Hows the best way to teach a child to tell the time?

Question

My nine year old still cant grasp telling the time, is this right at this age and is there any easy way to teach her ??

Answer 1

I was the same way when I was her age. I learned from a big old-fashioned clock. My mother told me to count by 5s. so, 1=5 2=10 and so on. The little marks were the in-between. So say the big hand was in the middle of the 3 and 4, on the third mark. Then you'd count 5, 10, 15 and stop then count the little marks as 16, 17, 18. That's how I learned the minutes. How I learned the hour was simple. Where ever the little hand was I'd look at where it would be for the next hour, so that means.. If you look at the clock and you see that the little hand it between the 4 and 5, you can imagine that if the clock kept going that the little hand would arrive at the 5 next. So being that it's not there yet, then the hour is 5 o'clock.

Answer 2

Teacher resource places have great aides. First you want to determine whether you're really teaching the concept of time or how to tell time. Digital seems easy but a good analog clock with lots of numbers on it is really a good way to go.
Often in these stores you can get a clock that also doubles as a timer and when you pull the knob to show an amount of time it fills it in red. (not sure if that makes sense) - otherwise here are some online resources.

Answer 3

First show her a standard 12-hour clock. tell her about noon and midnight, and how many minutes in an hour, etc.

Talk about time in your daily routine. Instead of "dinner will be ready soon" Say "Dinner is at 5:45 (for example)" and have her check the time and call the family to dinner. Start making her responsible for doing things on time. Maybe start with a Saturday (so she doesn't make you late if she gets it wrong) and tell her to remind you when it's 9 AM.

Answer 4

The educational centers or teacher supplies have incredible tools to use. My three year old has been using them and can tell time now. He loves to look at the clock and tell us...yet he finds the electronic ones hard to understand, since he can't see the stickers.

We used a "stickers" happy face on a wall clock to indicate when it was time to leave for school and the same time in the PM is bath time, so it worked for us.

Good luck

Answer 5

try a time tutor clock - available in Argos and the like. My five year has one and is coming on beautifully with it. Then once that is grasped go digital no need to muddle her with two different ways of telling the time yet and don't worry how long she take to grasp it, everyone learns at different rates

Answer 6

The most important thing is getting somthing that looks like a clock and the 2 hands. Try using a cake that is shaped like a clock and use frosting for numbers and hands. Thas how i taught my son back in my country. He acctually listend to me. And he thougt it was a game. It sound silly but it works.

Answer 7

digital watches are easier to learn with because they can just read the last two numbers the the first and say 48 minutes past 6

Answer 8

Put a giant clock in her room (at least three foot wide) with a placard underneath it saying 'One day, you'll live your hurried, pressured life by this - learn it quick!'

Answer 9

if it's not digital, that could be part of it (a lot of kids get really confused by it). Try using a digital clock (he'll find the time much faster than a regular one).

Answer 10

explain that the big hand counts every space and the little hand can only count the really big numbers (it can's see the little lines 'cuz they are too far away).

B-Cool