Putting Events in Time Order and Guessing How Long Things Take

This is not just for paper. Planning a day means guessing lengths well. A cook who misjudges the roast serves supper an hour late. This is worth learning because judging how long things take is how you plan a day well.

Watch for it today, and when you spot it, tell someone what you noticed and how you knew. Ask yourself where else the same idea might be hiding, then go and look.

You are going to like this one. Time also comes in order and in length. Breakfast comes before lunch, which comes before supper. Some things take seconds, like clapping.

Some take minutes, like brushing teeth. Some take hours, like a long car ride. Guessing how long something will take is a useful skill, and you get better at it by guessing first and then checking with a clock.

Try guessing a length and then timing it. Guess how long it takes to set the table, then check with a clock. Comparing your guess to the real number is how you get better at estimating. Little by little, this becomes something you just know.