Telling Time Worksheets

You will find a wide range of worksheets for students that are just learning to tell time with an analog clock. This is often a difficulty skill for students at first. Using a pizza pie works great to help solidify this concept. Also, make sure to check our complete curriculum for this area. It's one of the best out there!

• Placing Hands On Clock: Half Hour



• Placing Hands On Clock: Quarter Hour



• Placing Hands On Clock: Whole Hour



• Draw Hands 1 Minute Intervals | Answer Key



• Draw Hands 5 Minute Intervals | Answer Key



• Draw Hands 15 Minute Intervals | Answer Key



• Draw Hands 30 Minute Intervals | Answer Key



• Reading Clocks: Mixed Times | Answer Key



• What Time Is It? 1 Minute Intervals | Answer Key



• What Time Is It? 5 Minute Intervals | Answer Key



• What Time Is It? 15 Minute Intervals | Answer Key



• What Time Is It? 30 Minute Intervals | Answer Key

Telling Time Resources

1. Telling Time Lesson Plans
2. Telling Time Teacher Theme
3. Time Line Maker

How to Tell Time

Knowing how to tell time is an essential skill. If you don't know how to tell time, how would you know if you're running late for something or when you have the liberty to spare some time? Learning how to tell time is important for children as it helps them keep track of it and develops a sense of responsibility and self-discipline in them.
If children are taught how to tell time from an early age, they learn to value it and cherish it. If they don't know how to tell time, they will not feel a sense of accountability if they waste it. For example, as a teacher, if you tell your students they have 30 minutes to complete a test, would they understand what that means if they don't know how to tell time?

Not only does it instill self-discipline, learning how to tell time also helps improve mathematical and cognitive skills among children.

Children should start learning how to tell time around the age of five. However, it may not be too easy for younger kids, and they haven't developed a basic sense of math yet. Telling time is easy; all you need is a little practice and understanding! Here is how you can learn or teach how to tell time!

Types of Clocks Used to Tell Time

Primarily, two clocks are used to tell time; analog clocks and digital clocks. These clocks serve the same purpose; digital clocks are easier to use than analog clocks. However, you need to learn how to tell time using both. Let's look at how these clocks function!

Analog Clocks

An analog clock is a type of clock that has hours marked around it from 1 to 12 and displays time in multiples of 5. This is something you don't find in digital clocks.
Analog clocks use moving hands or needles to display time. It has two needles, one is longer (showing hours), and the other is smaller (showing minutes). So, for example, if the longer needle is somewhere around two, you can safely say that time is either half-hour before or half-hour past two. We will later go into details about how to tell time accurately.

Analog clocks often have Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, etc.) instead of numbers 1 to 12. Some may only display numbers in 4 quarters of a circle, hence only having 12, 3, 6, and 9. Filling the spaces between is quite simple; all you have to do is count. So, after 12, you start counting from 1, then 2, and then 3, which completes one-quarter of the circle and so on. You need to remember that one quarter in a clock represents 15 minutes, and adding another 15 would make two quarters.

Digital Clocks

As opposed to analog clocks, digital clocks use numerals or symbols to display time. We often associate digital clocks with electronic devices. However, the term ‘digital' has only to do with the clock's display as it shows time in a digital format.
You can tell time accurately using a digital clock in terms of minutes and seconds. Telling time on a digital clock is simple. You need to understand the difference between AM and PM. AM denotes midnight, and PM denotes noon. So, if the digital clock says 6:30 PM, it means the 6 hours and 30 minutes have passed since noon or midday, which is at 12 PM.

Some digital clocks use the 24-hour mechanism to display the time in which the day is divided into 24-hour increments. This clock uses the numbers 00:00 to 23:59 to tell time. So, 0:00 (which denotes midnight) and then comes 1:00, 2:00…and so on till noon (which denotes midday), after which you start counting from 12. So, 13:00, 14:00 hours, and so on. 13:00 hours represents 1:00 PM, and subsequently, 14:00 hours denote 2:00 PM.

Learning the 24-hour clock can be tricky; however, it seems as simple as telling time on an analog clock once you get the hang of it.

So far, we have shared a basic understanding of the types of clocks and how they display time. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to tell time accurately!

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Tell Time

Here is how you can tell time on an analog clock!

1. As discussed before, the analog clock has two needles. The shorter needle is called the hour hand. The hour hand points to the number of hours or points somewhere in the middle of two numbers.

2. The small marks between the numbers denote minutes.

3. The longer needle or hand on the clock shows. As one minute passes, the minute hand moves one tick ahead.

4. There are five ticks between two numbers. So, if 5 minutes have passed, the minute hand will have moved from one number to the next.

5. For starters, you can count the tick-marks to see how many minutes have passed, or you can use the multiple of 5. Start counting from 12; if the minute hand is at 3, 15 minutes have passed, i.e. (5, 10, 15) or (5+5+5).

6. Telling the hour involves looking at the hour hand. So, it is the hour hand it pointing exactly towards a number. It would mean precisely that many hours have passed. If it lies a little after that number and before the next, it denotes the number of hours and minutes.

7. Learn to put it all together. For example, if the hour hand is six, the minute's hand would be at 12. The same goes for all numbers if the hour hand points directly at them.

8. However, as some time passes after 6:00, the minute hand will slowly begin to move ahead, and subsequently, so will the hour hand. So, if the minute hand is at 2 and the hour hand is a little ahead of 6, 10 minutes (5+5) have passed since 6:00. Using this example, you can apply the same concept to practice telling time!

To Wrap Up

Telling time is an essential skill, and you can't do without it. You can't be punctual and self-disciplined if you don't know how to tell time.
Keep practicing to perfect your time-telling skills. Good Luck!