Telling Time
This topic covers 3 learning steps, guiding your child from the basics through to confident problem-solving. Each step includes a worked example and adaptive practice questions.
What Your Child Will Learn
- O'clock
Read times at o'clock - Half Past
Read times at half past - Quarter Past/To
Read quarter past and quarter to
Common Mistakes
- Reading the minute hand as the number it points to rather than the number of minutes (e.g. saying "3 minutes" when the hand points to 3, instead of 15 minutes)
Each number on the clock represents 5 minutes. The hand pointing to 3 means 15 minutes (3 × 5 = 15). Practise counting in 5s around the clock: 5, 10, 15, 20... - Confusing "quarter past" with "quarter to" (e.g. reading 7:15 as "quarter to 7")
"Quarter past" is 15 minutes AFTER the hour (minute hand on 3). "Quarter to" is 15 minutes BEFORE the next hour (minute hand on 9). Use a clock with movable hands to practise both.
Tips for Parents
- Use an analogue clock alongside a digital one so your child can see both representations at the same time.
- Ask the time throughout the day: "What time is it now? How long until lunch?" Build awareness of time passing.
- Practise intervals: "It is 2:30 now. Your programme starts at 3:00. How many minutes do you have to wait?"
- Make a visual timetable for the weekend — write the time next to each activity so your child connects times to events.
Key Words
- Quarter past — 15 minutes after the hour — the minute hand points to 3.
- Quarter to — 15 minutes before the next hour — the minute hand points to 9.
- Half past — 30 minutes after the hour — the minute hand points to 6.
- Duration — How long something lasts — a film that starts at 2:00 and ends at 3:30 has a duration of 1 hour 30 minutes.
- a.m. / p.m. — a.m. is morning (midnight to noon), p.m. is afternoon and evening (noon to midnight).
Where This Fits
Before this topic: Children should tell time to the hour and half hour, and understand the roles of the hour and minute hands.
After this topic: Reading time to 5 minutes leads to telling time to the nearest minute, converting between units of time, and solving duration problems.
How MathCraft Teaches This
In MathCraft, Telling Time is taught through the Algebra & Arithmetic adventure track. Your child follows guided lessons with friendly characters, works through examples step by step, then practises with questions that adapt to their level.
The adaptive engine tracks mastery across all 3 steps, revisiting concepts your child finds tricky and advancing when they're ready. Parents can see detailed progress in the Parent Dashboard.
Practise Telling Time with MathCraft
Step-by-step lessons, worked examples, and adaptive practice — all wrapped in an adventure game your child will love.
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