Children’s perception of time is an area that remains relatively unexplored but is crucial for understanding human experience, BBC writes in an article.
Household debates often revolve around when time seems to go fastest or slowest.
For instance, children seem to frequently feel that time drags during monotonous activities like long car rides or boring lessons, while it seems to fly by during busy or enjoyable periods, such as weekends filled with fun activities.
Many also observe that time seems to crawl during periods of anticipation, such as the days leading up to major holidays or personal celebrations.
This subjective experience of time aligns with broader observations. For example, the long, leisurely days of summer, filled with enjoyable activities, often feel more extended compared to the quicker passage of time during routine or work-related tasks.
A different internal sense?
Teresa McCormack, a psychology professor at Queen's University Belfast, notes that children's sense of time is under-researched.
Her studies question whether children have a different internal sense of time compared to adults.
Children’s understanding of time seems to emerge gradually; they are aware of routines like meal and bed times but lack a full grasp of linear time.
A switch in perception
Research by Edouard Taufenbach and Bastien Pourtout shows that children’s ability to relate duration to the speed of time passing develops later. Younger children link their sense of time more to their emotional states rather than the actual duration.
Zoltán Nádasdy’s studies highlight how memory affects time perception. In his experiments, children and adults viewed videos and judged their duration.
Findings reveal that children’s time perception is influenced by their experiences and emotions, whereas adults’ perception tends to be more consistent but also affected by their emotional state.
Studies suggest that as we age, our perception of time may be influenced by reduced sensory input and routine.
Engaging in new experiences and physical activity might help slow our perception of time, making our days feel more memorable and fulfilling.
