childrens game homemade clock learning to tell time printable rhymeHere is a rhyme and a game to help your children learn to tell time and also to count. And if not, it is just loads of fun to do.
1. Rhyme: Tick Tock, Tick Tock
Tick tock, tick tock
I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick tock, tick tock
Now it’s almost ______ o’clock!
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! (As many times as the hour you chose).
With babies, you could just hold them and rock from side to side as you go tick, tock. Then at the end when you go “Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”, toss them or just lift them up high with each “cuckoo.” I get lots of giggles from my baby when I do that. This is how I get an arm workout too. Hehehe.
For preschoolers, you could use this rhyme to teach counting and time. First of all, teach them what 1 o’clock, 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock etc… looks like. Then randomly pick a time and show it on a clock. Have them say the rhyme (and do the swaying actions of the tick-tock), and see if they insert the right time when they say “Now it’s almost ____ o’clock!” Then they can jump to every “Cuckoo” at the end.
2. Game: What is the time Mr. Wolf?
The one that plays the wolf, randomly chooses in their head what time is breakfast/lunch/dinner. Then this is how the conversation goes:
Others: What is the time Mr. Wolf?
Wolf: 1 o’clock
Others: What is the time Mr. Wolf?
Wolf: 2 o’clock
Goes on until…
Others: What is the time Mr. Wolf?
Wolf: It’s dinner time (then chases and tries to catch the others)
If you have a baby (about 7 months and older) with older siblings, you could strenghten their bonds by having them play together. Baby can be the wolf and chase the other sibling(s) round the room (with Mommy carrying baby of course) or have them chase baby.
3. FREE LEARNING TOOL: MAKE YOUR OWN CLOCK

I made this homemade clock for my kids to play with. Here you see them arranging the numbers correctly on the clock. The hands are attached with a paper fastener so they can move around.
I’ve already done the printable for you. So, if you want to make your own clock, just right click and save the file below:
HOMEMADE CLOCK PRINTABLE
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