- Age:4+
- Time:30 min
- Difficulty:Easy
- Mess level:Low
- Supervision:Yes
Mommy, when will the cartoon start? When do we go to the granny? Mommy, when will lunch be ready?
I bet you hear these and similar questions many times a day. It can be hard to answer them without using time. Your answer: “Honey, the cartoon will be on in half an hour” and you can see a blank expression in your child’s eyes. Sadly, half an hour is meaningless to someone who doesn’t understand the concept of time. And sure enough, after five minutes, question repeats and you decide it’s finally time to teach your child how to tell time!
A brief history of telling time
We don’t know exactly when, but some time ago, our ancestors faced similar problems. They needed to organize their daily lives and for that they needed a concept of telling time. As with many other discoveries, we can trace the origin of the first time-telling devices to Egypt, around 3500 B.C. They invented the system of dividing the day into some number of equal parts - they decided on 12.
But beside the system, there is one more ingredient needed to tell time: way to measure the passage of the time. And even back then, there was a simple and effective (although not very precise) way to do that - position of the Sun on the sky. Those first “clocks” were sundials. They had two parts; metal plate with inscribed marks that represent hours and the attached rod which is responsible for casting a shadow on the plate. There were also obelisks - huge stones which worked in a similar way. Those were the first “public” clocks.
Sundials were one of the first Clocks ever used
But other ancient civilizations also developed their solutions - water clock, candle clock and hourglass to name the few. The first mechanical clocks were invented in Europe in the early 14th century. The big improvement in precision came with the pendulum clock in the 17th century.
All modern clocks use the similar mechanics - there is a harmonic oscillator which is a physical object (pendulum, quartz crystal or even electrons in the atom). It vibrates at a particular frequency and that’s how the time is measured.
Making your own clock
Knowing to tell time is an important skill for making your child more self-sufficient. The average age at which children develop it is 6 years or when they start school. But many children learn to tell time even before that, around the age of 4. If your child knows how to count to 20 (or 12) there are no obstacles in learning.
Try making the learning to tell the time as fun as possible
As you are well aware, there are two types of clocks: analog and digital. Digital is much simpler to learn, especially as the child gets better with numbers. Analog is a bit more abstract and 2 hands can be troublesome to understand, but it’s also very visual. That gives us an opportunity to approach learning in a more creative way.
So why then not make your own cardboard clock and help your child with learning?
Materials needed to make a Cardboard Clock:
- Cardboard (any old box or some other thick paper)
- Compass (drawing tool, but you can use any round bowl or lid)
- Scissors
- Pencil, colored pencils or markers
- Pin
- Bonus
- Polystyrene
- Glue
Compass is your best friend in drawing circles
Instructions to make a Cardboard Clock:
- Draw the clock face. On the bigger piece of cardboard, draw a circle using the compass or any round object like a bowl or lid.
- Cut out the circle with scissors.
- Make the two hands. Cut a big hand (minutes) and a small hand (hours) from the cardboard, ideally using 2 different colored pieces so they're easy to tell apart.
- Write the numbers 1 to 12 in their positions around the edge, just like on a real analog clock.
- Add symbols (bonus). Draw a little symbol next to the numbers - at least the main ones (3, 6, 9 and 12), for example a heart by 3, a cloud by 6, a sun by 9, a house by 12. This helps your child visually connect the numbers with the positions.
- Attach the hands. Pin both hands to the center of the clock so they can spin freely. If the cardboard is thin, glue a small piece of polystyrene to the back so the sharp tip of the pin is covered.
- Decorate it however you like - and you're ready for playing… I mean, learning!
👨👧 Adult supervision needed
Steps 1–2 and 6 use scissors and a sharp pin, so an adult should do the cutting and pinning for younger children. To make the finished clock safer for little hands, replace the pin with a split-pin (paper fastener/brad), or press the sharp point into a bit of cork or an eraser on the back.
How to read the clock
Once your clock is built, it becomes the perfect tool for the real goal - learning to tell the time. Take it slow and let your child move the hands themselves.
- The short hand shows the hour. Whatever number it points to (or has just passed) is the current hour.
- The long hand shows the minutes. When it points straight up to the 12, it's exactly "o'clock."
- Count the minutes in fives. Each number the long hand passes is another 5 minutes: 1 → 5 minutes, 2 → 10 minutes, 3 → 15 minutes, and so on all the way around.
- Learn the landmarks first. The 12 is "o'clock," the 6 is "half past," the 3 is "quarter past," and the 9 is "quarter to." These four positions cover most of everyday time-telling.
✨ Pro tip
Practice with times that matter to your child - the start of their favorite cartoon, lunchtime, or bedtime. Move the hands together and say the time out loud ("It's half past six, almost dinner!"). Connecting the clock to real moments in the day makes it click far faster than drilling random times.
Now try it yourself with the interactive clock below. Drag the hour and minute hands to set a time and watch it read the time back to you - or switch on practice mode to hide the answer, set a random time, and see if you can read it first.
The clock reads
3:15 AM
quarter past 3
Grab a hand and drag it or use the buttons below.
What will you develop and learn?
- Tell the time, duh!
- Learning numbers and develop math reasoning
- Fine motor skills
- Engineering skills, planning and building a project
- Creativity
- Patience
- Self-sufficiency and confidence
Key takeaways
- Making your own clock turns an abstract lesson into a hands-on, playful activity.
- The short hand shows the hour, the long hand shows the minutes.
- Use two colors for the hands and add symbols next to 3, 6, 9 and 12 to make reading easier.
- Start with the landmarks: o'clock, half past, quarter past, quarter to.
- Most children can read an analog clock around ages 6–7, but many manage it as early as 4 with practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can a child learn to tell time?
Most children can read an analog clock confidently around ages 6–7, which is when it's usually taught at school. But many children start earlier - around age 4, especially once they can count to 12 (and later to 60 in fives). Every child is different, so follow their pace.
How do you teach a child to read an analog clock?
Start with the two hands: the short one points to the hour, the long one to the minutes. Teach the "landmark" times first - o'clock, half past, quarter past, and quarter to and then practice counting the minutes in fives. A hands-on clock your child can turn themselves, like the cardboard one in this article, makes it much easier.
Should children learn analog or digital clocks first?
Digital clocks are easier to read, but analog clocks teach children how time actually flows: how minutes build into an hour and how much time is "left." Most teachers introduce analog reading first for exactly this reason. A homemade analog clock is a gentle, visual way to start.
What is the easiest way to teach telling time?
Connect it to your child's daily routine. Practice with the times that matter to them - cartoon time, lunch, bedtime and say the time out loud as you move the hands together. Real, meaningful moments stick far better than drilling random times.
What materials do I need to make a cardboard clock?
Just cardboard (any old box works), a compass or a round object to trace, scissors, a pencil or markers, and a pin or paper fastener for the hands. Optionally, a bit of polystyrene and glue to cover the back of the pin.
If you're interested in more cardboard crafts and activities, be sure to check Let's make Toilet Roll craft project: Cardboard Castle and How to make projector using a smartphone and magnifying glass.
