Why learn to tell the time?

• Learning to tell the time is a valuable life-skill.
• Being able to tell the time is a strength that promotes self esteem & confidence. It also has social currency - something that is valued by children, adults, teachers and family.
• Telling the time follows clear logical steps. It can help children learn to think systematically. This then ripples over to other areas of learning that require logical systematic processes. Learning to tell the time helps other areas of learning. 

At what age, should children learn to tell the time?

This varies, depending on opportunity (and exposure and teaching of time concepts), underlying cognitive ability and an inherent interest or motivation.

However, referring to the NSW Mathematics Syllabus:

Stage 1 - Year 1 and 2 (5 to 7yr olds)  = o’clocks, half-pasts, quarter past and quarter to.

Stage 2 - Year 3 and 4 (7 to 9yr olds) = Time to the minute (past and to).

By the end of Yr 4, the outcomes that children are working towards is to be able to tell the time on a standard analogue clock.

When can you start teaching your child to tell the time?

Children can start learning to tell the time when they can recognise numbers 1 through to 12. Some children could be as young as 4 years old.  

We recommend at this young age, let your child be your guide. If they express interest in clocks and a desire to learn, then why not start?

How to teach your child to tell the time

Many children struggle learning to tell the time, especially on an analogue clock. That doesn’t have to be the case, though.

You can teach your child to tell the time by teaching them the 3 easy steps (keep reading).

If you look at a clock from a child’s eye, a clock can be very overwhelming and confusing.

Clocks have lots of different things happening, with different sized hands, sometimes even with a “seconds” hand moving.  Some have lots of numbers and words written on them.

Breaking it down into 3 easy steps simplifies the whole process and gives them clarity as to what to look at, and in what order. Step. By. Step. It becomes clear, systematic and logical.

      1. What hand do you look at?

The first thing your child needs to look for on a clock is the BIG hand.  

This helps your child learn how to “start” the process, and how to zone in on what is important and screen out the rest.

HINT: It is absolutely fine to refer to it as the big hand.  

You can also refer to it as the minute hand. However we recommend keeping it as simple as possible to begin with. Use the same term every time for consistency, at the start.

      2. Where is it?

Once you know to look for the BIG hand, look to see if the BIG hand is on the:

• 12 (the o’clock) 
• Half way around (half past)
• Past side 
• To side

Initially concentrate ONLY on the O’clocks. If the BIG hand is on the o’clock, sneak a look at the little hand. Once your child is really good at telling o’clock times, then progress to half-pasts.

Find the BIG hand. If it is half way around, you’ll know it is a half-past. Look to see what number the little hand has gone past. Then move onto the “past” side.  

Find the BIG hand. If it is on the past side, start counting from the top and go around to the right. Find the number the BiG hand is on. Look to see what the little hand has gone past. Then move onto the “to” side.

Find the BIG hand. If it is on the to side, start counting from the top and go left. Find the number the BIG hand is on. Look to see what the little hand is on its way to.

You can also introduce 1/4 past and 1/4 to. We ask children to tell us both (15 minutes past and quarter past OR 15 minutes to and quarter to).

HINT: Always give lots of practice. Try for at least 10 different o’clocks for example during a session.

HINT: It is important to “teach to mastery”. With the best of intentions and excitement, it can be tempting to move your child on too quickly.  

For example, your child needs to get most (if not all) the o’clocks correct before you can be confident they are ready to move on to the half-pasts. It might take several days or weeks on any one stage. Don’t be in a rush as we are after mastering the skill, accuracy and building confidence.  

Moving on too fast can be disheartening, damage confidence and make your child less eager.

HINT: Always revise before introducing new steps. Always begin a time teaching “session” revising what your child has already learnt. This provides additional practice, builds confidence and willingness to attempt something a little harder.  

It ls good teaching (and therefore smart) to start with something your child knows, before introducing new concepts or skills. This is a strength based approach to teaching and learning.

HINT: We often refer to quarter past and quarter to as the “short cuts”.

HINT: Always keep it fun! 

      3. Where do you start counting from?

If the BIG hand is on the past or to side, always start counting from the TOP.

If the big hand is on the past side, start counting from the top and go right.

If the big hand is on the to side, start counting from the top and go left.

What prior skills does your child need to tell the time?

To get started, children need to be able to:

• Recognise numerals 1 through to 12, and be able to recognise and tell the difference between the long (minute) and short (hour) hands.
• To be able to move onto the past and to side, children need to be able to recognise numerals 1 through to 30 and recognise the past and the to side of a clock.
• To be able to tell the time on a clock that doesn’t have the minutes numbered, children need to be able to count by 5s.

What clock should you use?

We ALWAYS use a clock that has minutes marked 1 through to 30 on the past side and 1 through to 30 on the to side. This makes learning to tell the time so much easier.  

We start with our Geared Teaching Clock.  It is the best clock we have ever seen or used, for teaching beginners to tell the time.

Once children can tell the time using these clocks, we then apply the same technique to other clocks. We follow this progression:

• Clock with minutes marked, including numbers
• Clock with minutes marked and no numbers
• Clock with no minutes marked 
• Clock with no hours numbered
• Clock with Roman numerals

HINT: We have a variety of cheap clocks in our teaching kit.  You can also look to google images to find different clock faces.  Also, when you are visiting family or friends or travelling, refer to clocks in the community.

Using the 3 easy steps to telling the time, you can tell the time on any clock!

Click Here for Best Clocks for teaching and learning to tell the time.

Finishing up...

There are two things essential to making learning to tell the time.

1. Following the three steps.
2. Using the right clock. 

As skills improve, progress to other clocks. Any clock, anywhere and anytime. 

Feel the joy as your child builds their self esteem and confidence with learning a key life skill.

Bio

Kirstie Wishart M.Ed (Special Education).

Owner and founder of The Starfish Store.  Kirstie’s professional life has included: teaching (in both public and private schools in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand), lecturer and subject coordinator at the University of Wollongong, Educational consultant (working with children and young people with a trauma background), OoHC Case Work Manager, and Specialist Tutor (working with children and young people with significant learning difficulties and/or disabilities).