Is learning to tell time easier now that so many clocks are digital? Or is it twice as hard, because kids today have to learn to read both analog and digital clocks? Either way, learning to tell time is an important skill, and these websites make it fun.
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Learning About Time starts with a history of clocks, then describes the parts of the clock, and concludes with a lesson on telling time. The practice section of the lesson is an interactive clock that I only recommend for advanced practice because it does not have any numbers on its face. Begin by choosing whether you want to see the time on an analog or digital clock. After practicing one way, be sure to try the other. On the analog clock, I really liked the realistic way both hands move together as you mouse around the clock face.
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Telling Time is a collection of twenty-one free printable worksheets organized into learning hours, half-hours, minutes, quarter to, and quarter after. Dositey also sells a Telling Time mini-course, and offers the first unit (Hours) as a free demo. Be sure to turn on your speakers, as Robbie the Rabbit shows you how to read and set time on the hour.
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With lesson plans, printable worksheets, and interactive quizzes, Franklin Institute's A Matter of Time has something for everyone. My favorite clicks are the quizzes and printables. The quizzes cover both reading a clock face and "Telling Time in Different Ways," such as "35 minutes to 12." The printable pages include clocks (with and without numbers), activities ("Draw the hand on the clock") and flash cards (called concentration cards) to practice with.
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Time Tutorial from Kids Online Resources consists of two exercises that display digital time as you practice moving the hands around a radial (or analog) clock. Learning about the hour hand is the first lesson. Place your mouse over each of the hour numbers on the clock, and see how the time changes on the digital clock. After a few practice questions, you are ready for the minute-hand exercise. Use the blue and red buttons to move the minute hand around the clock face, and watch the time change on the digital clock.
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"Drag the hands of the clock to show the correct time. When you think you have the correct time, press OK. If you answer incorrectly, click the clock face afterwards to see the correct answer. Try and score a perfect game (10 out of 10)." Unlike many sites that ignore the fact that the hour hand moves during an hour, Lil' Fingers expects you to know that at 3:30 the hour hand is half-way between the three and the four. Because of this (and the printable coloring pages), Lil' Fingers Time Teller is my time-telling pick of the day.
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By Barbara J. Feldman. Originally written on May 04, 2005. Last Modified on Jan 07, 2008.
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Buy Telling Time Printable for $2.00 or try a FREE trial of the Printables Club
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Honorable Mentions
The following links are either new discoveries or sites that didn't make it into my newspaper column because of space constraints. Enjoy!
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