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Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 1:07 am
by Noush
I suppose this belongs here, hope so...
Yesterday I went with my daughter's little family, including 3 year old grandson, to Bathurst for Saturday practice/qualifying of the 12 hour race.
First time Zack has seen my newly-arrived C65 Trident Diver with its clickety-click rotating bezel. LOVED it, especially the sound, although his little fingers had trouble actually doing the rotating without a bit of help. Bit firm for a 3 year old, perfect for me.

His parents wear Apple things for the usual connectivity/performance-measure reasons. So when I visit he makes a bee-line for my various watches to see what it is today. The Tissot "hasn't got any numbers? The black one (Hamilton) has lots of numbers". He doesn't actually read so much of course but he can figure that out. Favourite until now has been the Chronoscope for all the hands whizzing around when you re-set the chronograph. Endless (repeated!) amusement. He tells his Mum "Tell Noush to wear the white watch!" when she tells him I'm coming over.

We think that in the future the request will be for the blue one :) He was all over it, all day.
There's all sorts of fascinations about time and analogue watches we need to pass on to the little ones. Any stories to share?

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:31 am
by PaulJS
Call me a grumpy old git, but there is no way I would let small sticky fingers get anywhere near any of my watches. Grandson or otherwise.

I agree that small children need to be educated, entertained and inspired by exploring their dexterity........ and that's why Lego was invented :lol:

Cheers,

Paul

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:37 am
by Amor Vincit Omnia
^^^And Seiko.

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 12:16 pm
by Kip
In the hope of perpetuating an interest in timepieces, I often let the grandchildren play with old clock movements when visiting. I have nothing against the digital age, but am hopeful that they will show enough interest to at least learn some basic mechanics and the history of time as it relates to mankind's history.

At the very least they will be taught how to read the time on a proper clock/watch.

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 1:02 pm
by Danbailey007
Kip wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 12:16 pm
At the very least they will be taught how to read the time on a proper clock/watch.
Definitely agree with this! As one of the younger members of the forum (I think, no offense intended!) and with a 6 month old I fully intend to teach her how to tell the time on an analogue clock/watch. I fully expect that by the time she starts wearing a watch, if she does at all, it will be digital but some things just have to be passed down don't they.

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 2:54 pm
by Soporsche
My 7yo and me like our trips to Brands Hatch to watch the motor racing, he likes to be involved so uses an old Heuer mechanical stop watch to time his favourite cars in the races.. feels like he's part of the team (hes been known to tell the driver their best time when we wander the pits) 😊

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 9:05 pm
by nbg
Our grandchildren are showing an interest in watches, including the two youngest.

The five year old had a clock for his bedroom as part of his Christmas presents.
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Neil

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 12:25 am
by Soporsche
nbg wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 9:05 pm Our grandchildren are showing an interest in watches, including the two youngest.

The five year old had a clock for his bedroom as part of his Christmas presents.

Neil
Give him a couple of years and Im sure he will offer to swap his clock for that watch :D !

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 6:27 am
by Noush
I can assure you Paul, that the little fella was WELL wet-wiped before "engaging" the Trident (or the Chronoscope), and thoroughly supervised :)
No shortage of Lego there either. Along with about 200 toy cars...an insane number of those.

Both the chronograph and the rotating bezel open up all sorts of new ways to talk about the idea of time, in addition to the essentials of analog watches. Changing numbers on a digital just don't cut it.
The wonder in those eyes, the "I'm really paying attention" when we talk about it are priceless. The warm joy on my daughter's face when the old boy and the little fella engage like that is maybe best of all.

Grandparent relationships are particular and special. I guess i wanted to open up the sharing of that: it turns out watches can be a wonderful tool.

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 6:43 am
by Amor Vincit Omnia
nbg wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 9:05 pm Our grandchildren are showing an interest in watches, including the two youngest.

Image
Blimey Neil, the kid’s only gone and stolen the Trident Mk4 mock-up! :shock:

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 4:02 pm
by albionphoto
If that really is the Trident Mk IV mock up and not a Farer prototype then the hour hand looks a lot better :lol: :lol:

Re: Educating kids, fun with watches

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 9:12 am
by Bungle-ator
My boys 5 and he's got two analogue watches of his own. The batteries dead in one though and he can't find his most recent (a Flik Flak). He's whining to wear one to school today though so I've stuck an old digital Casio on him that used to wear to work until I replaced it with a G Shock.

I encourage it hugely. A man with no watch has no soul.