Math · Stage 2
Tell the Time to Five Minutes — Quarter Past & Quarter To
Each number is 5 minutes — read quarter past, quarter to, and every five-minute time.
✦ Math📘 Stage 2 · S2⏱ ~9 min🧒 Ages 6–7★ Free to start
I can tell the time to five minutes, including quarter past and quarter to, on an analogue clock.
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Kavi's Five-Minute Hops 🕒
Kavi watches the long hand hop from number to number. "Every number I pass is 5 minutes!" hoots Kavi. "When the long hand points to the 3, that's quarter past. When it points to the 9, that's quarter to the next hour." Hop, hop, hop — let's count the minutes with Kavi!
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What your child will learn
1Each number is five minutesThe long hand moves 5 minutes for every number it passes. From the 12 to the 1 is 5 minutes, to the 2 is 10 minutes, to the 3 is 15 minutes. Count in fives: 5, 10, 15, 20…
2Quarter past — long hand on the 3A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes. When the long hand points to the 3, 15 minutes have passed — we say quarter past. The short hand has moved a little way past the hour.
3Quarter to — long hand on the 9When the long hand points to the 9, there are 15 minutes left until the next hour — we say quarter to. The short hand is nearly at the next number.
4Quarter past or quarter to?Both are a quarter of an hour — 15 minutes. The difference is which way round the long hand has gone. Tap each card.
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A peek inside
The long hand points to the 3 and the short hand is just past the 4. What time is it?
long hand on 3 → 15 minutes → quarter past · short hand just past 4 → hour is 4
Try this at home: Count in fives — the long hand points to the 4. That is __ minutes past.
Ready to play and learn?
Start the free interactive lesson, or print the handout for screen-free play.
Part of Math · Stage 2 · S2 on KAVI Academy — a secular, whole-child learning platform for ages 5–12.