Learning how to tell time is such a cool thing to learn. Many kids either learn this in first or second grade. Regardless of when you learn it there are hundreds of ways to make it fun. I am not presenting any new ways here since I already made a 5 minute video that teaches how to tell time. I thought I would give some pointers to parents and teachers about my thoughts on when students are ready to learn time and what they should know first.
One thing that I believe students should know how to do is first be able to count to 60. Many parents begin teaching time before kids can even count to 60 and when the kids have a question about counting the parents end up trying to teach several subjects in one sitting. This is not the most ideal in my opinion. Help the students learn to count to sixty and learning time will be much more enjoyable.
Another thing I think we forget lots of times is to just teach the pure basics of a clock. For example with little kids it can be a good idea to introduce them and let them feel how a clock moves and that there is a big hand and a small hand and they can spin. This is one introduction that gets skipped sometimes. Helping the kids learn that they move around a central point and that each hand points to a number will help them recognize that to start telling time they must see what the hands are pointing at. Many people have told me that starting with just the hour hand first can be best. I even included that in the video we made on telling time. Do it how you want but try to let them play with clocks and see how the hands move. This will help kids be familiar with a clock before they jump into the minutes and hours.
The last thing to mention is to make it fun when you teach them. Have the kids move the hands and compete in a game with you. Whoever gets the hour hand correct first wins or something like that to make it fun. Adding a competition along with hands on touching the clock will help increase the amount of information they retain. (my opinion again and it is worth gold if you ask me:)
The video that is on our site can be an introduction or a review but please try your best to team it with hands on experiences. Take care and enjoy telling time. Our Video is on the 2nd Grade Page. Click HERE
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