Telling Time

Telling Time is a friendly clock game for kids learning to read an analog clock. A big clock face with a short blue hour hand and a long orange minute hand sits next to digital times and time words, so children see that 3:20 and “twenty past three” mean the same thing. Four modes and five levels go from o’clock to the exact minute, in 12-hour or 24-hour time. It is a free telling time game you can play in your browser on a computer, tablet or phone, with no download or sign-up.

How to play

Pick a level, choose a 12-hour or 24-hour clock, and decide whether you want to Choose answers from four big buttons or Type them on a number pad. Then pick a mode. Every round has 6 questions (Match it has 2 boards of 4 clocks), and there is no timer.

• Read the clock: look at the clock and pick the time. Some questions show digital answers such as 7:45 and some show words such as “quarter to eight”. In Type mode the digits shift in from the right like a microwave, so 3, 2, 0 makes 3:20.
• Set the clock: the game asks for a time in digital or in words. Drag the long minute hand around the face and the hour hand moves along with it, just like a real clock: go all the way past 12 and the hour moves on. You can also drag the hour hand or use the Hour and Minute buttons, then press Check.
• Match it: tap a clock, then tap the digital card with the same time (or the card first, then the clock). Matched pairs turn green.
• How long?: a start clock and an end clock show two times on the same day, with AM and PM labels (or 24-hour times) so crossing noon is clear. Work out how much time has passed, such as 2 hours 25 minutes, and pick or type the answer (type 2, 2, 5 for 2 hours 25 minutes).

The five levels

Level 1 is O’clock, level 2 adds Half past, level 3 adds quarter past and quarter to, level 4 uses every 5 minutes and level 5 goes down to the single minute, such as 4:37. Each level mostly asks about its new kind of time, mixed with the ones before it. In How long?, the gaps follow the level too: whole hours, then half hours, quarter hours, 5-minute steps and any minute.

12-hour and 24-hour time

In 24-hour mode the clock shows a little picture and a word for the part of the day, such as Morning or Afternoon, and answers use 24-hour times like 15:20. The picture tells you whether the clock means 03:20 or 15:20. In Set the clock, setting the hands to 3:20 counts for 15:20.

Hints, stars and progress

There is no way to lose. If an answer is not right yet, the game explains how to read the clock, for example “The short blue hand has gone past 3 but not reached 4, so the hour is 3”, and helper minute numbers (5, 10, 15 and so on) appear around the face. Then you try again. In Set the clock, a Show me button appears after two tries and moves the hands to the answer for you.

A round earns 3 stars for 5 or 6 answers right on the first try, 2 stars for 3 or 4, and 1 star for finishing. In Match it, 0 or 1 mix-ups earn 3 stars. Your best stars for every mode, level and clock type are saved in your browser and shown on the home screen, out of 120 in all.

Tips

• Hour hand first. Find the short hand and say the number it has just passed. That is the hour.
• Count by fives. Each number on the clock is 5 more minutes for the long hand: 1 is 5, 2 is 10, 4 is 20.
• Split elapsed time. Jump whole hours first, then count the extra minutes.

FAQ

Is Telling Time free?

Yes. It is completely free, with no account and no install.

What ages is it for?

Children starting with o’clock and half past, up to older kids practicing minutes, 24-hour time and elapsed time.

Can I use it on a phone or tablet?

Yes. The buttons are big, and you can drag the clock hands with your finger without the page scrolling. On a keyboard, use the number keys, Enter, and the arrow keys to move the hands.

Is my progress saved?

Yes, in your browser on this device.

Looking for more quick learning games? Practice sums against the clock in Math Sprint, or train your memory with Memory Match.