Time games and activities
for ESL kids lessons

Games and activities for teaching “Telling the time” to ESL kids

Clock fun

Have all of your students make a clock (our crafts page has a great one). With this you can do some simple activities:

1. Follow the teacher: Teacher says a time and moves the clock hands to that time. Students copy the teacher .
2. Listen to the teacher: Teacher says a time and students have to move the clock arms to that time. Then the teacher reveals his/her clock and the students can see if they were correct.
3. Listen to your partner: In pairs say times and move the clock arms to those times.
4. Time questions: Teacher (or pairs) ask questions. E.g. What time did you eat breakfast this morning? What time do you usually wake up? Move the clock arms to the correct times.

What time is it Mr. Wolf? (variation)

This variation is easier to play in a classroom setting. Have students stand in a circle around Mr. Wolf (either teacher or student), who is blind-folded and facing one direction.

The students ask, ‘What time is it Mr. Wolf?’.

• If Mr. Wolf says, ‘It’s 4 o’clock,’ then the students march in a circle 4 steps.
• If Mr. Wolf says, ‘It’s dinner time,’ then he or she grabs the student who is in front of them. And that student becomes Mr. Wolf.

As another variation, and to teach times of meals, 6 o’clock could be breakfast, 12 o’clock could be lunch and 7 o’clock could be dinner. So when Mr. Wolf says, ‘It’s 12 o’clock,’ Mr. Wolf would eat a student. (Submitted by Wilhelm)

Telling the time lesson plan

We also have a FREE lesson plan on telling the time which includes games and activities as well as other lesson materials.

Click to download our Telling the time lesson plan.

Telling the time song

We have a song available for download focusing on telling the time called “What time is it?“.