O'Clock Game

What children learn: telling the time to the hour

O'clock is the first step in telling the time. The long minute hand points straight up at 12, and the short hour hand points at the hour: 3 o'clock, 7 o'clock, 12 o'clock.

The big idea for children is that the two hands do different jobs. Most early mistakes come from mixing them up, so the game keeps asking children to set the clock themselves, not just pick an answer.

Common mistakes

Watch for children reading the long hand as the hour (saying 12 o'clock when the short hand is on 3), and for hour hands that are not quite on the number. The game's set-the-clock rounds make children place both hands, so these mix-ups show up quickly.

Tip for parents

Point out o'clock times in your day: "It's 7 o'clock, time for bath." Ask your child to show you where the hands are on a real clock. If they read the long hand as the hour, ask "Which hand is shorter?" before they answer.

Tip for teachers

Turn on classroom mode for bigger clocks on the whiteboard. Children who swap the hands will see a hint about which hand is which, and the game brings back a similar question two rounds later.

A five-minute class activity

Stand up, be a clock: children stretch one arm up for the minute hand at 12 and point the other arm at the hour you call out. Swap callers after a few goes.