How to Make Your Child Learn to Read the Time?

Every child has its own way of learning but the fun route fascinates them the most because it makes their learning easier and quicker. Our child is no exception to it. You must have noticed that whenever you have tightened the noose of learning, your child must have found a way out and the moment you introduced a fun element, his/her attraction towards learning must have increased many folds.

This goes to suggest that fun is the trump card of every parent to garner maximum attention of their child towards learning. But there is a specific time for your child to be knowledge friendly. Be it schooling or learning anything worth. Making them read and tell time is one of them and a tricky task altogether. But how? Not confusing you any further, let’s move ahead with my step by step tick tack toe recipe.

Getting The Basics Right- Knowing The Numbers

Your child should know counting till 60 to acclimatize him/her with time telling. Knowing the 60 count must have got your head scratching. Let me clear the air. It is necessary because 60 is the need of the hour, need of every minute.

The tender age of 12 months can be the ideal beginning time to introduce him/her with the number world. Create small groups of any available handy item around you. It can be that of buttons, pen, ball, etc. then make them know the count.

Immediately pop up a question about the same to test his/her memory. If the answer is right, reward them with a thing of their like. Your child will enjoy the way of learning and will quickly grasp the count.

You can make it more entertaining for them by bringing into practice songs and rhymes related to counting into your teaching pattern. When your child is 2 years old, teach him/her to write numbers from 1-60, then help them to recite.

The child will learn to count the repetition way. It is not necessary your child is really able to repeat the right count, there may be times they may skip a number or two. You need not worry as long as the child is able to say the right names.

Tips and Hacks To Teach Time To Your Child

Taking your child along for household shopping can be an advantage for you, point out double-digit numbers and have your child repeat the number to you.

1. Bring into practice, counting in multiples of 5: Each number on the clock is a multiple of 5, hence it becomes important to familiarize your child with it. Help your child write down numbers in multiples of 5 up to the 60 count because the clock says so. As the writing is in progress, help them in reciting the numbers. Tell them that each number will end in 5 or a 0. Add a music element to this special count your child will love reciting the numbers by singing along. Dance will be an added fun. Doing this on a regular basis will make the job easy for you and your child.
2. Familiarizing your child with different time spans: Morning, noon, evening, and night are the ones your child should be familiar with. You as his/her true mentor can teach them these time spans with related activities that take place during this period. Teach them with the following examples:In the morning-we brush our teeth and have breakfast. At noon time we have lunch, at night dinner and then go to sleep. Then you can quiz them about these happenings which will help your child get closer to time reading.
3. Familiarizing your child with a clock: The first and foremost tip when talking about reading time on the clock should be the ability of your child to identify the numbers written on it. You are very well aware that a clock has 12 digits on it which are repeated twice a day while telling the time.
   1. Make your child familiar with it and have them repeat the count 1 to 12
   2. Show your child the placement of numbers on the clock and what each signifies
   3. Make him/her known about the number of hours in a day
   4. Once this basic is made clear, time-based instructions will become easier

How To Make A Clock At Home?

Every child loves creative surprises. Involve him/her by saying, together we’ll make our own time piece. The clock can be cut of any material the easiest will be craft paper or your usual paper plate. It should be an analog clock. Place 2 round sheets on a flat surface, say your dining table.

1. Folding of paper plates into two: Ask your child to hold his/her paper plate and you fold it for them. Then turn the plate 360 degrees and fold it the same way, again. The centre of the plate should represent a cross
2. Placing of numbers on the clock: Ask your child to write numbers one to twelve on a piece of paper. Then cut each one neatly. Apply glue on the back of each number and ask your child to place them at the spot shown by you. You can show your child an analog clock for reference
3. Connecting the numbers: Ask your child to draw lines from the centre of the clock being prepared, connecting each of them with the numbers placed. To make it colourful, different colours can be used
4. Making of the hands of the clock: Here you’ll need a hard board or a poster board for the purpose, First sketch two clock hands—a long one for the minute hand and a short one for the hour. If possible, help your child to cut out the clock hands with scissors
5. Attaching the hands: First ask your child to place the minute hand (longer one) at the centre of the clock then ask him/her to put the hour hand (shorter one) above it. Help them pierce a paper fastener through the ends of the placed clock hands which passes through the middle of the clock as well. Make it sure to bend the fastener ends to secure the clock hands. Finally the clock is ready. Praise the effort of your child to get him more close to time reading
6. Inside of the clock: Ask your child to point out the difference between the two hands of the clock. Know from him/her which one is longer and which is shorter. Having known the difference begin with the explanation of the hands
7. Take the hour hand: Turn the hour hand at each number, but make sure that the minute hand is at 12 o’clock. Tell your child that every time the hour hand is at a certain number and the minute hand points at 12 o’clock, it is ___ o’clock. Then make your child tell the same

How Can I Make The Minutes Known To My Child?

Here are some easy steps to teach your child the minute hand

1. Explain why each number has two meanings: Explaining the fact that number 1 also means 5 minutes, number 2 also means 10 minutes… can confuse your child. To help your child understand this concept, help him/her write the representing number besides each digit. For example 1=5, 2=10, and so on
2. Role of the minute hand: Tell your child that the double meaning of the number comes into force when the minute hand points at them. Keep the hour hand stationary and turn the minute hand at each number and tell the associated minutes. Then ask your child to recite the same. For example, place the minutes hand at 1 and tell it is 5 minutes and so on
3. Reading of the hour and minute hands, together: After familiarizing your child with the minute and hour hands, move ahead by making them known the art of reading them together. Start with simple times like 12:30, 1:15, 2:45, and so on. Point the hour hand at a number, then point the minute’s hand at a number to make this possible. Tell your child about the time and ask him/her to repeat the same
4. Adding marks between numbers: Once your child has known about the 5 minutes’ break, ask him/her to put 4 small straight lines in between two numbers. Ask them to begin from 12 -1, counting each line aloud, till the very end ie:between 11-12. Then turn the minutes hand at a non-five minute and the hour hand at an hour. Read the time for your child and ask it to repeat the same. For example, point the minute hand can be at the 3rd line and the hour hand at 4. Tell him/her that the time is 4:03. Go on with this procedure, unless your child is able to understand how to read the lines in between the two numbers on the clock
5. Testing your child: Make a list some activities along with the times at which they occur and show it to your child. Ask your child to turn the hands of the clock as per the time of the activities. In the beginning they will need your help. As they get familiar with it, ask them to perform the task on their own. Rewarding him/her for the right work will boost their confidence. After all the hard work with the making of a clock by your child, switch over to the analog clock. Repeat the above activities with this clock to test your child’s progress in telling time

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