Learning To Tell Time I am told that children today must know more than ever before when they start school. I guess I am going to learn that quickly enough as my daughter starts in a month or so. She is really good with her letters, and does some number stuff as well, but she is having a hard time learning to tell time. I am not worried about her though, I know this is entirely my fault. I am not a teacher, and I know that I just don’t have the proper skills to teach her. Learning to tell time can be a little confusing for a child that does not understand math just yet. It is also confusing because there are regular clocks everywhere, and they work differently from the digital clocks that are on many appliances and other electronic equipment. My daughter is good at learning to tell time in the sense that she knows what numbers mean it is lunch and bed time. Other than that though, she looks at me as if I am talking gibberish when I try to teach her anything else. When a child is learning to tell time, I am told that you have to relate it to things that they understand. A child will have an easy time understanding that dinner might take an hour to cook, but they may not really understand what half an hour is until they are better equipped with math skills. The idea that there are sixty minutes in one hour is something that is hard for my daughter to understand. I am afraid I am going to have to give up and hope they work with her in school. If you are concerned about your child learning to tell time, you can find materials online. I would do the same, but she is starting school so soon that I think there is no point in me doing so. The materials are out there though, and they will probably be immensely useful for others like me who just don’t seem to have any type of teaching skills what so ever. My mom laughs at me about my worries in regards to my daughter learning to tell time. She said she is pretty sure she’ll get it before long. No child will grow up without that skill. I guess she has a point there, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling slightly inadequate in the teaching department. Summary One of the hardest skills to teach children is the concept of time. Learning to tell time using different ways may help your child be able to understand if you use methods they can relate to. Some children have an easier time understanding the concept, so if your child doesn't seem like they are getting it, just be patient and try it again later on. Related Articles Effective Teaching Strategies Handwriting Practice Sheets Related Sites