to  check to see if they are getting ready.

(Evans, 2013, para. 8-12)

 

Make a Chart

 

Help children remember morning tasks as they check off each task completed. At the end of the week, reward them with a pleasurable activity if they have completed their morning tasks (Evans, 2013, para. 13).

Don't Demand Perfection

 

Reward improvement and focus on progress (Evans, 2013, para. 14).

 

Sometimes children don't want to get up out of bed.

Going into Grizzly's Cave (Waking up Your Child)

Start the night before by reminding children that they will need to wake up at a particular time to complete their morning routine. Then help them prepare their own personalized “Morning Routine “ chart (Evans, 2013, para. 15).

 

Give children three to five minutes to wake up before greeting them in a soft and pleasant voice. Truing on a radio alarm clock playing soft classical or soothing elevator music can set a calming mood for some children.  If they are still in bed after three to five minutes, open the curtains and softly remind them that it is time to get dressed.  Return a few minutes later, turning on a radio or TV outside their reach, so they can't go back to sleep (Evans, 2013, para. 17-18).

 

Warn younger children that if they don't get up they will lose any rewards they might earn if they keep to a morning routine. Older children, however, can be reminded of what will happen if they don't get up; for example, “You'll be late to school again.” If the children have too much trouble getting up, however, put them to bed 30 minutes earlier in the evening (Evans, 2013, para. 20-27).

 

After School

 

 

Mom and Dad should spend 20 minutes of quality time with their children when they come home from school or after Mom and Dad get home from work. Ask the children about their day or involve the family in a physical activity.  School children need to expend some energy before making a transition into doing homework (Evans, 2013, para. 28-34). This can be as simple as saying, “Let's walk the dog around the block.”

 

After Dinner

 

Dedicate this time to completing household chores and homework, although some children may be able to complete some of their chores before dinner time. Require the children to tackle their homework as soon as possible after dinner. If they are on task and finish their homework, then give them a three to five minute exercise break every 20 or 30 minutes, depending on their age and ability to concentrate (Evans, 2013, para. 35).  For instance, they might take out the dog, or Mom might suggest, "You look like your loosing your concentration.  How about emptying the trash for me,"

 

Don't allow them anywhere near the T.V., video games, or any other “fun” activities until they have done all their homework.  After the kids complete their homework [Mom or Dad needs to check to see if they have completed this task], allow them some free time as a reward, or better yet, spend some leisure time with them (Evans, 2013, para. 36-46). For example, teach your children a skill like knitting or woodwork, or else everyone can take turns reading aloud. Parents, however, shouldn't allow any TV viewing an hour before bed.

 

Avoid Power Struggles

 

Have children complete their homework in a place where Mom or Dad can keep an eye on them, ensuring that they stay on task and staying on call to answer questions. If children refuse to complete their homework, parents should keep them in front of their books until its time to go to bed (Evans, 2013, para. 47-52).

Bedtime

 

Note: Don't let the children choose when they will go to bed. Put them on a schedule. They also need at least 30 minutes of quiet, down time before they settle down to sleep. Again, create charts, so children can self-monitor their own bedtime routines. Also reward their progress and any earnest attempts to keep to the schedule with calming activities, such as reading aloud, before going to bed (Evans, 2013, para. 53-62).

 

Dealing with the “I needa's”

 

Requests, like “Mommy, I needa a drink” or “'I needa use the bathroom” are attempts to delay going to bed. To keep this from happening, ask the children one last time before they go to bed if they need a drink of water or if they heed to go the bathroom. Then tuck them into bed. While parents often talk or read to their children at this time, don't make reading them to sleep a habit (Evans, 2013, para. 63-65).

 

Children can learn to relax by performing yoga and deep breathing exercises.

 

Teach the kids how to “self-soothe”

 

Elementary-school age children  can relax themselves to sleep with deep-breathing exercises, by repeating a mantra, or imagining a relaxing place (Evans, 2014, para. 66-71).

 

Hagel, Denny. (2012, May 5). Easy tips and tools to teach your children time management! The Missing Secret to Parenting: Parenting the Way Nature Intended. Retrieved from http://missingsecrettoparenting.com/easy-tips-tools-teach-children-time-management

 

Do you ever feel like if you could just get your children to understand the value of managing their time you could let go of a lot of stress? ( Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 1).

 

A parent [and teacher] must act as drill sergeant, reminding a child to hurry up! (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 2).

 

Since a child learns best while having fun, approach teaching time management skills in a light-hearted manner (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 3).

 

As soon as a four- or five-year-old can recognize numbers, give him or her a digital alarm clock, a kitchen timer, [and a digital watch], emphasizing that he or she has reached an important milestone (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 4 & 5). Later, make sure he or she knows how to tell time using a non-digital, or analog, clock.

Online activities help kids tell time.  See:
http://www.free-training-tutorial.com/telling-time-games.html

Decide together how much time he or she needs to accomplish each specific task. For example, talk about the morning routine and write out all the  tasks the child needs to do before school  as well as how long  it will take to accomplish each task (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 7). Teachers can similarly do the same with school activities.

 

Show a [kindergarten] child how to use a digital clock [while at the same time teaching him or her how to tell time with traditionally clocks]. In the beginning, double check to see if he or she has set it correctly and has set the alarm when he or she should get up in the morning (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 8).

 

Emphasize that it's important to start each day at a predetermined time (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 9).

 

Have the child list all his or her activities and tasks he or she must do before heading off for school, setting the kitchen timer for the number of minutes necessary to accomplish each task (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 10).

 

A parent will need to monitor the child at first before he or she masters time management. Mom and/or Dad might also offer the child a small reward each week if he or she has successfully adhered to a schedule (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 11).

 

Since learning how to be a good steward of one's time is a long-term process, don't expect the child to always management time well particularly if doing so depends only on receiving an award (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 12).

 

Repetition and reinforcement, however, will help a child understand “the feel of time passing” while respecting a child's effort in managing his or her time helps teach responsibility (Hagel, 2012, May 5, para. 13-14).

Kennedy-Moore, Elizabeth. (2014, March 28). Time management for kids. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/growing-friendships/201403/time-management-kids

 

Because time management is “a key part of executive functioning skills”, even very young children need to understand the concept of time while seven to ten-year-old kids have the number skills necessary to use clocks and calendars (Kennedy-Moore, 2014, March 28, para. 1-2).

 

Parents can ask four “key” questions to help their child develop “a sense of time”:

1. What comes next?

Young children need predictable routines, so preschoolers will understanding that certain things happen on certain days”, Older children can write special events on their own calendars.

 

2. What happened before?

This question helps children recall experiences and predict future events.

 

3. How long?

Knowing how long certain activities will take is “a difficult but an essential skill. Once child can count, use this to mark time. Parents can also talk about the length of time routine activities will take and use stop watches and kitchen timers to teach this concept.

 

4. Which first?

Knowing which task is a priority helps a child set goals. Elementary-school children, for example, need to understand when to choose long-term benefits over short-term gains.

 

(Kennedy-Moore, 2014, March 28, para. 3-7)

 

One final thought: “Don't expect adult style productivity from children” (Kennedy-Moore, 2014, March 28, para. 8).

 

Kumar, Clare. (2014, May 27). How to teach your child time management. Today's Parent. Retrieved from http://www.todaysparent.com/family/education/time-management-tips-kids/

 

This Canadian Web site offers some timely tips that should help parents (and teachers) teach children how to manage time:

 

• It's never too late to teach time management.

Canadian post-secondary students would advise their younger selves how to manage their time better and how to improve their self discipline. However, the school curriculum rarely touches on these topics (photo 1).

 

Different children have different learning styles.

• Provide [learning] tools that suit each child's learning style:

Visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic, or hands on, tools all help children learn (photo 2).

• Create a study zone that promotes focus.

“Multitasking is a myth, “so set up a distraction-free study zone that helps students work independently. Adjust this study area periodically if students aren't doing their homework (photo 3).

• [Teach kids how to] “use the right time management skills”:

87 percent of all Canadian students polled realize how critical time management skills can be, yet 43 percent of them lack the confidence to use them successfully. Time management tools include clocks, watches, timers, calendars and weekly planners, [and, of course, “to do” lists].
 
School-issued agendas and planners can be effective time management tools for younger students while older students can use calendar apps on their PCs or smart phones (photo 4).

• Schedule time for homework on the calendar.

Help children breakdown large projects [like science and history fair entries into small blocks of time, as well as scheduling studying for tests and daily practicing a musical instruments] and place them on the calendar (photo 5).

• Coach self-discipline.

Teach children self-discipline by giving older elementary and middle school students the responsibility of managing projects on their own after explaining why they should focus on work rather than allowing themselves to be distracted. It's also important to occasionally let them learn the consequences of mismanaging their time. They additionally benefit from seeing adults model time management (photo 6).

• Manage sleep and energy for top performance.

Poor nutrition and not enforcing appropriate bedtimes can sabotage school work as well as set a “vicious cycle of poor attention and chronic lack of energy”. Students also need to take frequent physical breaks (about every 30 minutes) from their school work because of their short attention spans* (photo 7).

• Keep technology up-to-date.

 Make sure [older] students have access to reliable up=to=date PCs (photo 8).

 

• Lightened the load.

Make sure students have a “sturdy, light-weight, and durable backpack where they can stash cell phones (out-of-sight during class) and neatly keep assignments and notes (photo 8).

 

Equip your child with his or her own calendar and daily planner.

 

O'Connor, Anne. (2015). Time management for kids. Better Homes and Gardens. Retrieved from http://www.bhg.com/health-family/parenting-skills/responsible-kids/time-management-for-kids/

 

A “supercharged kid” who successfully fit lots of activities into his or her schedule isn't born that way. Rather his or her parents help their child balance homework and after school activities as well as budgeting free time. After all, the difference between success and failure often depends on the ability to mange one's time (O'Connor, 2015, para. 1-3).

 

• Set the right example.

A child often  models his or her behavior after a parent's behavior, so if Dad or Mom needs to reassess  his or her own time management skills, the entire family will function better (O'Connor, 2015, para. 4-6).

 

• Start early.

Even a toddler can learn to manage time by turning tasks like picking up toys into a game. A school age child  can also begin to understand “time constraints” and to make choices about which activities he or she wants to participate in; for example, “We have time for either Boy Scouts or soccer” (O'Connor, 2015 para. 7-8).

 

• Give each child a calendar.

Beginning in first or second grade, every child needs his or her own calendar where he or she can write down what he or she needs to do (O'Connor, 2015, para. 9).


A wide variety of free calendar templates are available Online.

 

• Color code each subject and activity.

Color code the child's schedule, giving each school subject and activity its own color on the calendar. Then place projects for each school subject in its own color-coded folder (O'Connor, 2015, para. 10).

 

• Find a place for everything.

Every item in a household—whether keys, backpacks, or shoes—needs its own special place. Put clutter in a clutter box (O'Connor, 2015, para. 11-12).

 

• Choose activities wisely.

Don't over schedule after school activities. Give a child time to play apart from organized activities (O'Connor, 2015, para.13-16).

 

• Leave time to daydream.

Sit down with each child and together and prepare a chart of all the scheduled activities that he or she needs to do.. In the time left over, the family can block out time to spend with friends or in unstructured free time (O'Connor, 2015, para. 17-20).

 

• Use the reward of you.

Reward expected behaviors with time spent with Mom and/or Dad (O'Connor, 2015, para. 21-22).

 

• Be patient.

Take pleasure in the small steps towards time management that a child takes in the right direction (O'Connor, 2015, para. 23).

 

Smith, Erin O. (2015). Time management activities for kids. Ehow. Demand Media. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/facts_5005963_time-management-activities-kids.html

 

It's never too soon [or too late] to start learning how to prioritize (Smith, 2015, para 1).

 

 

Draw Pictures That Prioritize Daily Activities

 

 

Have  each child divide a sheet of paper into four squares and then draw activities for the day in the order of their importance (Smith, 2015, para. 2).

 

Organize Activity Materials

 

To make sure everyone is  aware of what importance should be given to certain activities, putting away  toys and sports equipment, school supplies, and materials needed for chores in separate color-coded bins, organizing their placement by where they stand on a list of priorities (Smith, 2015, para. 3).

 

Play “Time Me”

 

Set a kitchen timer to determine the amount of time a child may spend in chores, homework, and free time (Smith, 2015, para. 4). For example, set the timer for 30 minutes of music practice.

 

Use a kitchen timer to teach time management skills.

 

Let Your Child Be Your Shadow

 

As a child shadows a parent at work [or follows Mom or Dad as she or he accomplishes household tasks] the parent explains what he or she is doing and why, allowing the child to take notes as the day progresses (Smith, 2015, para. 5).

 

Play the “Time Management” Game Show

 

Give the child three choices for daily activities and ask him or her to place them in the order of their importance, rewarding appropriate choices (Smith, 2015, para. 6).

 

Reid, Sandra F. (2005). Teaching time management to children with ADHD. Additude: Strategies and Support for ADHD and LD. Retrieved from http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/991.html

 

Since prioritizing and scheduling doesn't come easy for a student diagnosed with ADHD, Reid offers the following strategies:

1. Practice time estimation, making a game out of how long certain tasks will take.
2. Use an analog clock (rather than a digital clock) since this helps an ADHD-diagnosed student to visualize the passage of time more easily.
3. Set a timer to motivate targeted behaviors: This particularly helps for moving between activities in class.
4. Put it on paper:

• Provide the class with a written out schedule that breaks time into meaningful chunks. Again, to emphasize the time allotted for each task, set the timer;

• Allow time at the end of class to let each student write down assignments in a planner, going over the assignment aloud while also putting it in writing;

• Make sure that everyone records the correct date when the assignment is due and mark this on the correct day on his or her personal calendar. Here, study buddies can check each other;

• If a student has difficulty copying assignments, provide him or her with photocopied instructions;

• Make sure each student also jots down tests, class trips, and extracurricular activities.

(Reid, 2005, para. 1-11)

 

What Is Time Management?

Remind your kids of the chores they need to do with post-it notes.

Thinking skills: Time management. (2015). Learning Works for Kids. The Gadget. Retrieved from http://learningworksforkids.com/skills/time-management/

“Time managent is the thinking skill that helps prioritize tasks and complete activities in a timely fashion “ (Thinking Skills, 2015, para. 1).

 

Playing certain video games can help both boys and grils practice time management skills during an immersive gaming experience (Thinking Skills, 2015, para. 2). A three-minute video provides a kid-friendly definition of time management as well as listing several video games that teach time management skills, including,

 

Super Puzzle Fighter: http://game-oldies.com/play-online/super-puzzle-fighter-ii-turbo-capcom-cps-2 (free-of-charge);

 

Echochrome: http://www.gamestop.com/ps3/games/echochrome/88367 (Download for $9.99);

 

The Learning Skills' time management Web page provides links to related posts that offer video gaming apps that teach attention span, memory and time management skills if the user joins Learning Works for Kids, which is free-of-charge.

 

See:

 

Apps to Improve ADHD attention span, memory, and time management. (2014, October 5). Learning Works for Kids. Retrieved from http://learningworksforkids.com/2014/10/apps-to-improve-adhd-attention-span-memory-and-time-management/

 

Video games can help children diagnosed with ADHD improve their planning, organizational,and mindfulness skills, but only if they are fully engaged while playing them. Those apps described as games are most likely to improve sustained attention span, memory and time management (Apps, 2014,

 

(October 5, para. 1-2)

 

Apps to improve Attention Span

 

• Bugs and Buttons 2: This game helps students zero in on details, matching and finding visual patterns (http://learningworksforkids.com/apps/bugs-and-buttons-2/).
 

• Tupsu (the Furry Little Monster). This game promotes learning to focus on a problem from five to ten minutes (http://learningworksforkids.com/playbooks/tupsu-the-furry-little-monster/).

Apps to improve Working Memory

Learning to play a music instrument teaches memory skills.

• Robbx Studio: Recalling items builds working memory.  (http://learningworksforkids.com/apps/roblox/').

• GeoDash: Employing scaffolding skills in a multiple-step process,game players must come up with strategies to reach the next skill level.   (http://learningworksforkids.com/apps/geodash-wild-animal-adventure/).

 

Apps to improve Time Management 

• Hay Day: Performing tasks on a virtual farm helps players learn time management skills. (http://learningworksforkids.com/playbooks/hay-day/)

• Choremonster: Players must complete each virtual task on schedule.(http://learningworksforkids.com/apps/choremonster/).

A quick Web search also turns up several, free-of-charge time management video games:

 

Time management games. (2015). Big Fish Games, Inc. Retrieved from

http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/genres/25/time-management.html

 

Big Fish allows users to try before they buy time management games, starting up $2.99, including Farm up, Bloom! Share Flowers with the World, Three Muskeeters: Victoria's Quest, and 12 Labours of Hercules III: Girl Power.

 

Time management games. (2015). Candystand.com. Retrieved from http://www.candystand.com/play/time-management-games

 

Youda Camper, Youda Farmer, Youda Farmer 2, Laundry Day, Momma's Diner, and What's for Dinner as well as a large number of other video games furnished by Candystand.com teach virtual time management skills.

 

Of course, helping Mom or Dad fix breakfast or complete a honey-do list will also teach real world time management skills.

.

Time management: You vs. the clock. (2015). It's My Life. PBS Kids. CastleWorks. Retrieved from http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/time/index.html

 

This short post written in second person, helps teach children the essentials of time management.

 

Managing time means:

• Children need to learn how to balance everything they have to do vs. all they want to do;

• They need to understand how much time each activity will take to accomplish;

• They also need to plan how to do all that they want to do.

(You vs. the clock, 2015, para. 7)

 

Time management apps can help kids achieve goals, make a budget, choose priorities, plan daily schedules, and plot out a weekly planner and a monthly calendar while appropriate hyperlinks can give themadvice on helping with chores, school work, sports and activities, and time wasters.

 

Time management for teens and kids. (2015). Life Organize It. Retrieved from http://www.lifeorganizeit.com/timeanagement-for-teens.html

 

Parents can help their tween or and teen by limiting his or her extracurricular activities by concentrating on what he or she excels in, or by teaching better time management skills (Life Organize It, 2015, para 1 & 2).

 

Just as successful adults manage their time by planning, multitasking, goal setting, delegating, and dealing with procrastination, high school, middle school, and older elementary school students  also need to perfect time management skills (Life Organize It, 2015, para 3).

 

• Write Reminder Notes and To Do Lists

Parents can model writing their own to-do lists (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 4).  Go to http://galleryhip.com/to-do-list-printable-for-kids.html for  free printable to do lists.

• Ask the Teacher for Help

Explain that it is often necessary to seek outside help if a student doesn't understand an assignment (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 6). Not only can he or she ask a teacher to clarify the assignment, but the student can seek individualized help since many schools, libraries, and churches provide on-site  after school tutors.


Additionally, many libraries provide links for free online tutors, such as these Web sites:

• Eduwizards. (2015). Online tutor. https://www.eduwizards.com/online-tutor.php

• Get math help, online math tutor. (2015). Mathtutorvista.com. Retrieved from http://math.tutorvista.com/

• Tutor Chat Live. (2015). Retrieved from http://tutorchatlive.org/

• HippoCampus. (2015). NROC. Retrieved from http://www.hippocampus.org/

          Free videos help students learn 13 different subjects.

• Teach Your Child to Set Boundaries

 Encourage a child to speak up if he or she has trouble balancing chores, homework, and outside activities (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 8).

• Help Your Child Get Organized

 

Emphasize that good organization saves time and frustration (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 9-10).

 

• Teach Them to Prioritize

'

Discuss and then model how to prioritize activities both daily and for long-term projects like science and history fair entries or how to best manage fitting in practicing a musical instrument each night into a child's busy schedule (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 11).

 

• Plan, Plan, Plan

Each night,  Mom and/or Dad needs to  plan out with each child everything he or she needs to do tomorrow, writing out a to-do list (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 12-13).

 

• Avoid Procrastination

Explain why it's not best to put tasks off and why everyone should start on his or her work as soon as possible (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 11-12).

 

• Use Free Time Wisely

Periodically talk about how everyone can best use his or her free time (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 13).

• Use a Daily Planner

Beginning in third grade,provide each child with a daily planner and calendar (Life Organize It, 2015, para. 14).

 ____________

 

Other blog pages in the Ways to Improve Your Child’s Grades series:

Doing well in school makes learning fun!

Don't believe that IQ can't be changed: Tweaking IQ's upward takes effort: But academic performance & working memory can improve. (2015, August 21).  Retrieved from

http://evelynelainesmith.blogspot.com/2015_08_01_archive.html

 

Give your child social skills training:  Teaching manners and social skills doesn’t stop at age seven. (2014, July 18). Retrieved from http://evelynelainesmith.blogspot.com/2014/07/ways-to-improve-your-childs-grade-5-of.html

 

Improve your child's grades: A check list.  Simple steps that can assure your child's academic performance. (2015, October 18).  Retrieved from http://evelynelainesmith.blogspot.com/2015_10_01_archive.html

 

Limit and Monitor the Use of Social Media: How social media influences academic success. (17 February 2014; revised 2015, January 6). Retrieved from https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6180686702778716801#editor/target=post;postID=7228483845226909971Make

 

Make sure your child has a regular bedtime and enough sleep. (2014, January 18).   Retrieved from http://evelynelainesmith.blogspot.com/2014/01/ten-ways-to-improve-your-childs-grades.html

 

Make sure your child participates in aerobic exercise daily:  Students who regularly exercise make better grades.  (2014, March 8). http://evelynelainesmith.blogspot.com/2014/03/ways-to-improve-your-childs-grades-3-of.html

 

Read to your child daily:  Read aloud and along with children to ensure their success.  (2014, July 11).  Retrieved from http://evelynelainesmith.blogspot.com/2014/07/ways-to-improve-your-childs-grades-4-of.html

 __________

There’s a free app for that!

The following apps will help middle school, high school, and college students with time management and study skills:

 Bibliographies:

EasyBib: http://www.easybib.com/

Refme:  https://www.refme.com/i/c/

Scheduling & Calendars:

The Homework App: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/homework-app-your-class-assignment/id561371952?mt=8

iStudiezPro: http://istudentpro.com/

My homework app: https://myhomeworkapp.com/

Rescue time: https://www.rescuetime.com/

Studious https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.young.studious&hl=en

If you know of any other apps that will help teenagers and young adults succeed in school, please publish them here.