Finding the level

My daughter is learning how to tell time on an analog clock. Our clock normally hangs over our fridge, way up high. She could see it from her seat at the kitchen table, but it was pretty far away. If she was most other places in the kitchen, she'd need a boost to get a peek at it. We've been trying different approaches to teach her, but the biggest game changer by far has been to move the clock. I took it down from above the fridge, and hammered it into the wall about 3 feet from the floor.

A few things I learned from doing this:

1. Changing the proximity of a familiar object is jarring and intriguing.
My daughter was immediately drawn to the clock. To be honest, I was as well. Now out of its normal, tucked away spot, you could really appreciate it's plain face, pleasingly readable numbers, and utilitarian appeal.

2. Being able to touch something helps you learn about it.
Now, instead of pointing to the clock from a distance, my daughter can touch the front, pinpoint where the hands are, and count each minute tick with her fingers. Combining the tactile with verbal instruction has a big impact.

3. Having something at your level gives you ownership.
As an adult in the house, most of our belongings are in my domain. But if I get down to my daughter's level, many things are so far away that they must signal to her that they aren't part of her world. The clock is now directly involved in her everyday life. She doesn't need to make any effort to interact with it. This makes it something she relates to herself. She's very aware of it, and if you ask her at any point'"What time is it?" she'll head directly to the clock and make her best guess. Something she never would have done if the clock were still above the fridge.

4. Our clock really needed a good dusting.