What Can You Do in One Minute?

1. 1

   Adults often say, “One more minute, and then we’re leaving.” Try a small experiment so your child can experience how long one minute feels.

2. 2

   Set a timer for one minute. Explain, “Counting from 1 to 60 takes about a minute. When the timer rings, the minute is over.” Your child can count along if they wish.

3. 3

   Compare one minute of two activities, such as sitting quietly and drawing. Say, “Start,” at the beginning and, “Time’s up,” when the timer sounds.

4. 4

   During each minute, ask once, “How much time do you think has passed?” or “How much is left?” Invite your child to describe their sense of time.

5. 5

   After both trials, compare them: “Which one-minute activity felt longer?”

What to notice

• Describes whether one minute felt fast or slow during different activities Scientific Inquiry
• Sits quietly for 1 minute Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning)

Tips

• If your child cannot yet describe the difference, model it: “Drawing felt quick to me,” or “Sitting still made the minute feel slow.”
• Try other one-minute activities, such as jumping, looking at a picture book, or watching a short clip, and compare how each minute feels.

Developmental benefits

• Cognitive: Comparing how one minute feels during different activities gives your child practice using words such as fast, slow, long, and short to describe an observation.