時代 and 時 difference


Is there any difference between, say, 子供の時 and 子どもの時代?




～の時 (read とき{HL}) is half a suffix rather than a noun, nearly equals "when ~".
So 子供の時 literally translates into "when (I was) a child".

子供の時代 means "the age of children". I don't know what it is, but it sounds very
poetic. Probably what you really wanted is **子供時代** ; it means "childhood",
and if used adverbly, "in one's childhood".  
( **EDIT** : Thus, if you compare 子供の時 and 子供時代, they show little difference
in meaning but 子供時代 sounds more noun-like and literary.)

They are so confusing, but when you say ～の時代, it only stands for some
historical period, but ～時代 can also refer a certain stage in someone's life
history (e.g. 学生時代, 記者時代, 女優時代 etc.).

