How to Teach Kids to Tell Time and Read a Clock

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Introduce children to key timekeeping concepts
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Telling time is a tricky business, especially for kids. But as a parent or teacher, you can make learning how to tell time a fun activity by making clocks with your kid. Before you begin making your clocks, make sure your kid knows the basics. Once the clocks are made, you can start teaching them the different blocks of time.

Teaching Kids to Read a Clock

Introduce kids to the hour hand first, and explain that it tells which hour it is. Then introduce them to the minute hand. Explain that the clock displays 60 minutes, which make an hour, and that each time the hour hand rotates, an hour has passed.

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:

Reviewing the Basics

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  1. Kids need to be able to count to 60 (in the correct order) in order to tell time. Have your child write down the numbers 1 through 60 on a piece of paper. As they write each number, have them recite the number as well. Post this piece of paper on a wall and have them recite the numbers regularly.
    • While you are out in public, like at the grocery store, point out double-digit numbers and have your child repeat the number to you.
    • Use counting songs to help your child practice counting. For instance, you could sing, “100 Bottles of Milk” together. Look for other counting songs online.
    • To encourage your child to learn, make sure to reward them with playtime or their favorite snack for doing a good job.
  2. Understanding groups of five will also make learning to tell time much easier. [1] Have your child write down increments of five on a sheet of paper up to 60. As they write the numbers, have them recite them as well. Make sure to point out that each number either ends in a 5 or a 0. [2]
    • Make a special “Count by 5s” song to a catchy tune your kid can sing along to. You can even add dance moves to the song; for example, at every quarter, you put your hands in the air or stomp your feet. Sing this song regularly with your kid to help them become comfortable with counting by 5s.
    • You can also find song about counting by fives online, such as on YouTube.
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  3. General concepts of time are the morning, noon, the evening, and nighttime. Familiarize your kid with these concepts by associating each concept with certain activities. Then quiz your kid by asking them when certain things happen. [3]
    • For example, “In the morning we eat breakfast and brush our teeth. At noon, we eat lunch and take a nap. At night, we read a book and go to sleep.”
    • You can ask your kid, “What happens in the morning?” and “What happens at night?”
    • You can post a daily schedule chart so your child has a visual that shows the different things they do during the day. Refer to the chart when explaining the times of various daily events.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 4:

Making a Clock

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  1. The paper plates will be used to make the clocks. The analog clock will be used as a reference for making the clocks. Place them on a table and sit with your kid at the table. Let your kid know in an excited voice that, together, you all will be making your very own clocks. [4]
    • For example, “Guess what we are doing today? We are going to make our own clocks!”
  2. Have your child hold their paper plate and fold it in half. Then rotate the plate and fold it in half again. The paper plates should have a cross-like crease in the middle. You will use this crease as a reference point. [5]
  3. Have your child place a sticker on the top of the clock face where the number 12 should be. Then referencing the analog clock, ask them to write the number 12 under the sticker with a marker. Repeat this for the numbers 3, 6, and 9. [6]
  4. Once your kid has placed stickers and numbers on the 12, 3, 6, and 9, ask them to fill in the rest of the clock. Show your kid the analog clock as a reference. [7]
    • For example, tell them to place a sticker where the number 1 should be. Then have them right the number 1 next to the sticker. Repeat this for each number.
  5. Have your child draw a line from the center of the clock to each number. Tell your child to color in each pie slice with a different color crayon. [8]
    • Try starting with red at one o’clock, working upward through the rainbow for each number. This will help make the number progression more intuitive for your child than simply using random colors.
  6. Draw 2 clock hands on a poster board—a long one for the minute hand and a short one for the hour hand. Have your child cut out the clock hands with scissors. [9]
  7. Place the hour hand on top of the minute hand. Pierce a paper fastener through the ends of the clock hands. [11] Then pierce the paper fastener through the middle of the clock. Turn the clock over and bend the fastener ends to secure the clock hands. [12]
  8. Note how similar they look to your kid. Ask your kid if anything else needs to be added to the clock. If nothing else needs to be added, then you can move on. [13]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 4:

Teaching about Hours

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  1. Point to both hands on the clock. Ask your kid what the major difference between the hands is. If they are struggling, you can give them a hint like, “Is one longer than the other?” [14]
  2. Once they have identified that the hands are different lengths, then explain the difference. Tell them that the shorthand is the hour hand and the long hand is the minute hand. Have your kid label the hands by writing down “hour” on the shorthand, and “minute” on the long hand.
  3. Point the hour hand at each number, keeping the minute hand at 12 o’clock. Tell your kid that each time the hour hand points at a number and the minute hand points at 12 o’clock, it is ___ o’clock. Go through each number saying, “It is 1 o’clock now. Now it is 2 o’clock. It’s 3 o’clock...” Then have your kid repeat what you just did. [17]
    • Make sure to use the pie slices and colors to your advantage. Reinforce the idea that whenever the hour hand is in a given pie slice, it is ___ o’clock.
    • You can even associate activities with each number to help solidify the hours; for example, “It is 3 o’clock now, which means it is time to watch your favorite cartoons,” or, “It is 5 o’clock now, which means it is time for soccer practice.”
  4. With your kid’s help, pick a day of the week and write down a list of 5 to 7 activities with their associated times. Call out an activity and its associated time. Have your kid place the hour hand on the correct number. If necessary, gently correct your child’s mistakes. [18]
    • Say, for example, “School has ended, which means it is 3 o’clock. Move the hands and show me 3 o’clock on your clock,” or, “It is 8 o’clock, which means it is time for bed. Move the hands and show me 8 o’clock on your clock.”
    • Make a game of setting the paper clock together to match the times of daily activities. Use a working analog clock as a reference tool.
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Part 4
Part 4 of 4:

Teaching about Minutes

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  1. Explaining that the number 1 also means 5 minutes and that the number 2 also means 10 minutes can be quite confusing. To help your kid understand this concept, pretend that the numbers are double agents with a secret identity, like Clark Kent and Superman. [19]
    • For example, tell your kid that the secret identity of number 1 is 5. Then have them write down a small number 5 next to the number 1. Repeat this for each number.
    • Make sure to point out that you are counting by 5s. Go over each number’s secret identity by singing your special “Count by 5s” song.
  2. Tell your kid that the numbers’ secret identities come out when the long hand, i.e., the minute hand, points at it. Keeping the hour hand still, point the minute hand at each number and say the associated minutes. Than have your kid repeat the process back to you. [20]
    • For example, point the minute hand at 2 and say, “It is 10 minutes now.” Then point the minute hand at 3 and say, “It is 15 minutes now.”
  3. Once your kid has the concept of the minute hand down, you will need to teach them how to read the hour and minute hands together. Start with simple times such as 1:30, 2:15, 5:45, and so on. Point the hour hand at a number, then point the minute hand at a number. Then say what time it is. [21]
    • For example, point the hour hand at 3 and the minute hand at 8. Tell your kid that the time is 3:40 because the hour hand is pointing at 3 and the minute hand is pointing at 8. Reinforce the idea that because the minute hand is the secret identity hand, it reads as 40 and not 8. Repeat this activity until your kid gets the hang of it.
  4. Once your kid understands 5-minute intervals, add 4 tic marks between each interval. Start by writing 1, 2, 3, and 4 next to the tick marks between the 12 and 1. Encourage your child to fill in the rest of the minutes, counting out loud as you go. Then point the minute hand at a non-5 minute and the hour hand at an hour. Read the time. [22]
    • For example, point the minute hand at the fourth tick mark and the hour hand at 3. Tell your kid that the time is 3:04. Repeat this process until your kid understands how to read the tick marks on the clock.
  5. With your child, make a list of 5 to 7 activities with their associated times. Have your kid move the hands of the clock to reflect the activities’ correct times. It is okay to help your kid in the beginning. Just make sure to repeat the activity until your kid can point the hands at the right numbers without your help. [23]
  6. Once your kid has mastered the activity on their handmade clock, move to the analog clock that does not have the numbers’ secret identities. Repeat the activity with this clock to see how well your kid has mastered the concept of telling time. [25]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you make a simple clock for kids?
    Courtney Copriviza
    Elementary School Teacher
    Courtney Copriviza is an Elementary School Teacher based in Maui, HI. Courtney specializes in elementary education, classroom management, and social and emotional development. She holds a BA in Communication with a minor in Urban Education and an MA in Teaching from Santa Clara University. Courtney has also taught high school in Madrid, Spain. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi International Honors Society in Education.
    Courtney Copriviza
    Elementary School Teacher
    Expert Answer
    Make your own clock with construction paper and paper fasteners. Cut the clock hands out of the construction paper and hold them in place with a paper fastener.
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  • Question
    How do you teach minutes on a clock?
    Courtney Copriviza
    Elementary School Teacher
    Courtney Copriviza is an Elementary School Teacher based in Maui, HI. Courtney specializes in elementary education, classroom management, and social and emotional development. She holds a BA in Communication with a minor in Urban Education and an MA in Teaching from Santa Clara University. Courtney has also taught high school in Madrid, Spain. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi International Honors Society in Education.
    Courtney Copriviza
    Elementary School Teacher
    Expert Answer
    Use your own classroom clock as a reference to show your students how the second, minute, and hour hands are moving. Then use differently colored crayons to explain the relationship between the second, minute, and hour hands.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    How do I count by 5s or multiply by 5s on the clock?
    Catherine Palomino, MS
    Master's Degree, Elementary Education, CUNY Brooklyn College
    Catherine Palomino is a former Childcare Center Director in New York. She received her MS in Elementary Education from CUNY Brooklyn College in 2010.
    Catherine Palomino, MS
    Master's Degree, Elementary Education, CUNY Brooklyn College
    Expert Answer
    It’s great you’re asking for help telling time! I think you’re asking about reading the minutes on the long hand and if you should count by 5 up to the number the long hand is pointing to or to multiply that number by 5. Both ways would work! Do the math in the way that is most comfortable for you. Try both methods out and you should reach the same solution. For example, if the long hand points to 4 both results equal 20. Counting by 5 four times: 5, 10, 15, 20!! And multiplying by 4: 5 X 4 = 20 both give you the same result!
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      Tips

      • Make sure to teach your kid how to read an analog clock first before teaching them how to read a digital clock.
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      • Look for songs about telling time online, such as, “What’s the Time?” and “Hip-Hop Around the Clock.”
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      Things You’ll Need

      • Paper plate (2)
      • Markers
      • Crayons
      • Poster board
      • Scissors
      • Paper fasteners

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      References

      1. ↑ Courtney Copriviza. Elementary School Teacher. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
      2. ↑ http://www.parents.com/kids/development/intellectual/learning-to-tell-time/
      3. ↑ https://www.busythings.co.uk/blog/teaching-children-to-tell-the-time-hints-and-tips/
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slVxyyEkfEk
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slVxyyEkfEk
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slVxyyEkfEk
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slVxyyEkfEk
      8. ↑ https://www.education.com/activity/article/clock_first/
      9. ↑ https://www.education.com/activity/article/clock_first/
      1. ↑ Courtney Copriviza. Elementary School Teacher. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
      2. ↑ Courtney Copriviza. Elementary School Teacher. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
      3. ↑ https://www.education.com/activity/article/clock_first/
      4. ↑ https://www.education.com/activity/article/clock_first/
      5. ↑ https://www.busythings.co.uk/blog/teaching-children-to-tell-the-time-hints-and-tips/
      6. ↑ Courtney Copriviza. Elementary School Teacher. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
      7. ↑ Courtney Copriviza. Elementary School Teacher. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
      8. ↑ http://www.time-for-time.com/lesson1.htm
      9. ↑ https://www.busythings.co.uk/blog/teaching-children-to-tell-the-time-hints-and-tips/
      10. ↑ http://www.parents.com/kids/development/intellectual/learning-to-tell-time/
      11. ↑ http://www.parents.com/kids/development/intellectual/learning-to-tell-time/
      12. ↑ http://www.time-for-time.com/lesson1.htm
      13. ↑ http://www.time-for-time.com/lesson1.htm
      14. ↑ http://www.time-for-time.com/lesson1.htm
      15. ↑ Courtney Copriviza. Elementary School Teacher. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
      16. ↑ http://www.time-for-time.com/lesson1.htm

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To teach kids to tell time, first make sure they have a good grasp on counting to 60, counting by 5s, and the concept of time in general. Then, you can try fun learning activities, like having the kids make their own analog clocks out of paper plates. Also, spend some time going over the difference between the big and little hand on the clock, labeling them so the kids no which is which. To help teach them that each number on the clock actually represent 2 numbers, tell them the numbers are secret agents with double identities or come up with a song so they remember which numbers go together. To learn how to make analog clocks out of paper plates, scroll down!

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