Telling the time on a clock with hands, step by step. Explore with a big clock: move the hands by hours or minutes and see the time in words (“quarter to four”) and as digital time (3:45), or press Time now. Then practise: Read it shows a clock and asks which time it is; Set it gives a time and asks your child to move the hands. Choose the level from o’clock only up to any minute.
loading toolHow to learn to read a clock
- In Explore, use the buttons to move the hands and read the time in words.
- Choose a level: o’clock, half past, quarters, 5 minutes or any minute.
- Play Read it: look at the clock and pick the time.
- Play Set it: move the hands to the time asked and press Check.
Good to know
- Remember: short hand for hours, long hand for minutes.
- Practise with the real clock at home at meal times and bedtime.
Questions
Why is there no sound?
Sounds use the speech voices built into your phone or computer. Turn the volume up and check silent mode. If one language stays silent, your device has no voice for it yet: on Android add it in Settings → Text-to-speech, on iPhone in Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → Voices, on Windows in Settings → Time & language → Speech.
In what order should telling the time be taught?
O’clock first, then half past, then quarter past and quarter to, then five-minute steps, and finally any minute. The levels follow this order.
Why does the hour hand sit between two numbers?
The hour hand moves slowly all the time. At half past three it is halfway between 3 and 4, just as on a real clock.
Does it teach the 24-hour clock?
It focuses on the 12-hour clock face used at home and school. Digital times are shown in 12-hour form, such as 3:45.
Is my data private?
Yes. Everything happens inside your own browser: nothing you type or choose is uploaded to us or anyone else.
Is it free?
Completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many times you use it. Light ads keep the site running.
