1st grade telling time worksheets

The kind of problems you'll get

Every print pulls a fresh set of problems at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.

What's on each sheet

• Fluency. Write the time shown on each clock. 9 questions per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Have your child touch the short hand first and say the hour before looking at the long hand. The order matters more than speed. Half hours are the tricky part because the hour hand sits between two numbers; ask "which number did it already pass?" If 4:30 keeps coming out as 5:30, that's the spot to slow down on.

Watch for: Kids read the long hand as the hour because it's the one that stands out. The short hand always tells the hour, so find it first, then count minutes with the long hand. Kids call 4:45 five o'clock because the hour hand has moved past halfway. The hour stays 4 until the short hand actually reaches the 5.

Common questions about telling time

What times show up on the first grade sheet?

Only hours and half hours, so every clock reads like 4:00 or 4:30. The minute hand is always on the 12 or the 6, which keeps the focus on reading the two hands in the right order.

Why does my child mix up the two hands?

The hands look alike at a glance, and the long one is more eye-catching. It usually fixes itself with a routine: touch the short hand, say the hour, then look at the long hand for the minutes.

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