- Definition
Reaction time is how quickly your child can respond to something happening, like catching a ball after it's thrown.
In a swim meet, a swimmer's reaction time is the fraction of a second between hearing the starting beep and pushing off the block.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Reaction time is like how fast you can hit a button in a video game the moment a surprise character pops up on screen.
Ask your child: In a game of dodgeball, what signal makes you move out of the way?
Common mix-up: Some kids think reaction time is the same as how fast you can run. It's really about how quickly your brain can tell your body to start moving after seeing or hearing a signal.
Examples
- A hockey goalie's reaction time is how quickly they move to block a puck after seeing it shot.
- In a video game, it's the time between an obstacle appearing and the player pressing a button to jump.
reaction time is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
