Creative Timeline Ideas for Classical Conversations Tutors
One of the highlights of tutoring in our homeschool group is helping kids learn and love the Timeline. These 161 events provide such a strong foundation of history, and with a little creativity, they can become one of the most exciting parts of class each week.
Over the years, I’ve found a few simple, playful ways to keep kids engaged and eager to practice the Timeline—both in community days and at home!
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Invest in the Timeline Cards
If you’re a tutor (or even just a parent at home), I can’t recommend enough investing in all four sets of the official Classical Conversations Timeline cards: Set 1 (Ancient World), Set 2 (Medieval World), Set 3 (New World), and Set 4 (Modern World).
They’re sturdy, beautifully illustrated, and versatile—you’ll use them for tutoring, at home during morning time, and for review all year long.
Organize Timeline Cards by Week
To make prep simple, I like to store my Timeline cards in this box with index card dividers for each week. That way, I can quickly grab the seven cards I need for the current week without sorting through the whole set. It keeps things neat and makes class time so much smoother!
Learn the Timeline Motions
The official hand motions that go along with the Timeline are such a powerful tool for memory. Kids retain so much more when they can connect words to movement! You can find the motions on CC Connected (under the Foundations resources). Follow these specific steps to find the timeline motions for each week:
- Login to ccconnected.com
- Click on “Learning Center” on the left-hand side of the screen.
- Click on the “Foundations” tab at the top of the screen.
- Click on the specific week you want.
- Scroll down to “Timeline Song – Hand Motions – ALL AGES”
That said, the motions are simply there as an aid. Families don’t have to use them at home unless they find them helpful for their children. As a tutor, it’s good to go over the motions so kids are familiar with them, but parents can decide whether or not to use them during their own review time.
Weekly Tutor Videos
Each week, I create tutor videos that include the Timeline hand motions along with fun ideas you can use in class. These videos are designed to make prep easier for tutors and to give parents simple ways to reinforce memory work at home. If you’re looking for extra support with Timeline, these are a great way to see the motions in action and gather fresh ideas for keeping review engaging. Check out my playlist of tutor videos for Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 below.
Add Letter Cues for Early Readers
I love picking up paper letters from Dollar Tree and taping the first letter of each event onto the Timeline card.
Younger kids who aren’t reading fluently yet can still identify the event by matching the letter sound, which helps them participate with confidence.
Make Timeline an Interactive Hunt
Instead of just pulling out the cards each week, hide them around the room before class begins! When it’s time for Timeline, send the kids to search for the cards. They get so excited to find them, and it builds ownership as they bring the cards back to the group.
Use Painter’s Tape on the Wall
Put seven strips of painter’s tape on the wall, one for each Timeline card of the week. As you review the events in order, the child holding the card comes forward to tape it in the correct spot. It’s a simple way to combine movement and memory.
Light-Up Sticks for Extra Fun
Kids love anything that sparkles! Bring a light up stick or flashlight and let them take turns tapping each Timeline card on the wall as you sing through the events together.
This small twist makes review feel special and keeps everyone engaged while waiting for their turn.
Play the “Bomb Game”
This game is always a class favorite! Beforehand, draw a small dot with a dry-erase marker on the back of a few cards. After the kids have found and taped the cards to the wall, announce that some are secretly “bombs.”
Kids take turns pointing to three cards, and you flip them over one at a time. If a dot is revealed, everyone yells “Bomb!” and drops dramatically to the floor, curling up into a ball. It’s silly, high-energy, and perfect for keeping Timeline review fun.
“What’s Missing?” Game
Have the kids sit in a circle on the floor with all the Timeline cards for the week face up in the middle. Give them a moment to study the cards closely. Then, have everyone close their eyes while you secretly remove one card. When they open their eyes, they race to figure out which card is missing.
Whoever guesses correctly gets to place that card on the wall in the right spot. It’s a simple game, but kids love the challenge of remembering details—and it sneaks in more review of the order at the same time.
Mini Timeline Cards for Each Child
If you have access to CC Connected, you can print off the mini Timeline cards and give each child their own set of the seven cards for the week. As you review, let the kids work to arrange their cards in the correct order.
This gives everyone a chance to practice sequencing individually and helps reinforce the order through repetition. To grab these mini timeline cards, follow the steps below.
- Login to ccconnected.com
- Click on “Forums” on the left-hand side of the screen.
- Click on the search icon at the top of the screen and type in “Mini Timeline Cards.”
Use Mini Hands for Extra Fun
To add a silly twist, give each child a little plastic tiny hand. As they put their mini Timeline cards in order, let them use the tiny hand on their finger to move the cards instead of their real hand. It feels goofy, but kids love it—and it makes the activity even more memorable.
Guess the Timeline Card (for Older Kids)
For slightly older kids, try turning Timeline review into a guessing game. Have one child quietly choose a Timeline card from the wall without telling anyone which one they picked. Instead of reading it, they must describe the event to the class without actually saying the name. The rest of the group listens carefully and tries to guess which card is being described.
This game helps kids pay attention to key details, practice summarizing ideas in their own words, and keeps everyone on their toes while reviewing.
Spot the Mix-Up
Once the Timeline cards are taped in order on the wall, sing through them together with the kids. Then have everyone close their eyes while you quietly switch the order of two cards. When they open their eyes, challenge them to figure out which cards are out of place.
This game helps sharpen observation skills and reinforces the importance of sequence while keeping the activity fun and interactive.
Timeline “Hot and Cold” Game
Next, we’ll play one of my class’s favorite games—a fun twist on hot and cold! Two children step outside with a parent volunteer while the rest of the group hides two timeline cards in the same spot. When the searchers return, we use the volume of the timeline song as their clue: if they’re close, we sing louder; if they’re far away, we sing softer. Once the cards are found, the children tape them on the wall in the correct order, and we repeat until all are placed. The kids love this game, and it gives them lots of chances to sing the timeline song over and over!
Timeline Train
Play this week’s section of the Timeline song and have one child start as the “train leader.” The other kids line up behind and follow along, copying whatever action the leader does as you sing through the cards. When the week’s portion of the song ends, the leader moves to the back of the line, and the next child becomes the new leader.
This activity keeps everyone moving, laughing, and fully engaged while reinforcing the Timeline song. It also gives each child a chance to lead, which they love!
Final Thoughts
As tutors, we want the Timeline to be more than just rote memory, we want it to come alive for our kids. Whether it’s hiding cards, adding movement, or turning review into a playful game, these activities help children look forward to practicing the Timeline each week.
Resources I Love for Timeline Activities
Here are some of the simple tools I use that make these games even more fun:
- Classical Conversations Timeline Cards (all 4 sets) – The foundation of every activity.
- Painter’s Tape – Easy to stick and remove from walls.
- Light-Up Sticks – Adds sparkle to Timeline review.
- Tiny Hands – Kids giggle every time they use these.
- Dry Erase Markers – Perfect for the Bomb Game.
- CC Connected Subscription – Where you can access and print the mini Timeline cards and learn the motions.
- My Weekly Tutor Videos – With hand motions and fresh ideas for each week.
