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By the end of first grade students should know how to tell time to the hour and half-hour, on both an analogical and digital clock. This is sometimes a difficult skill for them to master, especially transitioning from a clock with "hands" to a digital one.

Often, I’ve found that putting crucial skills to music really helps children remember. Here’s a helpful tune I want to share for "telling time" fun with digital clocks.

This song helps children remember the markings on digital clocks for the hour and half-hour.

The tune is familiar to most Kindergarten and First Grade students. It’s "If You’re Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands" and it goes like this:

"Double dot, double zero means o’clock!"
"Double dot, double zero means o’clock!" "Double dot, double zero, double dot double zero, double dot double zero means o’clock!"

For the half-hour the words are:

"Double dot, three zero means half-past!" "Double dot, three zero means half-past!" "Double dot, three zero, double dot, three zero, double dot, three zero means half-past!"

Simple songs like this really work in helping young children remember skills. I often hear the children humming it at their tables as they are doing their clock practice work.

And don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing it in the car!