Year 4/5/6

It's about time we learn about Time!!!

Learning to read the clock is a crucial life skill that children will use every day. From catching the school bus to managing their own schedules as they grow older, being able to tell time accurately is essential. Teaching kids to read the clock empowers them to manage their time and encourages independence.

Mastering the clock also helps children develop important cognitive skills. Reading an analog clock involves mental calculations, as they need to understand how the hour and minute hands work together. This process boosts their problem-solving abilities, spatial reasoning, and critical thinking skills. Engaging with the clock also helps children understand mathematical concepts like fractions and patterns.

Additionally, learning to read the clock helps children grasp the abstract concept of time. As they become familiar with the clock's hands and numbers, they start to understand how time passes in a concrete way. This understanding is the foundation for learning about hours, minutes, days, weeks, and months. It also helps them organise their daily routines and develop a sense of structure and discipline.

At home you can help by:

• asking them to read the time from analogue clocks
• changing their  digital watches to analogue faces
• Using different ways to read the same time. (e.g. 12:45 0r 15 to 1 or quarter to one)