Telling the time starts with the clock face: the short hand shows the hour and the long hand shows the minutes. Year 1 explorers read o’clock and half past, count on in hours and learn the days of the week in order.
What your child will learn
- Tell the time to the hour and half past the hour
- Know that the short hand shows the hour and the long hand shows the minutes
- Say what time it will be one hour later
- Name the days of the week in order
Two hands, two jobs
At o’clock the long minute hand points straight up to 12. At half past it points straight down to 6, halfway round the clock. The short hour hand tells you which hour it is — at half past it sits halfway between two numbers, which is why children often read half past 3 as “half past 4”.
Days in order
Knowing the days of the week in order — and that Sunday is followed by Monday again — helps children talk about yesterday, today and tomorrow and plan the week ahead.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. What time does the clock show?
🕕- half past 6
- 6 o’clock
- 5 o’clock
- 7 o’clock
Show answer
Answer: 6 o’clock. The long minute hand points straight up to 12 and the short hour hand points to 6, so it is 6 o’clock.
2. What time does the clock show?
🕙- 9 o’clock
- half past 10
- 11 o’clock
- 10 o’clock
Show answer
Answer: 10 o’clock. The long minute hand points straight up to 12 and the short hour hand points to 10, so it is 10 o’clock.
3. What time does the clock show?
🕐- 2 o’clock
- 12 o’clock
- half past 1
- 1 o’clock
Show answer
Answer: 1 o’clock. The long minute hand points straight up to 12 and the short hour hand points to 1, so it is 1 o’clock.
Tips for grown-ups
- Point out o’clock and half past times on a real clock during the day: “It’s 12 o’clock — lunchtime!”
- Sing the days of the week and ask “What day is it tomorrow?” each morning.
- Make a paper plate clock and move the hands together.