⏰ Clocks and watches

A clock is a tool that helps us keep track of time, so we know when to wake up, eat lunch, or go to bed. Some clocks have hands that move slowly around a round face, and some just show numbers that change. Without a clock, you would still feel time passing, but you would have a much harder time knowing exactly when to do things.

A watch is a tiny clock you can wear on your wrist, so you can carry the time around with you.

Yes, clocks are often round and hang on a wall, or sit on a shelf, or even show up on a phone screen.

A clock face is usually a big circle with numbers from one to twelve going all the way around it. A short hand points to the hour, a long hand points to the minutes, and they both move at their own steady speed all day long. When the long hand finishes one full circle, an hour has passed and the short hand has moved just a little bit.

An analog clock shows time with moving hands pointing around a round face, while a digital clock simply shows the time as numbers, like 3:45. Reading an analog clock takes a little practice, since you have to notice where both hands are pointing at once. A digital clock is quicker to read at a glance, but an analog clock lets you actually see how much time is left until the next hour.

Some clocks go tick, tock, tick, tock, over and over, while others are completely silent.

Sometimes your tummy feels hungry, and sometimes a grown-up tells you it is time to eat, right after nap or playtime.

Inside a ticking clock, a small part swings back and forth at a steady, even pace. Each swing pushes the hands forward by one tiny step, and that is what makes the ticking sound. This swinging part has to move at exactly the same speed every time, otherwise the clock would run too fast or too slow. Many clocks today do not tick at all, since they use tiny electronic parts instead of moving gears.