How to Teach Your Child to Tell Time
Do you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall?
It can seem like a simple concept to us adults, and many parents are left feeling extremely frustrated when their child just doesn’t seem to understand!
However, it’s actually quite complex when you break it down.
Comedian Dave Allen’s timeless line:
One is five, two is ten, six is half – because 12 is the whole…
makes light of how baffling this concept must be for a child!
So, what’s happening in schools?
Here are the concepts being taught in primary schools, broken down into year levels.
This is a great tool for understanding how you can encourage and support your child to practise their new skills at home.
Foundation / Prep
Sequence days of the week and times of the day
Year 1
Describe the duration and sequence of events using years, months, weeks, days and hours
Year 2
Recognise and read the time represented on an analog clock to the hour, half-hour, and quarter-hour
Year 3
Describe the relationship between the hours and minutes on analog and digital clocks, and read the time to the nearest minute
Year 4
Solve problems involving the duration of time including situations involving “am” and “pm” and conversions between units of time
Year 5
Compare 12- and 24-hour time systems and solve practical problems involving the conversion between them
Year 6
Interpret and use timetables and itineraries to plan activities and determine the duration of events and journeys
When should my child know how to read the time?
It is typically expected by the end of Year 3.
Year 2 and 3 are the main grades that your child will explicitly be taught how to read the time on analog and digital clocks.
Our top tips
Make sure your child is comfortable with the fundamentals before moving forward.
Counting from 1 to 60
Understanding fractions (half and quarters)
Separate learning how the hour hand works and learning how the minute hand works - it can be inherently confusing to teach them together.
We strongly recommend an in-between step before jumping to teaching time to the nearest minute.
Start with 5 minute intervals (e.g. 25 minutes past 4 or 10 minutes to 8)
When your child is secure with this, start working on telling time to the nearest minute (e.g. 27 past 4).
Don’t jump in with digital
If your child has a digital clock in their room, consider changing it for a traditional clock face.
Perhaps you could let them pick a new watch as an opportunity for them to engage with their new challenge!
Remember that an analog face is best when starting out!
Tutoring that fits you, not the other way round
Online tutoring is the go-to for parents these days, due to its incredible flexibility and higher levels of engagement for the child.
Time to get help?
Learning to tell the time is one of those areas that often require a very individualised approach.
One to one tutoring is a great way to give your child a boost with understanding time. Working with a tutor means your child can work through the concept at a pace that suits them, cementing each step in the process before moving on.
At Attain Education, we are always willing to lend an ear to parents. We have a genuine passion for providing expert tutoring for primary-aged children.
If you’re considering getting a tutor for your child, why not book a call and have a chat with us. We’d love to know more about your child and their unique learning needs, and discuss how we can help.