Telling time is an essential skill that students will use for the rest of their lives, but it can be a little tricky at first. That’s why I like to make sure that my lessons on this topic are super engaging and fun so that they are excited to learn this important skill.
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Here are some of my absolute favorite telling time activities!
1. Telling Time PowerPoint
I love this activity! I have used this PowerPoint year after year to teach telling time to my students. We start the lesson by measuring a minute. Students select an activity and do it as many times as possible for one minute. It’s such an easy way to bring physical activity to your classroom.
Then, students learn about the units of time, including century, decades, years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds, and so forth.
2. Time Smash!
My friend Andrea Rodriguez from Learning and Loving It! created this game, and it is so much FUN! Teacher/student will call out a time from the time cards, and the kids will quickly find the matching time and SMASH it with their chosen tool!
Now you can increase fluency reading digital and analog clocks!
This game is fun because you can SMASH with wands, play dough, dry erase markers, or a bingo dabber! You can also use the included cards to cover up the spots on the game mat as well!
3. Telling Time BUMP!
This is another fun game created by my friend Farrah Henley. You can do it in person or virtually! Students work in partners on this game.
To prepare for the hands-on activity, you need to print and laminate the game boards. Then, add 2 six-sided dice and 2 sets of different colored “playing pieces” for the scholars. Linking cubes in two different colors or 2 sided colored counters work great!
Next, students roll the dice and add the numbers together. Then, they add the dice together and determine what word they are playing on the corresponding chart found on the game board.
Finally, students find the answer to the question in the spaces around the board and place their playing pieces in the space.
If a student rolls a number already played by their opponent, they can solve the problem and BUMP their opponent off the space.
4. Telling Time Monster Math
These digital math games are so much fun. I actually had parents telling me how much their children enjoyed this activity! If that doesn’t speak highly, I’m not sure what does!
To play these self-checking math games, you simply click “Present” and you’re good to go. It’s literally that easy!
Students read the problem and select the time. If a child answers correctly, then the child will go to a slide that feeds the monster. It’s so cute because there are chomping sounds and animations. If the child answers incorrectly, then they have to go back and try again.
I’ve included recording sheets so you can check your students’ work if necessary.
I have these available for:
If you love math games, try out my free digital math game here!
5. Simply STEAM Math Game
One more thing we add to all our math centers is our Simply STEAM math games. These games are awesome because they’re self-checking, and you don’t need dice! All 40 cards have a value, so when students answer, they move or collect the card’s value.
I have these games for:
There are many different ways you can play using these cards. Click here to learn more!
I love using these games and activities because I can really tell that my students are having fun while learning. What are your favorite ways to teaching students to tell time? Let me know in the comments!
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