Year 3 maths: practise telling the time before the summer holidays

As the summer term moves towards its final weeks, telling the time is a useful Year 3 skill to practise without adding another worksheet to the evening. School trips, sports days and changing routines can provide natural reasons to look at a clock.

Time can feel tricky because children must coordinate two hands, count in fives and understand phrases such as “quarter to”. Rather than practising everything at once, identify one sticking point and build from there.

1. Find out which part of the clock feels confusing

Draw a clock face or use a teaching clock with movable hands. Begin with three times: 3 o’clock, half past 3 and quarter past 3. Ask your child to explain how they know each answer.

Listen for the method, not just the result. Can they distinguish the hour hand from the minute hand? Do they expect the hour hand to stay exactly on 3 until 4 o’clock?

Explain that the hour hand moves gradually. At half past 3, it sits halfway between 3 and 4. If using a homemade clock, move both hands to realistic positions.

Choose one target from this check. “Recognise where the hour hand belongs” is more useful than “get better at time”.

2. Connect counting in fives to minutes past

Write the minute values around the outside of a drawn clock: 5 beside 1, 10 beside 2, and so on. Explain that one complete journey of the minute hand takes 60 minutes.

Set the clock to 2:20. Ask your child to count four jumps of five from 12, then say “twenty past two”. Connect this with the digital display, 2:20.

Try three examples, then swap roles. Let your child set a time for you and check your answer. This reveals whether they can apply the idea independently.

Once five minute intervals feel secure, count the small marks between numbers. Avoid rushing into individual minutes while the larger steps remain uncertain.

3. Use June routines to practise short time intervals

Choose one real event, such as leaving for swimming or the start of a school activity. Keep the question manageable: “It is 4:10 now. We leave at 4:25. How many minutes do we have?”

Count forwards in five minute jumps: 4:15, 4:20, 4:25. There are three jumps, so the wait is 15 minutes.

For an interval crossing an hour, split the journey. From 10:50 to 11:15, count 10 minutes to 11, then another 15 minutes. The total is 25 minutes.

Use these questions occasionally, rather than turning every outing into a test.

4. Keep practice short and share one clear next step

Try five minutes on three days each week. Include one familiar time, one current challenge and one question your child creates.

If mistakes persist, note the exact difficulty for their teacher: “She reads minutes past correctly but confuses quarter to with quarter past.” That gives a clearer starting point than a general concern.

For individual support, GoodGrade Tutors offers one to one tuition online across the UK, with in person support in selected areas. Take the free 2 minute quiz to explore support suited to your child.

Frequently asked questions

Should we start with analogue or digital clocks?

Use both, connecting matching times once your child understands the hands.

What if my child guesses?

Ask them to explain each hand separately, then combine the information.

Should we practise during the holidays?

Brief, occasional questions linked to real plans are enough to keep the skill familiar.