1st Grade Telling Time Worksheets
Tell time to the hour and half hour.
About Telling Time
Telling time is a practical life skill that connects math to daily routines. Understanding clocks involves reading numbers, understanding the roles of the hour and minute hands, and grasping the concept of units of time. These worksheets progress from reading times on the hour to half hours.
Why Telling Time Matters for 1st Grade
For 1st Grade students, telling time is one of the first ways math becomes immediately useful in everyday life. Understanding time helps children follow schedules, develop a sense of duration ("how long until...?"), and builds foundations for elapsed-time calculations. It also reinforces number recognition and counting by 5s.
Choose a Subtopic
Students first learn to read clocks showing exact hours (when the minute hand points to 12), then progress to half hours (when the minute hand points to 6). Understanding the hour hand's position at :30 — between two numbers — deepens their understanding of how clocks work.
Tips for Parents & Teachers
Keep an analog clock visible in your home. Digital clocks are convenient, but analog clocks make the passage of time visual.
Refer to the clock throughout the day: "Look, the hour hand is on the 3 — it is 3 o'clock, time for a snack!"
Let your child set a timer for activities: "We will play for 30 minutes. What time will we stop?"
Be patient — telling time is abstract. The idea that 2:30 is "between" 2:00 and 3:00 takes practice to internalize.
Frequently Asked Questions
What skills does telling time cover in 1st Grade?
1st Grade telling time builds foundational skills that students need to progress in math. The worksheets on this page cover all the key concepts within this topic area, organized from basic to more advanced.
How many telling time worksheets are available?
We offer 10 worksheets per subtopic for 1st Grade telling time, organized by difficulty level (Easy, Medium, Hard). Each worksheet targets specific skills within this topic area.
What should my student learn before starting 1st Grade telling time?
Check the prerequisite topics listed on this page. We recommend students have a solid understanding of those foundational skills before moving on to telling time.