How to Teach Kids to Read Clock and Tell Time

Has your child started learning small words or began to recite the alphabet? Then this is the time when you may attempt to slowly introduce different aspects to help him/her explore the world around them. Teaching children about a clock to make them understand the concept of time is one of the most important things and this would be a challenging task for parents. They might develop an idea about the day-night seeing the changes in the environment and activities at home, and you can use this understanding as a provocation to teach them about clock and time.

Teaching Kids How to Tell Time:

If your child has started going to Preschool and learning about the numbers, you can start teaching him about time using a clock face. But if you are planning to teach your child to read time the way you teach science, math, or language, they will feel confused and puzzled. You should go step by step.

The Counting of Numbers:

When kids can count numbers and understand them, you can start by teaching them to count to 60 uninterrupted. You should be patient as you may have to take a few attempts until he starts getting it right on each try. Encourage them to use his counting skills when you go shopping or are sorting out newspapers. Ask him to give you 8 apples or keep aside 20 newspapers and so on. Once he can count till 60 properly, start teaching him to break it down to 5.

Focus on General Durations:

In San Marino, CA, Montessori teachers begin teaching with morning and night and slowly gradually expand it to morning, afternoon, evening, and night. These can easily be demonstrated by the activities that take place at home. For example, brushing teeth in the morning, having lunch in the afternoon, playing in the evening, or sleeping at night.

Make Your First Clock:

Instead of buying a small analog clock for your child, engage him in a craft exercise that involves making one clock using a paper plate, and sketch pen. You can lightly mark out the portions of digits and show him how to write the numbers on those marks. Once he is done writing numbers on the clock face, let him practice counting in portions of 5 and ask him to draw lines around the plate in such a way that the fifth line always ends up on the next number. Guide him to stick one long and one short strip (which can be moved around)at the center of the clock.

Read Aloud the Time:

Preschool teachers refer to the timetable and ask children to read aloud the timing on it. Beginning with the full-hour timings, let the minute hand sit on 12 and guide your child to adjust the hour hand accordingly.
You can follow these basic steps to teach your kids to read the clock and tell time. Once they are comfortable telling time in an hour, slowly take their learning forward and teach them about minutes and seconds. Children may take time to read aloud the time, so as parents you need to be calm and think positively.