Teaching primary kids to tell time past the hour can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to be a struggle for you or your students. In this post I’ll share with you some easy tips and simple strategies you can use as you teach your class to tell time. I should also mention they are hands-on, concrete, and FUN! Be sure to download all of the FREE resources at the end of this post so your students can practice these simple strategies that really do work!
Make Telling Time Concrete.
Telling time is one of the more abstract concepts we teach during our math instruction. When reading a clock it can be difficult for some students to make the leap in thinking to one is five, two is ten, three is fifteen and so on. Telling time past the hour can prove to be an even bigger challenge for some. Many students get thrown for a loop when the hour hand falls between two numbers. Is it 5:30 or 6:30? 11:30 or 12:30?
Believe it or not, using manipulatives like connecting cubes and pipe cleaners can make telling time much easier for kids. These along with practice clocks help students to visualize the hour space, identify the correct hour when the hand falls between two numbers, and to manipulate models that represent time.
Explicitly Teach the Hour Space.
Once students understand the purposes of the minute and hour hands and the direction they move, introduce the hour space. I teach this strategy early on when introducing time as it’s important for students to understand “who owns the space” between the numbers on a clock. Get your kids up and moving by having them use their bodies to create hour spaces. This makes it easy to see “who owns the space”. Explain to your students that when the hour hand is in that space we say, “_____ (however many) minutes after ___ (that hour).”
Try this with your class:
Have groups of 12 students form a circle. Place a sticky note on each child’s shirt with a number in order from 1-12. Tell your students that each of them represents the hour on the clock that is written on their sticky note. Have students place their right arm down at their side and their left arm outstretched placing their hand on their neighbor’s shoulder. Help your students to see that just like on a clock the space their arm fills belongs to the hour on their shirt.
Practice this concept further by having students place connecting cubes on a clock face to show “who owns the space”. Give each child a blank clock face or use the page from the game below. Call out hours and ask students to place a cube in the space that belongs to the hour you called.
Students can practice this strategy further in your math groups or centers by playing Blast Off to Hour Space!
Break out those highlighters that every kid loves! Assess your students or give additional practice by having them read and identify which space belongs to the hour by coloring it.
Do you have connecting doors in your classroom? If so, this is another way that I’ve taught this concept: Compare the spaces between the numbers on a clock to the doors connecting the classrooms in your hallway. Have your students imagine that each number on the clock is a door. Walking clockwise, each door (number) they pass through takes them into a new room. For example, when they pass the number two, they just entered two’s room. The hour hand is in two’s room until it touches three. Once they pass (or open the door to) three they are in three’s room and so on.
Make a Hook to Determine the Correct Hour.
When teaching kids to tell time past the hour determining the correct hour can be where the struggle comes in. Many children get confused about the hour when reading the time on an analog clock. Especially when the hour hand falls between two numbers. Yikes.
Here’s how to solve that problem: Have your students “make a hook”.
Start with the concrete by making a manipulative with a pipe cleaner. Cut each one in half or in quarters depending on the size of your practice clocks. Gently bend the pieces to form a hook that looks like a backward J. I do this ahead of time to make sure they are the right size. Place the straight end on the hour hand. The hook then points to the correct hour that the minutes have passed. This is such a simple, but effective trick for helping students learn to determine the correct hour. As students gain mastery they can then begin to use their index finger to trace an imaginary hook starting on the hour hand and stopping on the number just before it.
How do you make sure students use the hook in the right direction?
I get asked this question a lot. To make sure students are using the hook correctly I teach them this first:
Have your students use their left hand to make an L by pointing their index finger up and their thumb out. Then have them curve their thumb a bit to look like a hook, or a backward J.
This way if students forget which direction the hook should be facing they can “make an L and curve it up”. This gives a visual reminder and most kids learn to make an L with their left hand in Kindergarten as they are learning left and right. I’ve used this strategy for years and so far, I haven’t had issues with them using the wrong hand.
If you’d like to try this with your class I’ve made a simple game that you can add to your math centers for students to practice the strategy. Just add hooks by cutting a pipe cleaner into 4 pieces and gently bending them around your finger.
Try these strategies with your class! Pop in your email and I’ll send you these games.
Practice More by Making It Fun!
Telling time can be hard for a lot of students but it gets easier if you make it fun! One of the most fun things I’ve ever done with my class, is to tie it to the song, “What Does the Fox Say?” and change the words to “What Does the Clock Say?” My class LOVED it! Get your kids up and moving with the adorable video in this post and have them practice their new strategies using fox clocks! You can grab another free math game while you’re there too!
Teaching kids to tell time past the hour doesn’t have to be a struggle. Try these simple tricks to make time more concrete, to get your class up and moving, and to make learning to tell time fun! Not teaching time yet? Be sure to pin these ideas and resources for later!
Happy teaching friends!
Linda
Stacey Rogers says
February 15 at 8:17 pmThis idea is fabulous. Thank you so much.
Linda says
February 16 at 5:59 pmYou’re so welcome Stacey! It has just been too helpful to my own kids not to share! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Emily Reppuhn says
April 23 at 4:24 amI would love to utilize the “color my space” activity and have submitted my email a few times but have not received the game. Do I need to purchase?
Linda says
April 25 at 9:27 amHi Emily,
these are free activities. Be sure to check your spam folder, social, promotions, junk, and any other folders you have in Gmail for my confirmation email. Once you sign up, an email is automatically sent asking you to confirm your subscription. When you click the link in the email, a pop-up window will appear with the download.
Dee says
February 16 at 10:26 amThree words…this is brilliant!
Linda says
February 16 at 5:55 pmAw, thank you Dee! It has never failed me yet! Seriously though, both of these little strategies have been so very helpful to my kids!
Cheryl Charbonneau says
March 2 at 6:21 amHi, I think this idea is cute but how do you prevent them from drawing or putting the hook the wrong way thus “hooking” the wrong hour number?
Linda says
March 2 at 8:28 amHi Cheryl!
I begin by teaching the hour space first. The hooks are a second strategy that students can use. It’s important that you teach students the direction the hook is used (like a backward J). To reinforce this, I have everyone hold up their left hand and make a hook with their index finger and thumb so they can see the direction the hook is used. I then teach them to place the long end of the pipe cleaner hook on the hour hand with the curve going back the same direction as the hook they made with their finger and thumb on their left hand. This way the hook points to the correct hour.
Try it out with the games in the post after teaching these steps. It’s been really helpful to my students. I hope this helps, and thanks so much for asking!
Dee says
February 15 at 10:20 amI think you mean ‘on the HOUR hand’ not the ‘minute’hand as explained here to Cherly?
Linda says
February 15 at 10:38 amYes! Dee, that’s exactly what I meant. Thank you for catching that and taking the time to let me know. I’ve corrected it for future readers. Thanks again!
Caril says
April 15 at 4:27 amI love this idea! I plan on using the colored space idea, but I’m confused about the hook. At 4:02, wouldn’t the hook look like it’s “hooking” the space above the 4? Does this confuse your students?
Linda says
April 22 at 5:59 pmHi Caril,
At 4:02 the hour hand is still on or very close to the four making it easier for students to determine the hour. The hook strategy is a helpful one to use when the hour hand falls between two numbers. I hope this helps and your students enjoy the games!
Catherine says
March 7 at 4:05 amI really like this idea! We just started telling time this week. Thank you for the post and the freebies!
jothy iyer says
March 17 at 1:03 amwhat a wonderful idea! thank you for sharing.
Linda says
July 31 at 9:28 pmYou’re welcome Jothy!
jothy iyer says
March 17 at 1:03 amwhat a wonderful idea! thank you for sharing
Linda says
March 28 at 7:01 amYou’re so welcome! I hope these ideas are helpful to your kiddos!
Rachel Boren says
April 21 at 5:19 pmThanks so much for sharing! I love these ideas! They are very hands-on and engaging! 🙂
Linda says
April 22 at 9:34 amYou’re welcome Rachel! I’m so glad you found ideas you can use with your students. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Ann says
July 31 at 4:51 amLove it!
Linda says
July 31 at 9:27 pmThank you Ann! I’m glad you found some ideas you can use in your classroom!
Amaris says
September 11 at 6:13 pmThe email I received is for a data keeper not the clock file ?
Linda says
September 17 at 10:14 amHi Amaris,
It sounds like you subscribed in the pop up window which will send you the student data folders. I’ve manually subscribed you in the form on this post so be sure to check your inbox.
Welcome! It’s good to have you on board!
Karley says
October 23 at 11:01 amWhat a fantastic way to teach telling the time – thank you so much for sharing! I have filled in my details on this page under “Stay up to date” – is that how I get access to the clock games? Eagerly awaiting the email 🙂
Linda says
October 31 at 9:04 amHi Karley!
I just added your info to the form to get the math games. Be sure to check your promotions, social, and spam folders in Gmail if you don’t see the email. It will have a link to confirm your subscription. Once you click to confirm a window with the download will pop up.
I hope this helps and your students enjoy all the games!
Joanna says
January 7 at 6:12 pmHi! I’d love these games. Can I be added? Thanks!
Linda says
January 8 at 6:53 amHi Joanna,
Absolutely! You can sign up in the form at the bottom of this post to get all three of the games. You will receive an email to confirm your subscription with a link to the download. Once you click the link, a pop up with your download for you to save and print will appear. Be sure to check your spam, social and promotions folders if you don’t see the email. Also, I recommend signing up with your personal email address as school and district email systems often filter out or block subscription type emails, especially if they contain attachments like this one.
Michelle says
January 8 at 7:06 amThe email I received after subscribing sent me the PDF for data folders. Is it possible for you to subscribe me so I receive the telling time freebies?
Linda says
January 8 at 7:14 amHi Michelle,
I’ve signed you up to get the telling time games and you should be receiving an email shortly. Welcome aboard and I hope the games and strategies help make telling time easier for your students!
AIMEE KAMINSKI says
January 14 at 2:50 pmI used this last year with my class and it was fabulous! It made it so much easier to teach telling time! Thank you so much! Only problem is I can’t where I put my extra copies! So glad I was able to find you again!!
Linda says
February 5 at 7:57 amI’m so glad they helped Aimee! It’s such a tricky concept for some and these really helped my class too!
Gina says
January 21 at 4:56 pmHi!
These look wonderful and I have subscribed, but I am getting the PDF for Data folders too. I would love the telling time freebies! Thank you so mucj in advance!
Linda says
February 5 at 7:59 amHi Gina,
It sounds like you may have signed up in the pop up window which will send you the data folders. I’ve just signed you up for the math games, so be sure to check your inbox! I hope your class enjoys all the games and they help make this tricky concept easier to learn!
Jessica says
February 25 at 6:30 pmI am really interested in your printables and games for the above lesson on time. Is there any way I can still download the free items? I’d even pay for them now. lol
Jaclyn says
February 26 at 8:57 amI didn’t get the telling times resources. It was data sheets.
Linda says
February 26 at 9:01 amHi Jaclyn,
It sounds like you added your email address to either the pop up window that appeared or the website side bar which will sign you up for the data folders kit. I’ve added you to the form in the math post to receive the math games. If you don’t see the email, be sure to check all of your spam and “other” folders.
Alli says
March 15 at 4:52 pmI am not receiving an email for this free resource. I love the visual and want to use it but haven’t got the email.
Linda says
March 28 at 6:27 amHi Alli,
It looks like you signed up with a school email address. School email security often blocks outside emails with links or attachments (Mine does this.) I recommend signing up with your personal email address instead to make sure you receive my email. Once you do, be sure to check all of your folders (spam, social, promotions) for my email in case it went there. I hope this helps and your students enjoy the games!
Nicole Albert says
March 17 at 5:51 amLinda! I struggle teaching this concept every year, I am beyond excited that you have shared this resource with us. I have my lessons plans done for the next two weeks, but guess what! Those time sheets and activities I was using are going out the window lol. Editing my plans so I can add these meaningful activities instead. Thanks again so much. I would have bought this resource, so I am extra thankful it is free.
Linda says
March 28 at 6:26 amHi Nicole!
You’re welcome! Telling time is such a tricky concept for so many kids. I’m so glad to hear these helped you. These simple strategies have been game changers for my kids and they loved the practice games too!
Elizabeth says
March 18 at 10:48 amI have tried on 2 seperate occasions to subscribe to your web page in order to get these great activities. However, after checking my email I have not received anything.
Linda says
March 28 at 6:22 amHi Elizabeth,
It looks like you are signing up with a school email address. School email security often blocks outside emails with links or attachments (Mine does this.) I recommend signing up with your personal email address to avoid this. Once you do, be sure to check all of your folders (spam, social, promotions) for my email in case it went there. I hope this helps and your students enjoy the games!
Tammy says
March 19 at 9:29 amThanks for sharing these awesome ideas!
Linda says
March 28 at 6:20 amYou are so welcome Tammy! I hope they help your class as much as they did mine!
Megan Mobley says
March 19 at 2:01 pmI got the free time games which are all awesome, but I was hoping the Blast Off to the Hour and Color the Hour Space would be in there too. Is there a link to where I can get those?
Linda says
March 28 at 6:19 amHi Megan,
All of the games featured in this post are included in the download including the Blast Off to Hour Space and Color the Hour Space games.
Christina Kirk says
April 22 at 4:31 pmHi Linda,
For some reason I submit my email address and I have not received the downloads.
Christina
Linda says
April 22 at 5:55 pmHi Christina,
Be sure to check your spam, social and promotions folders especially with Gmail. You will automatically receive an email with a link to confirm your subscription. Once the link is clicked the download will pop up for you to save. I hope this helps and your students enjoy the games!
Christine Kirk says
April 24 at 6:47 amHi Linda,
Got it, Thank you!! I am so excited to use the telling time packet. Can’t wait to see how my students respond to the games. The whole packet such a grand idea.
Many Thanks,
Christina
Linda says
April 25 at 9:24 amYou’re welcome, Christine!
Maria Glazener says
April 28 at 4:17 pmHey there!
I have submitted every email I have and I have still not received the clock file. I have looked in all of my spam and clutter folders and I have found nothing. I even went to TPT to try and buy it. Could you please add me manually so I can get these great activities.
Linda says
April 29 at 7:01 amHi Maria,
I added you manually after your first email. On my end I show the email was sent to you on April 25 and marked as spam on your end.