It’s been over 30 years since we first developed our EasyRead time teaching system, and since then we have delivered our learning clocks and resources to schools and households all over the world.
Our unique range is used every day by parents, teachers and children in over 20 countries, and we love hearing all of your feedback! We want to say a big thank you to all of our customers who have taken the time to leave a review, so let’s take a look at what you all love most about our clocks!
Our learning clocks for the home
In just three easy steps, anyone can learn how to tell the time. Every clock in our range includes all the information that children need in order to learn to tell the time (including every hour of the day and every minute of the hour) thanks to our EasyRead design that makes learning easy and accessible.
All you need to do to know you’ve made the right decision in choosing an EasyRead learning clock for your little one is to take a look at our reviews!
“I bought a wall clock for our granddaughter and we are very pleased with the product. At 13 months old she seemed to prefer the leaflet which came with it and then we realised that she was pointing to the pictures of the ERTT wristwatches and then to my watch.
Learning starts at any age and I guess we’ll be buying the watch in a few years!”
– Helen Wray
“My 5 year old can now (mostly) read an analogue clock!
This has been a fantastic tool in helping my daughter tell time. It took only a few minutes to teach her how to read it and now she can easily tell me what time it is while reading this clock..”
– TC
“Helpful in the morning for the kids to know the time before school and then develop from their o’clocks. Colour coding helps and my 6 and 8 year old both are building their skill as they tended to just ‘ask Alexa’ beforehand.”
– NR
“Such a great clock. I purchased it for my daughter who is learning to tell the time. The past/to concept has made the learning process so easy!
I will be purchasing for my other kids when they reach an appropriate age too.”
– Sarah
“Brilliant! Took 2 minutes to explain to my son. This is what we needed years ago.”
– AC
Classroom learning clocks
For schools and nurseries, we offer classroom and playground clocks that are designed to support the learning of children from the age of 5. Just like our clocks for the home, each one is available with the 12/24 Hour or Past & To method, and is designed to support the learning of an entire classroom, but don’t just take our word for it!
Check out what teachers just like you love about our classroom clocks!
“The children found it so helpful to learn about which half of the clock shows past and quarter, including all the different intervals, because it is colour-coded! I will definitely be putting this up in my classroom!”
– Miss Rashid
“Telling the time is obviously such a key foundational maths skill, but also one that is really tricky. But thanks to Easy Read Time Teachers’ range of products it has become so much easier.”
– Miss Knight
“Easy Read Time Teacher has this amazing wall clock which I just absolutely love: it splits up the concept of time really simply and it’s a great visual for children to use.”
– Miss Vanbeck
“This is the best clock I have found for teaching the time, there is nothing comparable. It allows learners to begin with all the information required then gradually remove bits until they are using a standard clock.”
– Sam
Thank you!
All of our reviews are independently verified by Review Biz, so thank you all for letting us know what you love about our learning clocks.
Want to see what all the fuss is about? Click here to view all our EasyRead clocks and find the right one for your little one (or even for yourself!).
Has your little one finally learnt how to read the time on their time teacher watch? Now comes the really tricky part of getting them to look after their very own EasyRead watch!
Our time teacher watches are suitable for children ages 4+, which also means they’re suitable for all of their daily activities. With a stainless steel back, non-allergenic plating, and a washable nylon strap, our EasyRead watches are ready for anything your little ones have planned, but there are some steps that you can take to keep them in their best condition and make sure they last as long as needed.
Choose our waterproof watches
Our EasyRead watches are water resistant and can withstand splashing, but not total immersion (unless you opt for our waterproof watches). This means that your little ones don’t need to take them off when washing their hands or walking to school in the rain, but continued exposure to water will damage even the most robust EasyRead system, so make sure that they always take it off before showering or bathing.
We all like to think that we can trust our little ones to be responsible for their watches, but if your child is active and outdoorsy and you’re worried that they’ll use their watch around water, why not treat them to one of our waterproof versions? These watches are waterproof up to 50m and their stainless steel case and scratch-resistant glass means they can be used anywhere, anytime, without becoming too damaged, and also means that it doesn’t matter if your little one forgets to take it off before entering water.
Check the strap
Our watch straps come in a wide range of colours and designs to suit all different tastes, so you can easily customise your little ones’ watch if their favourite colour changes over time, or if the original strap becomes worn.
Our breathable nylon straps with stainless steel buckles are tough and washable, but they can become worn down through continued rough play or water damage. So, keep ahead of this by checking the strap every week or so, particularly after outdoor activities, or stock up on one or two extra straps to keep at home in case the strap breaks.
Take it off when necessary
Our watches are built to last, but like all accessories, it is a good idea to ask your child to take off their time teacher watch before doing any rough or physical activities.
This includes playing sports like rugby or football in school or helping with manual chores around the house and garden. Of course, this is within reason – we can’t expect them to remember this every time they want to swing on the monkey bars or play tag – but they should take it off before engaging in any activities that are likely to damage the plating or scratch the watch face.
A great way to get your little one to understand this is to compare their watch to a pair of glasses; either their own pair or one that belongs to a family member. Explain that if an activity would require them to take off their glasses, then they should also take off their watch to keep it safe.
Store it safely
Our watches can be used any time of the day or night, but when they’re not in use it’s a good idea to store them in a way that prevents them from accidentally becoming damaged.
As a starting point, watches should never be stored face-down as this is almost guaranteed to result in a scratched surface, so encourage your little one to get into the habit of storing their watch with the face facing upwards. If you’re worried that they’ll probably forget to do this, or you’re trying to encourage them to take good care of their belongings, then invest in a protective case to keep the watch safe when not in use. This can then be stored by their bedside or packed into their school bag to make sure that their time teacher watch is protected whilst they’re out and about and always on hand when they need it.
Remember it’s a tool
A time teacher watch is a fun but educational resource, and it is often the first such tool that a young child will use. So, whilst it is fun to play with throughout the day, make sure you remind your little one that it is much more of an educational tool than a toy and they need to use it properly.
Encourage them to be careful with it, just as they would be careful with school property, and remind them that they shouldn’t let other children try on their watch if they can’t trust them to be careful with it. Having their very own watch also signals to young learners that they are growing up and are trusted to keep their belongings safe, so remind them that if they can look after their watch then everyone will know that they are growing up to be reliable and responsible, and praise them for taking good care of their watch.
Our EasyRead time teacher watches
Do our durable, reliable EasyRead watches sound like a good investment in your little ones’ learning? Check out our full range here, and don’t forget to practice our EasyRead method with them – available for all our Past/To Watches and our 12/24 Hour Watches.
In the UK, children learn how to tell the time in school from the age of 5, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give them a helping hand before then! In fact, many children start asking questions about the passage of time and how we understand it from a very young age, and their understanding develops throughout early childhood as they explore the world around them. So, help your little one to develop a proactive understanding of the concept of time and support their ongoing learning with these helpful tips.
Apply it to their lives
At this young age, the concept of time is very abstract for most children as it involves thinking about events that haven’t happened yet, or may not happen, as well as events that occurred before they were born. In a general sense, children may remember past events and understand important events that are yet to happen, but their memory capabilities are still developing and they will struggle to conceptualise how much time has passed or how much time is left of any particular period of time.
So, the first step in introducing this complex concept to young children is to make it tangible and apply it to their everyday experiences. One of the best ways to do this is by adhering to their natural sleep-wake cycle (or circadian rhythm) which allows the implementation of a steady sleep schedule. Whilst your little ones will know that they are tired, they might not register that this happens at a particular time every day, so make this more obvious for them by using clear signals to show that it is night time. Dim the lights, quiet household noises, and avoid any exciting activities in the hour before bedtime, and show that this isn’t just happening for them by pointing out that everyone else is also winding down for the night and getting ready to end the day.
Explore the seasons
Once your little one has an awareness of the days passing, it’s time to encourage them to see the passage of time on a larger scale by helping them to observe it in the world around them. Just as they fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning, so do the green leaves of summer become orange in the autumn and fall in the winter before returning next spring in a consistent cycle.
This reframes the passing of time from being all about minutes and hours to months and years, although this can be quite hard for children to grasp unless they observe it for themselves. So, rather than using a calendar to explain these larger units of time, take your little one out for regular walks to observe the seasonal changes together. Point out the cold air and snow in winter and the warmth of summer to tie their understanding in with sensory signals and make the learning process a fun, engaging activity that you share together.
Follow a routine
Now that they have a general understanding of the concept of time, both in their own lives and in the world around them, it’s time to start teaching them to track it for themselves.
Explain to them that rather than just being divided into night and day, each day is further broken up into morning, afternoon, and evening, as well as hours, minutes and seconds within this. Sit down with them and draw up a chart of their daily activities in the order that they occur, starting with waking up and brushing their teeth and ending with saying goodnight to everyone and reading a story together before bed. Write the time of each activity next to it and as they grow, they’ll be able to point to these times on a clock and tell you how much time is left before a parent returns from work, before you all have dinner, and before they go to bed.
After your child has familiarised themself with this passage of time laid down on paper, you can then extend the activity to include their weekly routine to show that some activities happen on a weekly, or even monthly basis, rather than just daily. Tick the days off a calendar for a month before turning it over and showing that the natural cycle of time is ongoing, and that being able to track the passing time is a key skill for any developing mind to learn.
Consistency is key
When introducing young children to the concept of time, consistency is essential. Whatever time-teaching activities you choose, make sure that you make them a regular part of your child’s routine to help them fully grasp the concept and encourage daily practice. You can ask them how long an activity should take for example, such as brushing their teeth (2 minutes) or getting dressed in the morning (10 minutes), as these activities should take the same amount of time each day. It might take a while for them to build up their confidence when giving an answer, but with enough practice and repetition they will know exactly how long 10 minutes should feel when performing a task.
Similarly, that consistency needs to come from you, so be aware of how you yourself talk about time. For example, don’t just say that you’ll be there to help them with a particular task in ‘just a moment!’ if you are likely to be much longer, as this can be confusing for little ones who are still learning about the different measurements of time.
Explore our EasyRead range
Finally, once the time comes for your child to learn how to tell the time on a clock, our range will have everything you need to give them plenty of practice at home and out and about.
- Our EasyRead wall clocks: Add one of our educational clocks to your child’s bedroom or playroom wall and ask them plenty of times a day to read the time using either the 12/24 Hour or the Past & To method.
- Our EasyRead alarm clocks: Our alarm clocks display the time with silent sweeping movements so there’s no annoying ticking keeping your little one awake – just an LED nightlight and a glowing clock face in the morning to make it easy for them to read the time whenever they need to.
- Our EasyRead watches: Give your little one the tools to tell the time for themselves and practice their new skills no matter where they are with our EasyRead watches.
If you need any more information on how to use our EasyRead products or about our time-teaching method, find out everything you need to know here.
Since 1992, we have been supporting learners across the world to learn how to tell the time in their own language. To make sure that every learner has the resources they need, no matter what language they are learning in, we offer our EasyRead clocks in a range of languages, including our popular Welsh classroom clocks.
Since their launch in 2019, our Welsh language clocks have become a staple of our range and a key fixture in classrooms across the country, so do you have one on your classroom wall yet?
If not, don’t worry – we are excited to announce that our newest Special Offer is available now to help you save up to 20%!
Our Welsh classroom clocks
Before we explain how you can unlock this special discount, let’s explore what our Welsh classroom clocks offer your pupils.
As you likely already know, there is a need for Welsh time teaching resources that will fit in with the Welsh curriculum and encourage pupils to develop their spoken language abilities. Whether you have a few pupils that are struggling with their Welsh pronunciation or your school is completely Welsh-speaking, our classroom clocks are a budget-friendly way to develop your pupils’ understanding of time, numeracy, and the Welsh language.
Our clocks contain all the information that pupils need to tell the time, including the colour-coded “munud i” (“minutes to”) and “munud wedi” (“minutes past”) sections. Once pupils are familiar with the different design elements on a clock, our 3-step system can then be used to read the clock in Welsh:
- Read the number at the end of the long hand (the minute hand).
- Say which side it’s pointing to: either the “munud i” side or “minutes past” side.
- Read the number at the end of the short hand (the hour hand).
As we all know, consistent practice is the key to long-term understanding, and our latest special offer means that your school could soon be equipped with 10 Welsh clocks for £280 (reduced from £350). So, let’s find out how you can save big on our Welsh school clocks.
Our Special Offer
From now until the 21st February, we’re giving all our customers the opportunity to get 10% off a single clock or 20% off a set of 10 clocks.
These prices include VAT and shipping, and all you have to do to claim this offer is to order before 5pm on Friday 21st February.
- For multiple clocks, please email us at [email protected] or call us on 01684 566832 to make your purchase.
Clocks for teaching time in Welsh
Don’t forget that this offer is only available on orders placed before 5pm on Friday 21st February, so click here to find out more about our Welsh classroom clocks or get in touch with us today to place your order.
If you’re trying to cut down on clutter this Christmas and give a few special gifts that will last, an EasyRead children’s watch should be at the top of your shopping list. This educational, stylish and long-lasting gift ticks all your boxes so don’t let it get overlooked as just another stocking filler!
Take a look at what makes our watches the best choice for your little one and think outside the box this year with our Christmas gifting guide.
A children’s watch for Christmas
Unlike expensive toys that might get played with a few times and then left to collect dust in the toy cabinet, our children’s watches are designed to keep children engaged and to support their learning across the new year.
Every element on our watches has been designed to appeal to young children, from the clear educational layout to the customisable colour of the clock face. Each watch also comes with the option to choose the 12/24 Hour or Past & To method and our specially designed watches include all the information a young child needs to practice telling the time on their own.
We recommend our watches for all children aged 4+, so all that’s left to do is choose a strap in their favourite colour and wrap it up. Rather than bundling it in with several other gifts or hiding it away as a stocking filler, let’s take a look at how you can make a new kids watch the most exciting gift they receive this year!
1. Switch up the packaging
Keep your little one guessing by changing the packaging of their new children’s watch. This can be as simple as putting the watch in a completely different box, or you can get creative and change the shape of the package with lots of different decorations.
One of our favourites is creating a cracker out of a cardboard tube and it’s much easier to do than you might think! Simply pop the package inside a tube or rectangular box and wrap it up in a large sheet of Christmas wrapping paper. Then all you need to do is tie the ends with ribbon and store this fun, unique gift underneath the tree until the special day arrives.
2. Layers of excitement
We all love gifts that offer more than meets the eye, so give your recipient an exciting surprise by including the watch with another gift. There are lots of ways to do this so don’t be afraid to get creative, but if you’re looking for a tried-and-tested idea we’ve found that adding the watch to the arm of a cuddly toy always gets a great reaction.
All you have to do is take the watch out of its packaging, add it to the toy and watch their reaction as they realise it’s a two in one gift. It’s always a nice touch to add a bow to the cuddly toy so why not tie a ribbon around its neck or add it to the other wrist – or, if you’re looking to go all-out, you could wrap the entire toy up and add the ribbon on top.
3. Add a strap
Our watches come with one strap in the colour of your choice, but we also stock a range of additional straps for you to choose from. So, if your little one has more than one favourite colour, why not gift them a few extra straps to mix and match in the new year?
Our range contains all the colours you could want, from black and blue to pink and yellow, and even includes Blue Camo, Green Camo, and Pink Camo options for something a little different! They offer the perfect opportunity to personalise this new accessory every day, so now all that’s left to do is arrange the straps in a circle around the watch and package them up in a large box ready for Christmas morning.
4. Tick, tick, tick!
Our EasyRead watches come with the batteries already installed, which offers lots of opportunities to have fun with the ticking sounds when wrapping your gifts!
Why not add a playful twist to the fun of unwrapping a toy by hiding the watch inside it and asking them ‘what’s that sound?’. This can be as obvious or as tricky as you like, and you could even hide the watch inside a pre-built Lego set or a zip-up cuddly toy to make it a real challenge.
So, have a play around with potential hiding places and watch their curiosity and excitement grow as they investigate the sound.
5. Create a treasure box
Our watches are the perfect gift to combine with a few other surprises from our range and create an educational Christmas bundle. With quick delivery across our range you can choose all the extra bits you need for a complete gift set, including our:
Or any other gifts that take your fancy. Once you have everything you need, all that is left to do is put them in a large box and cover it in wrapping paper for a big present that makes them wonder what’s inside!
Gifting an EasyRead children’s watch this Christmas
With a wide range of colours, designs, and clock faces, our watches are as customisable as you need them to be, so browse our collection today to give an educational gift that will last.
The chilly winter evenings and dark weekends mean less opportunities for outside play but the perfect reason to spend time together inside as a family! So, if you’re keen to make the most of this extra time, why not take this opportunity to make learning how to tell the time fun for your little ones?
From our free downloadable resources to our Countdown to Christmas games, we’ve put together a guide on how to make learning fun this winter, so, gather the rest of the family and take a look!
How to tell the time
Did you know that most clocks and watches only display about 20% of the information that we need to read the time? This means that 80% of the information is missing, making it hard for young children to understand what number each hand is pointing to. On top of this, children often struggle to decide which hand is which, as most clocks have hour and minute hands that are the same length.
In 1992, we decided that children were not receiving the support that they needed to read a clock as there was nothing on the market that specifically addressed these difficulties. This is why we started EasyRead Time Teacher, and also why we developed our simple time-teaching method that explains how to tell the time in 2, or 3, easy steps.
Our method is designed for children of all ages, and works on both 12/24 hour clocks and Past & To clocks, depending on which model your children prefer. So, explore our full method by clicking here, and then read on to discover how you can make this learning process fun and engaging with our favourite time-teaching activities.
How to make it fun!
Now we move on to the exciting part! Our simple process can be used on any EasyRead products from our range, so let’s take a look at what time teaching activities are available to support your child’s learning.
1. Tell the Time Card Games
If you’re wondering how to keep the kids entertained on a rainy winter afternoon, our Tell the Time cards offer hours of fun playing all the family favourite games.
Available in two levels – suitable for ages 5-7 and ages 8-11 – each pack contains 60 cards showing 15 different times that can be used to play all kinds of games. From snap and matching pairs, to buddy-up and bingo, the aim of every game is to match up the times and recognise the different minutes and hours of the day whilst having fun.
2. TwinTime Cards
Another time-teaching game that is popular with children (and adults!) of all ages are our TwinTime cards. Sold individually or in boxes of 10, our cards feature a printed EasyRead clock and moveable hands that let you display any time of the day for a simple learning exercise that also lets you count backwards and forwards, in 5s and 10s, and practice fractions.
3. EasyRead Watches
Don’t keep our EasyRead watches hidden away under the tree until Christmas Day – these brilliant time-teaching tools can get a lot of use in the run-up to Christmas.
If your child has one, or if you’re planning to gift them one, encourage them to use it by asking them how long a particular task will take. You can ask them to make a note of what time they start an activity like brushing their teeth or cleaning their room, and then again when they stop, before asking them to work out how much time they have spent on that task.
This is a great way to add some excitement to the dull daily tasks and to make the most of the exciting festive activities like putting up the tree or baking some Christmas treats.
4. Time Charts
Creating a time chart showing your childs’ daily schedule is a great way to help reinforce the importance of knowing how to tell time in our everyday lives.
Get your little one to create a chart showing what time of day they are expected to wake up, brush their teeth, go to school, and go to sleep, and keep it fun by encouraging them to add their favourite activities in as well such as an after-school club or time with family. This is also a good way to maintain a sense of structure in their daily lives during the holidays and particularly in the run up to Christmas when all sense of time seems to go out the window!
5. Downloadable Resources
Finally, if your budget is a little tight this winter, our free resources are available to print or download on our website. From our Make a Clock activities to our Home Education Day Planner, we have an entire webpage dedicated to keeping your little ones entertained for less, so click here to view our free resources today.
Learning how to tell time with EasyRead
If you’re hoping to make learning how to tell the time as fun and engaging as you can for your kids this winter, our time-teaching method is the first place you should start! Check it out now and get started on planning your engaging activities today.
Learning aids, a curriculum printout, a list of school rules – is there anything missing from your classroom walls this term? Whether your class has already learned how to tell the time or this is a topic you will be exploring this year, having a clock in a classroom should be a top priority for all teachers and learning support staff.
Having a classroom clock available for pupils to use helps them do more than just track the minutes left of a lesson, so let’s take a look at the 5 reasons why you should always have an EasyRead clock in your classroom.
Support the curriculum
Being able to tell the time is a fundamental skill that all UK primary school children must learn. As well as being a core topic included in the curriculum, this vital life skill is often a childs’ first introduction to the concept of time, which they must have a good understanding of before they can begin learning to read a clock themselves.
The large numbers and clear design of our clocks are intended to be seen from anywhere in the room, giving pupils a visual aid that they can familiarise themselves with before they start learning to tell the time, and then practise with as they learn. All our designs also include our simple teaching system that makes it easy for children to read the time in 3 easy steps, making it a great introduction to the time-teaching elements of the school curriculum.
Everyday practice
Once children understand the passage of time and how it is divided between hours, minutes and seconds, these new skills become useful in many other areas of life. From understanding the importance of being on time to taking responsibility for your own schedule, ongoing practice helps students to develop their understanding of time in a real-life context.
So, having a clock that all pupils have access to is a great way to encourage continued practice throughout the school day. Whether your pupils use the clock to work out how much longer is left in a lesson or to observe the passage of time across the school day, they will come to understand that time is not just a topic that they learn in school but also an important part of everyday life.
Structured learning
Without a clock in a classroom the only way that a pupil can know what time it is is to ask their teacher – and we all know how much young children love to ask questions.
So, rather than having to answer non-stop questions about what time it is or how long is left in a lesson, simply add one of our EasyRead classroom clocks to your classroom and see how well it minimises these interruptions. This will also make it easier to implement a structured routine that pupils are expected to follow, as well as setting them timed tasks and letting them track the time that they have left.
This will also help pupils stay focused on a particular task and stop them from continually wanting to know what time it is, and the ability to track their own progress and finish work within a set time frame becomes increasingly important as they grow. So, keep lessons on track and encourage their development with our range of classroom wall clocks.
Support with maths
Clocks are often one of the very first experiences that children have with numbers, making them a great introduction to maths. Our clocks contain the numbers 1 through to 30, or 1 to 60 if you opt for our 12/24 Hour clock, which familiarises children with these numbers and helps them to identify their connection to each other as time progresses.
Having a clock in a classroom helps children to apply this knowledge, as they can then go on to quickly understand the basics of addition and subtraction by counting how many minutes are left in a lesson, or how long they have already spent on a task. Our clocks are also an excellent introduction to fractions as each clock face is clearly divided into half hours and into the 60 minutes in every hour, and you can find out more about how our clocks support maths learning here.
So, whatever mathematical concepts are on your list for this term, start laying the foundations for them now with our clocks.
Pair with resources
Finally, having an EasyRead teaching clock in a classroom is most effective when it is paired with our range of classroom resources. Alongside our clocks we also supply TwinTime Cards to reinforce your pupils’ learning through fun activities, and playground clocks to encourage continued practice outside of the classroom.
Our TwinTime Cards are the perfect resource for practising the time with an entire class, as each pupil is responsible for reading the time displayed on the teaching clock and writing it down on their card. This hands-on approach means that every pupil is able to enjoy this practical activity with the whole class without being put on the spot to answer a question, and just like our clocks they can be used for addition, subtraction, and fractions, as well as learning multiples of 5s and 10s.
Our cards are available in packs of 10 or as part of our complete Classroom Sets, which also include a classroom clock and a Teacher Card for demonstration.
Our full range of classroom resources
So, don’t leave it any later in the new term to invest in a clock for your classroom by heading to our website and exploring our full range today.
Is your child struggling to read an analogue clock? Perhaps you yourself have had trouble reading the time? For over 20 years, we have been working to make learning how to tell the time on a clock more accessible and enjoyable for children and adults. So, let’s take a look at our two intuitive methods for all learners and how these time-telling processes can transform the way your child understands time.
How to tell the time on a clock
Many children find it difficult to read the time on an analogue clock. This may be something that you have already noticed in your child, or it may be a concern that you are keen to address ahead of the new school year.
We identified these difficulties in children several years ago, and we worked with a group of children to identify the two key causes of their confusion and hesitancy. Both issues come from design flaws on the clocks themselves, as the first is regarding the limited information contained on the face of a clock.
First, regular clocks and watches typically display only hour numbers and some small markings to indicate minutes without actually displaying the 60 minutes within each hour. Whilst this is usually enough information for an experienced time-telling adult to gauge the time, it actually represents just 20% of the information needed to accurately read the time. The remaining 80% – including crucial context like minute details and clear hand positioning – is missing.
The second issue regards the hands of a clock. On most clocks the two hands are often nearly the same length which makes it confusing for people to determine which number to read first. They are also often positioned between numbers, rather than landing on a specific minute marker, which makes it even more challenging to accurately read the time. This lack of clarity makes learning to tell time challenging and frustrating for many children, and for those who struggle with dyscalculia or similar challenges, these struggles can continue long into adulthood.
EasyRead Time Teacher
This is where EasyRead comes in. Our clock face designs carry all the information that is needed to tell the time and each minute of the day is carefully enclosed in separate sections so that the tips clearly point to specific numbers
We also separate the hour and minute sections of the clock into two clear circles, and each hand is enclosed in its own circle to avoid any confusion. So, now that you are familiar with our design, it’s time to take a look at the two simple ways to read an EasyRead clock.
3 step process
Our first method follows the usual process of reading a clock – the ‘past & to’ method. This popular time-telling technique is the one taught in UK primary schools, so if you’re looking to support your little ones’ learning, this is a straightforward method that reinforces their new skills.
Step 1: First, look at the long hand and read the number at the end of it. This number represents the minutes.
Step 2: Next, state whether the minute hand is on the “past” side or the “to” side of the clock. This helps children understand whether the minutes are counting past the current hour or towards the next one.
Step 3: Finally, look at the short hand and read the number at the end to state the hour.
And there you have it! Simple, straightforward, and requiring no guesswork, our structured approach uses all the information available on the clock and makes telling the time an easy game of ‘say what you see’.
2 step process
Perhaps you tell the time another way – as if you’re reading a digital clock? We aim to make learning how to tell the time on a clock accessible for all, which is why we also offer 12/24 hour clocks which only require 2 steps to read.
Step 1: First, look at the hour hand and read the number that it is pointing to.
Step 2: Next, look at the minute hand and read the number at the end.
Say these numbers out loud as you read them to state the current time. For example, if the time is “1:52,” simply say “One, fifty-two.”
How to tell the time on a clock with EasyRead
Which of these methods will work the best for you? Refer back to them as needed and enjoy practising the right method for you with our full range.
Is your little one about to start primary school in September? Whilst you help them choose their first pair of smart shoes, lunchbox and pencil case, there is one more thing that should be on your shopping list this summer – a watch. Watches for 4 year olds are the perfect introduction to the time telling skills that they will need in school, so let’s explore how these watches will support your little one and make all the difference for their learning.
Learning to tell the time
Learning to tell time is so important for young children who are starting primary school. Whilst this will be one of the topics that they learn during their first year in school, if they already have a basic understanding of how to read a clock and understand the passage of time, then this will help your little one to understand and adjust to their new schedule. For many children, school is the first time that they will be given a strict timetable so if you are keen to prepare your child for this new routine and give them the time-telling tools that they need, then let’s take a look at how watches for 4 year olds will help them this school year.
1. Managing their school day
A reliable watch provides children with a constant way to keep track of their schedule. By glancing at their watch, they will be able to tell for themselves what time it is and when it’s time for key activities such as break time, lunchtime, or hometime. For children who are particularly anxious about school or struggle when they do not know how long is left of a certain activity, this is an invaluable way to stay informed without having to constantly ask the teacher or rely on their reminders.
2. Developing life skills
School is about more than just passing exams and homework – it teaches our children essential skills that will benefit them throughout their entire lives. One of these life skills is punctuality and time management, and wearing a watch helps children to see the importance of being on time for classes, special activities, and registration. This in turn reinforces the concept of routine and the importance of time in daily activities and helps them to develop an organised and punctual approach to completing tasks and following schedules.
3. Encouraging confidence and responsibility
School can be a daunting new experience for even the most confident children, which is why giving them a watch can help them to feel in control of their routine. Knowing that they can track their day without relying on others helps them to develop confidence in their own abilities and teaches them the importance of being able to rely on yourself, and a watch also encourages them to take responsibility for their belongings, as it is up to them to remember to wear their watch for school and put it back on after P.E or other activities.
Our best watches for 4 year olds
Whilst most children’s watches are designed to be used only as accessories rather than useful tools, and often choose vibrant designs over an easy to read clock face, our watches are designed to support young children to independently tell the time.
Our EasyRead watches are designed with style, function, and accessibility in mind to make it as easy as possible for a developing mind to read the time and develop their skills. Many watch faces are often too small to contain all the information that a young child needs to practise their new skills, which means that children are often left to guess the time or ask for help. This is why we have designed our watches with all the information that a child needs to read the time, and by stripping away any unnecessary extras, our watches make it easy for a young child to identify the minutes, hours, and seconds on the clock face without becoming confused or having to guess the time based on the placement of the hands.
Each and every one of our watches contains not only the 60 minutes within an hour, but also the hours of each 12 hour cycle, meaning that all your child needs to do is memorise our 3-step method and they will be able to tell the exact time at any minute of the day. So, whether you opt for the 12/24-hour method or the Past & To method, an EasyRead watch is the best choice for any young child, so check out our options today.
EasyRead watches for 4 year olds
Whether you have already introduced your child to the concept of time or are keen to give them a head start before their first year of school, head over to our Watches page and begin building the best watch for your little one. Simply choose the preferred method, design face, and colour strap, and you’re all set for September with our installed batteries and 1 year warranty.
Is your child struggling to contextualise the passage of time on a clock? Understanding this concept can be tricky for young children – particularly if they are unable to see the process’ relevance in the wider world. So, if you are looking for ways to help them grasp this concept and enjoy a fun activity together this summer, learning how to tell the time without a clock is a great way to teach your child about time.
Using the sun’s position
First up: using the sun’s position to work out what time it is. As we all know, the movement of the sun across the sky is actually caused by the movement of the Earth as we orbit the sun, and this daily orbit gives us a good idea of the time at different points in the day.
To get started, take your little one outside in the morning, whilst the sun is still rising in the East. Once they have found the suns’ place in the sky, explain to them that the sun will always be visible in the East before midday, and that if they’re ever stuck without a clock, then they will be able to estimate the time of day by finding the sun’s place in the sky.
At midday, take them outside once again and explain to them that the sun will always be directly overhead at midday, and then finally take them outside again as the sun sets in the West. To conclude the day, explain how, thanks to the rotation and orbit of the Earth, the sun has followed a consistent journey across the sky, and that we are able to estimate what time it is by tracking its movement at different times of the day. This hands-on method helps children to better understand how time follows a consistent pattern and its connection to the Earth’s movements, giving them a tangible representation of time that they will always be able to refer back to.
Making a sundial
Once your child has developed a basic understanding of the sun’s relevance in time-telling activities, you can begin to build upon this understanding by making a sundial. Summertime is the best time to create a sundial as you will have more hours of sunlight to work with, so before your little one wakes up, head out to the garden and find a sunny spot to place a stick upright in the ground. This stick will function as a time telling device, as its shadow length and position will change as the sun’s position changes, making it a great demonstration for any curious child wondering how to tell the time without a clock.
When your child joins you in the garden to begin the activity, mark where the sticks’ first shadow falls with a stone or some colourful chalk. Then make sure that you return to mark the new shadows position at regular intervals throughout the day to create your child’s very own sundial, and make sure that you emphasise to your child that the passage of time is being clearly demonstrated by these markers.
Tracking the North Star
Tracking the North Star is a fascinating way for parents and children of all ages to explore the passage of time by working together to chart the celestial movements. Whilst this concept may seem too challenging for younger children, it follows a similar method to the sundial activity – only this time, we can clearly see that we are the moving object in the night sky.
Start by locating the North Star, also known as Polaris, in the night sky on a warm, clear evening. The North Star is a bright star that remains nearly fixed in the same spot in the night sky whilst the other stars appear to rotate around it due to Earth’s rotation. Point its position out to your child and take a few minutes every hour or so over the next few hours to relocate the star and observe how the surrounding stars appear to change position as the Earth continues to rotate.
Don’t forget to remind your little one that this apparent movement reflects the Earth’s rotation and the passing hours, rather than the movement of the stars, as younger children can become confused if this is not routinely explained to them. Through these observations, children will be able to clearly see the steady, predictable patterns of the night sky and develop their awareness of times’ broader context, as even the stars follow the rules of time every night.
Moon phases
There are two particular ways to use the moon to track the time, and one is best completed over the course of several weeks. However, the less time-consuming activity can be done by tracking the moon’s course over a single night, so if you are planning to do this, start off by noting the time at sunset. If the moon is already visible during this time, then make sure your child clearly notes the moon’s position in the sky as the sun sets.
Over the course of the night the moon will appear to move across the sky as both the Earth and the moon rotate, so regroup once an hour until bedtime to observe the moons’ new position at different times. By comparing the moon’s position to the time of sunset, you can calculate an approximate time based on its position earlier on in the evening.
If you are looking to track the position of the moon across a longer period of time, then engaging your little one in a charting activity is a great way to keep them engaged over the holidays. Begin by observing the moon every night and noting its shape and position, and keep a moon journal to record the moon’s shape each night by shading in the shape. Explain to your child how the moon’s appearance changes due to its orbit around Earth and the varying angles of sunlight hitting its surface to help them grasp longer time periods beyond the daily cycle. Over the course of approximately 29.5 days, the moon goes through its phases: new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter, and by tracking the moon’s phases children are able to see a clear, repetitive system that spans weeks and months.
How to tell the time without a clock
Whilst all of these activities are great opportunities to deepen your little ones’ understanding, it is also clear that the easiest way to tell the time is with an EasyRead clock or watch! As we enjoy watching the movement of the moon, stars, and our own planet through the skies, let’s take a minute to be grateful that our daily routines no longer require us to know how to tell the time without a clock – and that we instead have access to all the time-telling resources that we need.
