Race Against the Clock: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3

Race Against the Clock is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children read the time on an analogue clock to the nearest minute and write it down. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Children look closely at analogue clocks and work out the time. The small marks round the edge of the clock face each stand for one minute, so children learn to read the time more exactly than just the hour or the quarter hour. They count minutes, look carefully at both hands and write the time they find. It is quiet, focused practice that suits a first go together and a second go alone.

Why learn to read an analogue clock?

Clock facts for curious children

• An analogue clock has two main hands. The short one shows the hour and the long one shows the minutes.
• There are 60 minutes in one hour.
• The minute hand takes one whole hour to travel all the way round the clock face.
• The hour hand moves much more slowly than the minute hand.
• There are 24 hours in a day, so the hour hand goes round the clock face twice in a day.

Skills and curriculum link

• Telling time
• Counting minutes
• Careful reading
• Counting in fives
• Writing the time

Ideas that help with telling the time

• Two hands, two jobsThe short hand tells you the hour. The long hand tells you the minutes. Checking which hand is which before you start saves many mistakes.
• Count in fivesEach number on the clock face is worth five minutes more than the one before it. Counting in fives round the clock is quicker than counting every small mark.
• Then count on in onesWhen the long hand is between two numbers, find the last number it passed. Say its minutes, then count on one by one using the small marks.
• Check the hour handThe hour hand sits between two numbers for most of the hour. The hour is the number it has passed, not the one it is heading towards.

Key words

• Analogue clockA clock with a round face, numbers and hands that move round.
• MinuteA unit of time. 60 minutes make one hour.
• HourA unit of time. There are 24 hours in a day.
• Minute handThe long hand on a clock. It shows the minutes.
• Hour handThe short hand on a clock. It shows the hour.
• Past and toWords for telling the time. We say minutes past the hour in the first half of the hour, and minutes to the next hour in the second half.

How to use it

1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for the grown-up.
2. Look at the clock face together. Point out the small marks round the edge and say that each one is one minute.
3. Work through the activity together the first time. Talk about each choice and ask your child to explain how they found the time.
4. Check against the notes on page 2. Praise careful thinking, and go back over any clock that felt tricky.
5. Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

Mistakes to watch for

Talk about it

• Which hand do you look at first, and why?
• How do you know each small mark is one minute?
• What is quicker, counting in ones or counting in fives? When would you use each?
• When do you need to know the time exactly in your day?
• How would you explain to a younger child how to read the clock?
• What time do you think it is right now? Check on a real clock. How close were you?

Take it off the page

Who it is for

Where this fits in your child's learning

Before this, children usually learn to tell the time on an analogue clock to the hour, half past and quarter past and quarter to, then to five minutes. They also learn the order of the days, months and seasons. This sheet builds on that by asking for the exact minute.

After this, children link analogue and digital times and use what they know about hours and minutes to solve problems about time. Being able to read an analogue clock accurately gives them a firm base for working out how long things take and when they will finish.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Race Against the Clock for?

It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. It may also help confident Year 2 children who are ready to read the time more exactly, or children in Year 4 who need a gentle refresher.

What will children practise?

Children tell and write the time from an analogue clock to the nearest minute, as set out for Year 3. They practise counting minutes, reading carefully and writing times down clearly.

How do I use it?

Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. Point out that each small mark round the clock is one minute. Work through it together the first time, then check against the notes on page 2.

What if it feels too hard?

Count in fives round the clock to find the minutes, then count on in ones using the small marks. Work with a real clock alongside the sheet. Do a few clocks at a time, and come back to the rest later.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters, other groups or revision a few weeks later.

Is Race Against the Clock suitable for teachers to use in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.

Is this a screen free activity?

Yes. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil. It works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and it prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper.