Apple Time! First Grade Telling Time Math Center

Learning to tell time is still an important concept for early elementary students.

Our devices show us the time on demand, but kids still need to understand length of time, elapsed time, and how to count the way time passes.

Which means learning to relate analog time to digital clock numbers is still necessary.

So I’m sharing an apple-themed telling time math center that makes teaching this concept fun and hands-on for first graders!

This math center is loaded with active ways to reinforce understanding of both analog and digital time!

Read on to see how to get your copy.

For more apple-themed math practice, take a look at our Apple Shapes Early Geometry Lesson too!

Apple Time! Telling Time Math Center for First Grade

To use this first grade telling time math center with your students, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Cardstock (useful for the learning cards and clip cards)
• Transparent spinners
• Hook and loop sticky dots
• Clothespins
• Laminator (optional)

This 55-page early elementary math center features several hands-on telling time activities for first grade.

The two-page spin and color analog clock activity is awesome for practicing telling time to the hour and half hour.

The circle the digital time activity helps students relate analog time to digital clock numbers.

The two-page write the digital time activity gives them a chance to practice writing time correctly.

A full line art version of each activity is included.

Use the enclosed answer key to make grading a snap!

Along with the reinforcement activities, this center includes telling time clip cards.

These allow students to practice matching the correct digital clock to the given analog clock time.

There’s also a set of time to the hour and time to the half hour flashcards.

And a set of learning cards that allow students to look at the given analog time and find the correct digital time card to match!

How to Use a Telling Time Math Center with Students

Once you have this telling time center printed, it’s time to start using it with students!

For the spin and color activity, simply hand out each page to the students and let them use spinners and crayons to mark off each time they find.

Since one worksheet features time to the hour and the second time to the half hour, you can save the half-hour activity until your students are ready to practice that concept.

Get a look at this activity in the video below!

When you’re ready to use the clip cards, print them (on cardstock, if possible) and then cut them out. You may want to laminate them for durability as well.

These are perfect for use with small groups. Just add clothespins!

For the learning cards, assemble the flashcards and place them on a ring for students to use until they’re comfortable identifying the times on their own.

To make the learning cards into a reusable activity, attach hook and loop sticky dots and laminate the time cards.

Students can then match them up with the analog apple times over and over again!

Scroll down to get your copy of this first grade telling time math center!

Take a look at these other ways to teach math in early grades!