Master the amazing skill of telling time! Learn to read both analog clocks (with hands) and digital clocks (with numbers). Discover hours, minutes, AM, PM, and how to track time passing. Never wonder 'What time is it?' again! ⏰🕐
Master clock reading with hands-on time-telling activities!
Learn the parts of a clock and how they work together!
🖱️ Drag options below to the correct boxes (computer) or click to move (mobile)
Practice reading o'clock times on analog clocks!
Learn to read 30 minutes (half past) and 15/45 minutes (quarter hours)!
Click all correct options
Learn the difference between morning (AM) and afternoon/evening (PM)!
Drag to sort or use ↑↓ buttons to adjust · Smallest to Biggest
Calculate how much time passes between two times!
Explore 10 comprehensive knowledge cards about telling time!
Clocks are tools that tell us the time! Analog clocks have hands (pointers) that move around a circle with numbers 1-12. The short hour hand points to the hour, the long minute hand points to the minute. Digital clocks show time as numbers (like 3:45). Both types display the same information, just in different formats. Learning to read both kinds of clocks is an essential life skill!
Analog clock: has hour and minute hands that point to numbers
Digital clock: shows time as numbers (3:45)
Both types show the same time, just displayed differently!
Clocks help us know what time it is and plan our day
Most clocks show 12 hours at a time (1-12), going around twice per day
Look for clocks everywhere! Classroom wall clocks (analog), microwave displays (digital), watches (both types). The more you see and read real clocks, the more automatic time-telling becomes!
Confusing the hour and minute hands! Remember: hour hand is SHORT (like the word 'hour'), minute hand is LONG (because there are lots of minutes!). Also, misreading digital time - 3:45 is NOT 'three forty-five o'clock' - it's 'three forty-five'!
Knowing when to wake up, get to school on time, know when class starts/ends, meet friends at the right time, watch TV shows at scheduled times, eat meals at appropriate times!
Clock hunt! Find 5 clocks in your home. Read each one. Are they analog or digital? What time do they show? Practice reading different clock types!
The hour hand shows which hour it is! It's the shorter, thicker hand on an analog clock. It moves very slowly - taking 12 hours to go all the way around the clock once. At exactly o'clock times (3:00, 7:00), the hour hand points right at that hour number. Between hours (like 3:30), the hour hand is between the numbers (halfway between 3 and 4 at 3:30). Watching the hour hand's position helps you identify the current hour!
The hour hand is SHORT and THICK
It moves slowly around the clock (once every 12 hours)
Points to (or near) the current hour number
At 3:00, it points exactly at 3
At 3:30, it points halfway between 3 and 4
The hour hand's position tells you if it's exactly on the hour or past the hour! If it's pointing right at a number, it's exactly that o'clock. If it's past the number, the hour is past - use the number it PASSED, not the one it's heading toward!
Reading the hour hand as if it's pointing to the next number! If the hour hand is between 3 and 4, it's 3-something (like 3:15 or 3:45), NOT 4-something! The hour doesn't become 4 until the hand reaches 4!
Quick hour checks: 'The hour hand is at 3, so it's 3-something o'clock - I have time before my 4:00 activity!' The hour hand gives you the 'big picture' time!
Hour hand focus! Look at analog clocks and identify only the hour hand. What hour is it pointing to (or just past)? Ignore the minute hand for now - just master reading the hour!
The minute hand shows which minute it is! It's the longer, thinner hand on an analog clock. It moves much faster than the hour hand - completing a full circle every hour (60 minutes). When reading minutes, each number on the clock represents 5 minutes: 12=00, 1=05, 2=10, 3=15, 4=20, 5=25, 6=30, 7=35, 8=40, 9=45, 10=50, 11=55. The small tick marks between numbers each represent 1 minute!
The minute hand is LONG and THIN
It moves faster than the hour hand (once around per hour)
Points to the current minute
At 12: 00 minutes (o'clock), at 6: 30 minutes (half past)
Each number represents 5 minutes when counting minutes!
Learn the '5-minute rule'! Each number on the clock = 5 more minutes: 1=5, 2=10, 3=15, 4=20, 5=25, 6=30, 7=35, 8=40, 9=45, 10=50, 11=55, 12=00. Count by 5s around the clock!
Reading the minute hand's number directly! When the minute hand points to 3, it's NOT 3 minutes - it's 15 minutes! You must multiply by 5 or count by 5s to get the actual minutes!
Precise timing: 'It's 3:25 - I have 5 minutes until 3:30!' The minute hand gives you the exact time, not just the hour. Important for schedules and appointments!
Minute counting practice! On an analog clock, count by 5s as you point to each number: '12=0, 1=5, 2=10, 3=15...' until you've gone all the way around. Memorize this pattern!
Telling time 'to the hour' means reading times that end in :00 (o'clock times)! When the minute hand points straight up to 12, it means 0 minutes past the hour. The hour hand points to which hour it is. So if the hour hand is at 3 and minute hand is at 12, it's 3:00 (three o'clock). 'O'clock' is a traditional way to say the time is exactly on the hour with no extra minutes. These are the simplest times to read!
1:00 (one o'clock): hour hand at 1, minute hand at 12
5:00 (five o'clock): hour hand at 5, minute hand at 12
12:00 (twelve o'clock or noon/midnight): both hands at 12
When minute hand is at 12, we say 'o'clock'
:00 times are the easiest to read!
Look for the minute hand first! If it's pointing at 12, you know instantly it's an o'clock time. Then just check the hour hand to see which o'clock it is. This two-step check is quick and accurate!
Saying '1 o'clock' instead of '1:00' when writing time! In writing, we use :00. When speaking, we can say 'o'clock.' Both mean the same thing - exactly on the hour!
Many activities start on the hour: 'School starts at 8:00,' 'TV show at 7:00,' 'Lunch at 12:00 (noon).' O'clock times are super common for scheduling!
O'clock challenge! Set a clock (or draw one) to show different o'clock times. Practice both ways: 'Show me 4:00!' and 'What time does this show?' Go through all 12 hours!
Half-hour times occur at 30 minutes past the hour! The minute hand points to 6 (at the bottom of the clock), which represents 30 minutes. The hour hand is exactly halfway between two numbers. For example, at 3:30, the hour hand is halfway between 3 and 4, and the minute hand points to 6. We can say 'three thirty' or 'half past three' (because 30 minutes is half of an hour). Half-hour times are very common!
3:30 (three thirty or half past three): minute hand at 6
7:30 (seven thirty or half past seven): minute hand at 6
The minute hand at 6 (bottom) means 30 minutes
The hour hand is halfway between two numbers
Half-hour = 30 minutes = half of 60 minutes!
Remember: minute hand at 6 = 30 minutes = half past the hour! Also, the hour hand being halfway between numbers is a clue it's a half-hour time. Both hands give you hints!
Confusing which hour it is when the hour hand is between numbers! At 3:30, the hour hand is between 3 and 4. It's 3:30, NOT 4:30! Use the number the hour hand has PASSED, not the one it's heading toward!
Common schedule times: 'Movie starts at 7:30,' 'Dinner at 6:30,' 'Practice ends at 4:30.' Half-hours are frequently used for scheduling activities!
Half-past practice! Make a list of half-hour times: 1:30, 2:30, 3:30... through 12:30. Draw or set clocks to show each one. See the pattern - minute hand always at 6!
Quarter-hour times divide the hour into four equal parts! At 15 minutes past the hour (:15), the minute hand points to 3 (right side), which is 'quarter past' or '15 minutes past.' At 45 minutes past the hour (:45), the minute hand points to 9 (left side), which is 'quarter to' the next hour or '45 minutes past.' A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes (60 ÷ 4 = 15). These times appear frequently in schedules!
2:15 (two fifteen or quarter past two): minute hand at 3
2:45 (two forty-five or quarter to three): minute hand at 9
Quarter = 1/4 of an hour = 15 minutes
At :15, the hour hand is 1/4 of the way past the hour
At :45, the hour hand is 3/4 of the way to the next hour
Think of the clock like a pizza cut into 4 slices! Each slice is 15 minutes. At :00 (top), :15 (right), :30 (bottom), :45 (left) - these are the quarter divisions. Visualizing this helps!
Forgetting that minute hand at 9 means 45 minutes, not 9 minutes! Each number represents 5 minutes: 9 × 5 = 45. Always multiply by 5 when reading the minute hand!
Scheduling: 'Bus arrives at 8:15,' 'Practice starts at 3:45,' 'Appointment at 10:15.' Quarter-hours are common scheduling increments!
Quarter-hour drill! Practice reading :15 and :45 times. Set a clock to 1:15, 1:45, 2:15, 2:45, etc. Notice the patterns - minute hand at 3 or 9, hour hand position!
Reading time to 5-minute intervals means reading any time where the minute hand points to a number on the clock! Since each number represents 5 minutes (multiply the number by 5), you can read times like 4:05, 4:10, 4:15, etc. Count by 5s as you go around: 1=5, 2=10, 3=15, 4=20, 5=25, 6=30, 7=35, 8=40, 9=45, 10=50, 11=55, 12=00. This lets you read most times you'll encounter!
4:05 (four oh five): minute hand at 1 (1 × 5 = 5)
4:20 (four twenty): minute hand at 4 (4 × 5 = 20)
4:40 (four forty): minute hand at 8 (8 × 5 = 40)
4:55 (four fifty-five): minute hand at 11 (11 × 5 = 55)
Count by 5s to read any time!
Master counting by 5s! Once you can instantly say '7 equals 35 minutes' or '4 equals 20 minutes,' time-telling becomes automatic. Practice this mental multiplication constantly!
Reading the number directly as minutes! If the minute hand points to 8, it's NOT 8 minutes - it's 40 minutes (8 × 5 = 40)! Always multiply by 5 or count by 5s!
Precise scheduling: 'The movie starts at 7:25,' 'Bus leaves at 8:05,' 'Appointment at 2:35.' Real-world times aren't always on the hour or half-hour!
5-minute mastery! Make flashcards: front shows a number (1-11), back shows minutes (5, 10, 15...55). Quiz yourself until you can instantly convert any number to minutes!
AM and PM help us distinguish morning times from evening times! Since clocks show 1-12 twice per day, we use AM and PM to clarify which one we mean. AM (ante meridiem = before noon) covers midnight to noon - the morning hours. PM (post meridiem = after noon) covers noon to midnight - the afternoon, evening, and night hours. 7:00 AM is morning, 7:00 PM is evening - same clock position, different times! Understanding AM/PM is essential for schedules!
AM = midnight to noon (morning, before lunch)
PM = noon to midnight (afternoon, evening, night)
12:00 AM = midnight (start of day), 12:00 PM = noon (middle of day)
7:00 AM = morning wake-up time, 7:00 PM = evening dinner time
Same clock numbers, different times of day!
Think of your daily routine! Wake up = AM, school morning = AM, lunch = switch to PM, afternoon/evening activities = PM, dinner = PM, bedtime = PM. Your daily life naturally follows AM → PM!
Confusing 12:00 AM and 12:00 PM! 12:00 AM is midnight (start of a new day). 12:00 PM is noon (middle of the day, lunch time). These are tricky - remember: noon = PM (afternoon comes after noon)!
Scheduling everything! 'Wake up at 6:30 AM,' 'School 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM,' 'Soccer practice 4:00 PM,' 'Dinner 6:00 PM,' 'Bedtime 8:00 PM.' AM/PM prevents confusion!
AM/PM sorting! Make a list of daily activities with times. Label each as AM or PM. Morning activities = AM, afternoon/evening = PM. Build intuition for which is which!
Elapsed time is the amount of time that passes between a start time and an end time! If class starts at 9:00 and ends at 11:00, 2 hours elapsed (passed). To calculate elapsed time, subtract the start time from the end time, or count forward from start to end. Elapsed time tells you how long activities take, helping you plan your day and manage time effectively!
From 2:00 to 5:00 = 3 hours elapsed
From 3:15 to 3:45 = 30 minutes elapsed
From 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM = 2 hours elapsed
Elapsed time = end time - start time
Tells you how long something took!
For simple hour-only times, just subtract! 5:00 - 2:00 = 3 hours. For times with minutes, count forward by convenient chunks: from 2:15 to 5:45, go 2:15→3:00 (45 min), 3:00→5:00 (2 hr), 5:00→5:45 (45 min) = 2 hr 30 min + 45 min + 45 min = 3 hr 30 min total!
Forgetting that 60 minutes = 1 hour! If an activity goes from 2:45 to 4:15, you can't just subtract 45 from 15. Count forward or convert to total minutes first: 2:45→3:00 (15 min), 3:00→4:00 (60 min), 4:00→4:15 (15 min) = 90 min total = 1.5 hours!
Planning your day: 'How long until my appointment?' Tracking activities: 'We played for 2 hours!' Knowing durations: 'The movie is 1 hour 45 minutes long - will we be done by dinner?'
Elapsed time challenges! Create scenarios: 'School: 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM - how long?' 'Movie: 7:00 to 8:30 - how long?' Practice calculating time between events!
Digital clocks display time as numbers instead of with hands! The format is hours:minutes, like 3:45. The number(s) before the colon show hours, the two digits after show minutes. Digital clocks are easier to read precisely than analog clocks - you don't have to interpret hand positions or count by 5s. Most digital clocks also display AM or PM. Digital time reading is simpler but both analog and digital skills are important!
Digital clocks show time as numbers: 3:45
First number(s) = hours, numbers after colon = minutes
3:45 reads 'three forty-five' (NOT 'three forty-five o'clock'!)
Leading zero for single-digit minutes: 7:05 (not 7:5)
Digital clocks often show AM or PM too
When reading digital time aloud, say the numbers naturally! 3:45 = 'three forty-five,' 8:15 = 'eight fifteen,' 12:30 = 'twelve thirty.' Don't say 'o'clock' unless it's actually :00!
Reading 7:05 as 'seven five' - it should be 'seven oh five' (emphasizing it's 5 minutes, not 75!). Also writing 7:5 instead of 7:05 - always use two digits for minutes!
Microwaves, ovens, phones, computers, alarm clocks - most modern devices use digital time displays! Digital reading is everywhere in daily life!
Digital-analog conversion! Look at a digital clock. Draw or set an analog clock to match the same time. Then reverse: look at analog, write the digital time. Practice both directions!