Time Games for Kids

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1: How do you read time on analog clock?

Ans: An analog clock has numbers from 1 to 12 which show hours and are indicated by shorter hand. The longer hand shows minutes and there are 5 minutes between every two consecutive numbers; If the longer hand points at 1, it implies 5 minutes, if at 2 then it implies 10 minutes and so on in multiples of 5. When at 12, it implies 12X5 = 60 minutes that completes an hour. To read the time, read the numbers where both shorter and longer hands are positioned. If shorter hand is between 5 and 6 and longer hand is at 8, it is 5 hours and 8 x 5 = 40 minutes and time is 5:40.

Q2: How do we find elapsed time?

Ans: Elapsed time is simply the amount of time that passes from the beginning of an event to its end. To find elapsed time, find the difference between the start and end time of an event. Write the end time on top and the start time below it, then subtract the same way numbers are subtracted.

Q3: What are some fun math games on telling time?

Ans: Telling time is always fun for kids learning it for the first time. To make it more joyful, SplashLearn has a versatile collection of grade specific games on telling and interpreting time in fun ways. To start with, you just need to know how to skip count by 5 and know how both hands of a clock move.

Q4: How can I teach my child to read and tell time?

Ans: You can teach reading and telling time to your child right in your home. Show that the wall clock has numbers from 1 to 12 which show hours and are indicated by shorter hand. The longer hand shows minutes and there are 5 minutes between every two consecutive numbers; If the longer hand points at 1, it implies 5 minutes, if at 2 then it implies 10 minutes and so on in multiples of 5. When at 12, it implies 12X5 = 60 minutes that completes an hour. To read the time, read the numbers where both shorter and longer hands are positioned. If shorter hand is between 5 and 6 and longer hand is at 8, it is 5 hours and 8 x 5 = 40 minutes and time is 5:40.

Q5: How do you read Time?

Ans: We can read time from clock - analog or digital. Reading time from digital clock is very easy as it is just like reading numbers in hours and minutes. But, in analog clock, you should know how the hands of the clock move. The clock has numbers from 1 to 12 which show hours and are indicated by shorter hand. The longer hand shows minutes and there are 5 minutes between every two consecutive numbers; If the longer hand points at 1, it implies 5 minutes, if at 2 then it implies 10 minutes and so on in multiples of 5. When at 12, it implies 12X5 = 60 minutes that completes an hour. To read the time, read the numbers where both shorter and longer hands are positioned. If shorter hand is between 5 and 6 and longer hand is at 8, it is 5 hours and 8 x 5 = 40 minutes and time is 5:40.

 

Overview of telling time

Reading and writing time is a very important concept taught in the early childhood. Time is the most valuable resource one has and it should not be lost at any cost. Getting to school or going to bed on time is a necessity. Forming a timetable at school to filling in a time sheet at work, the importance of time never falls. Thus, kids should learn how to calculate time in their early years of schooling.

 

Understanding the concept of time involves using many smaller skill sets earlier learned. The kids master the earlier learned skills while learning the basic concept of time. They relate skills of partitioning a circle into half and quarters to a circular clock. They see a clock as a circle divided into 12 equal partitions. The concept of reading time also lets kids practice their skills to count by five. The concept of elapsed time needs kids to analyze word problems involving addition and subtraction. The concept of reading time develops a variety of cognitive skills in the childhood.

Learn Telling Time through Games

 

In this age of technology and super-fast gadgets, books and worksheets have become out-dated. There are newer methods to understand the concept of time in a fun and exciting way. Math games and activities based on math time enable kids to master the art of telling time to the hour, half hour, quarter hour, and to the nearest minute. These time math games instruct kids to count time, set game clock or even stop the math clock at the correct time. Such game clock enables kids to master reading time and seconds in an entertaining way.

Teaching Telling Time through Manipulatives

 

The best manipulative that can be used for learning time is an analog time clock with gears. The gears maintain a correct relationship between the hour hand and the minute hand.

This learning clock makes it possible to explain hour hand and minute hand to kids in a convenient and faster way. This interactive clock can be used most effectively when learning reading time to the hour or to the nearest minutes. The hands on the clock can be moved quickly to show the change in the position of time with the change in the time.

Overview of the Topic Time

 

1. Introduction to Analog & Digital Clock:

A child’s understanding of partitioning circles into halves and quarters form the base of understanding an analog clock. They relate 12-equal sections of a circle with a clock.

They learn about the hands of the clock; hour hand being the smaller and minute hand being the larger hand. They also learn about the rotation of these hands. They understand that both hands of the clock move every second. The minute hand moves faster and hour hand moves much slower. They also get familiarized with the digital clock and are able to read time on the digital clock.

 

2. Tell time to the hour: 

They learn about the terminology “o’clock”. The kids learn to tell time to the hour by understanding the position of a minute and hour hand. They are able to solve time worksheets that have questions like:

 

• Where does the hour hand point when it is 8 o’ clock?

  a. 5        b. 6        c. 8         d. 12

 

• What is the time when the hour hand is at 5 and the minute hand is at 12?

  a. 5 o’ clock        b. 12 o’ clock        c. 7 o’ clock         d. 9 o’ clock

 

3. Tell time to the half hour: 

The kids recognize two half circles on the clock and relate this to understand half hour. It becomes easier for them to understand that when the minute hand walks halfway through from 12, the time is read as half past.

It is worth pointing out to the kids that two 30-minute parts make one hour. This enables them to connect time on an analog time clock with the time on the digital clock. The time worksheets that relate to this understanding will have problems like:

 

• How will half past 6 show on the digital clock? ______

 

• Where will the minute hand point at 4:30? ________

 

4. Tell time to quarter hours: 

The kids’ understanding of partitioning the circle into halves and quarters help them understand the concept of quarter hours. They understand that an analog time clock can be divided into four equal quarters.

They learn about the terminologies like half past 8, quarter to 9, quarter past 7 etc.

When the minute hand covers first quarter from 12, the time is read as quarter past 5 or 15 minutes past 5.   The time on the digital clock will be 5:15.

When the minute hand covers first two-quarters from 12, the time is read as half past 5.     The time on the digital clock will be 5:30.

When the minute hand covers three-quarters from 12, the time is read as a quarter to 6 or 15 minutes to 6.   The time on the digital clock will be 5:45.

 

 

5. Tell time to 5 minutes: 

The kids learn that each number on the time clock represents 5 minutes. The kids use their skills of counting by five to understand that one round of the clock has 12 fives. They comprehend that a minute hand completes one round in 60 minutes. They also understand that 60 minutes = 1 hour.

The kids capture that when the minute hand is at 4, they should count by five 4 times. The kids also learn about the position of the hour hand pertaining to the position of the minute hand.

 

Once the kids understand this concept, they no longer need time clock calculator when doing a time test. They are able to solve math time test that questions like:

 

• What time is the clock showing?

 

6. Understanding a.m. & p.m.: 

The kids are able to relate a.m. and p.m. to the time of the day. They learn about the terminology 12 midnight and 12 noon.

The students are expected to solve time worksheets that have problems like given below:

• Which of the following could be the dinner time for Alex?

  a. 8 a.m.         b. 8 p.m.

 

• Jack goes to dance class in the afternoon. Which of the following could be the time of Jack’s dance class?

  a. 6 a.m.                 b. 8 p.m.        c. 3 a.m.        d. 4 p.m

 

 

7. Elapsed Time involving a half hour and whole hours: 

The kids are taught about the concept of elapsed time, the time that passes from the start of an event to its end. After a deep understanding of this concept, the kids are able to solve elapsed time worksheets that consist of problems like:

 

• Sue started driving from her office at 6 p.m. and she reached her destination at 8 p.m. How much time Sue drove to reach her destination?

 

• Mike started doing his homework at 5 p.m. and finished it at 7:30 p.m. How much time did Mike took to complete his homework?

 

 

8. Elapsed Time involving quarter and minutes: 

The kids practice solving problems based on calculating elapsed time involving quarter and minutes.

 

They are able to solve elapsed time worksheets that consist of problems like:

 

• Hannah started cooking pasta at 1:10 p.m. The pasta got cooked at 2:15 p.m. How much time did it take to cook pasta?

 

 

9. Solve problems involving mixed units of time: 

The kids learn about the number of hours there are in one day, the number of hours there are in 3 days etc. They are expected to solve addition and subtraction word problems based on time. These problems involve converting days to hours, hours to minutes, minutes to seconds or vice versa.

The kids are able to solve time worksheet that has problems like:

• Determine the following:

2 hr 16 min + 3 hr 32 min = ___________

 

• Ryan takes 75 minutes to reach his home from the office. Ben takes 40 minutes more than Ryan to reach his home. How much time Ben takes to his home from the office?

 

About SplashLearn

 

The day-to-day upgraded learning interface of SplashLearn has been tried and appreciated by over 15 million parents across the globe. It is an educational hub of interactive math games and math worksheets which help kids love mathematics. Some of the features that make SplashLearn stand out from other educational websites are:

 

Grade Wise Math Curriculum: One can quickly and conveniently locate the grade-wise curriculum that has been designed especially for the kids of grade k-5 by experts at SplashLearn. This proves helpful especially when kids are homeschooling.

 

One skill a day: Often, children get bored easily and love to switch topics. SplashLearn has got them covered too. Each Grade curriculum is divided into various skills, and these skills contain enough work to keep the child engaged throughout the year!