Using Timeline Diagrams to Solve Problems

Timeline diagrams gives kids a way to organize and work through ideas visually, which is often easier and more intuitive than trying to hold everything in words alone.

What Timeline Diagrams Involves

At its core, timeline diagrams is about turning ideas into something visible, which makes it easier to organize, compare, and build on than working through the same ideas in words alone.

How To Practice It

• Use timeline diagrams to work through a real problem or question that comes up naturally.
• Practice timeline diagrams with a simple, familiar topic before trying something more complex.

Tips

• Keep the first attempt at timeline diagrams loose and messy — neatness can come later, if at all.
• There's no single 'correct' way to approach timeline diagrams; different visual styles are all valid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills does timeline diagrams help build?

Timeline diagrams supports organization, problem-solving, and the ability to break a big idea down into smaller, connected parts.

Is timeline diagrams only useful for school subjects?

Not at all — timeline diagrams is a flexible thinking tool that applies just as well to everyday problem-solving and personal projects.

For more along the same lines, take a look at Using Idea Webs to Solve Problems.

Conclusion

Timeline diagrams is less about the final drawing and more about the thinking it helps organize along the way.