Time - What time is it?

Start by watching the 30 minute training video which goes through the whole programme of activities and resources 'What time is it?'. This programme has then been divided across 6 tabs.

We introduce time to a younger child. This is typically at reception age when children start learning the days of the week. But it can be for a child/young person of any age.

We use the 'Hungry Caterpillar' story adapted.

We then look into teaching today, yesterday, tomorrow and understanding the passage of time. These concepts can be tricky to grasp butthere is no point in being able to tell the time if you do not know what 5 minutes/5 hours/5 days feels like.

Video: What time is it?

1. Starting with the very basics

Teaching notes: Introducing time

The Hungry Caterpillar

Resources: The passage of time

Resources: Months

Resources: Days of the week

Section 1 of the programme

Time - What time is it?

We start by teaching the 5 times table up to 30 and then work to apply this to the right hand side of the clock face.

Read section 4 of the time programme and download the resources.

We apply the 5 times table to the clock face and learn how to tell the past time in the digital (10:05, saying 'ten owe five') format using the analogue clock.

Read section 5 of the time programme and download the resources.

3. Telling the past time

Section 4 - notes and activties

Section 4 - resources

Section 5 - notes and activties

Section 5 - resources

Time - What time is it?

Teaching about the clock face, hours and minutes.

The child will learn where the numbers 1 to 12 go on the clock face and the concept of hours measuring 'long' time and minutes measuring 'short' time.

Read section 2 of the time programme and download the resources.

We then begin to teach the o'clocks and where the minute hand always points at this time.

Read section 3 of the time programme and download the resources for section 3.

Worksheet 1 contains problems involving o'clocks only

2. Hours, minutes and the analogue clock

Section 2 - resources

Section 3 - notes and activities

Section 2 - notes and activities

Section 3 - resources

worksheet 1

Time - What time is it?

4. Learning 1/4 past, 1/2 past, 1/4 to and all the other pasts

We start by teaching the fractions ½ and ¼ then apply these to the clock face. Fractions can be quite challenging the words 'half' and 'quarter' not resembling 'two' and 'four' and also the fractions in numeral form looking very similar.

The concepts of 'past' the hour and 'to' the hour are tackled and we practice reading '1/4 past', '1/2 past' and '1/4 to' using the minute hand only.

Read section 6 of the time programme and download the resources.

We then teach the other past times; 5 past, 10 past, 20 past, 25 past. This is not too big a step as we have already tackled 05, 10, 15, 25, 30. We link these 2 ways of telling the past time.

Read section 7 of the time programme and download the resources.

Worksheet 2, 3 and 4 involve problems with past time, 1/4 past and 1/2 past. They may be tackled here or later as rather than telling the time you are calculating how much time.

Section 6 - notes and activties

Section 6 - resources

Section 7 - notes and activties

Section 7 - resources

Worksheet 2

Worksheet 3

Worksheet 4

Time - What time is it?

5. Learning the 'to' time

Eventually the child will be ready to move onto telling the 'to' time. There is no rush first ensure they have full confidence in telling the 'past' time. We will apply the '5 times table' to the left hand side of the clock face and match '15 minutes to', to '1/4 to', taught in section 4.

Once this is secure exercises tackle mixing 'past' and 'to' time.

Read section 8 of the time programme and download the resources.

Section 8 - notes and activties

Section 8 - resources

Time - What time is it?

6. Teaching digital time, a.m. and p.m.

Both of these are the 'icing on the cake'. It may be many years before you reach this stage. Everything else needs to be secure first. We can survive without tackling all of this and it maybe that your target is just learning one at a time, for example, '10 to' the hour = 50 past the old hour.

We start by teaching the 5 times table up to 60, applying to the clock face, linking analogue ‘to’ time to digital time:10 to 2 is the same as 1:50.

Read section 9 of the time programme and download the resources.

Worksheet 5 tackles problems involving 'to time'

We finish by teaching a.m. and p.m. This section can be taught at any time as its about learning 'morning time' and 'afternoon time'

Read section 10 of the time programme and download the resources.

Section 9 - notes and activties

Section 9 - resources

Worksheet 5

Section 10 - notes and activities

Section 10 - resources