Kids Telling Time

Review of Kids Telling Time Appxis

Learning to read a clock is one of those small skills that becomes much easier when a child can practise without feeling tested. I spent time with Kids Telling Time as a parent-friendly educational game, and my impression is that it works best as a focused practice tool rather than a complete lesson. It keeps attention on the relationship between digital numbers, clock hands, and the way we say the time aloud.

The game is made by Intellijoy Educational Games for Kids, a developer known for simple learning activities aimed at young children. Its purpose is clear: children practise setting time and reading both digital and analog clocks. That narrow focus is actually useful. Instead of surrounding the child with unrelated puzzles or a large curriculum, it gives one everyday concept room to become familiar.

I would consider it for a child who already recognises some numbers but still hesitates when looking at an analog clock. It can also suit a parent who wants a short activity before school, during a quiet afternoon, or while preparing a child for a real-world routine such as leaving for an appointment. The important question is not whether it has the biggest collection of activities, but whether this concentrated approach matches what your child needs now.

How I Would Decide Whether It Fits

Look for the kind of practice your child actually needs

There are several different stages in learning time, and they are easy to confuse. A child may recognise a digital display but not understand why the longer hand matters. Another child may know the hour hand but struggle with minutes. Someone else may be able to read a clock in a worksheet yet freeze when asked to connect “quarter past” with a position on the dial.

This game is most appealing when the difficulty is specifically clock reading and clock setting. I would not choose it as a general mathematics game, a broad early-learning package, or a replacement for explaining time in daily conversation. Its value comes from repetition around one subject.

Before handing over the device, I would ask the child to show a few times on a household clock. That quick check helps reveal whether the problem is number recognition, hand placement, or vocabulary. The game can then reinforce the weak point instead of becoming a random screen activity. I found that this kind of preparation makes a short session more purposeful.

Why both clock styles matter

Digital clocks are usually easier at first because the numbers present the answer directly. Analog clocks demand more interpretation: the child has to notice which hand is which, estimate the hour when the hand is between numbers, and understand the minute positions around the dial. Practising both forms matters because children meet both in ordinary life.

The useful trade-off here is that the game does not treat digital and analog time as unrelated topics. Moving between them encourages a child to translate rather than memorise one display. I would use the digital side as a confidence builder, then ask the child to explain how the same time appears on the analog face. That extra spoken explanation is where much of the learning happens.

What the purchase tells me about expectations

The game costs $1.99, so it sits in the inexpensive paid-app category rather than the free, advertisement-supported learning space. I prefer that arrangement for a young child when the activity is genuinely focused, because it gives the parent a straightforward purchase decision instead of asking the child to navigate around unrelated content.

It is rated for Everyone, which makes the intended audience broad from a content perspective. That should not be confused with a guarantee that every child will find the lessons equally easy. A preschooler who has not encountered clocks yet may need an adult beside them, while an older child who already reads time confidently may find the practice too basic.

The current version is 1.2.10, and the listed minimum operating-system requirement is 7.1. I would check the device before buying, particularly if the child uses an older phone or tablet. That simple compatibility check prevents the frustrating situation where a well-chosen learning tool cannot be installed on the device intended for it.

Where the focused design wins

My strongest positive impression is the lack of distraction in the learning goal. When a child is struggling with time, a colourful collection of unrelated mini-games can make the session entertaining without making the concept clearer. A dedicated clock activity gives the parent a better chance of seeing whether the child is improving.

It also supports a useful parent-child routine: let the child try independently, watch for the exact mistake, and then connect the answer to something outside the screen. If the child places the minute hand incorrectly, I can point to the minute marks on a wall clock. If the child reads the hour correctly but cannot say the full time, I can practise the language during the next activity.

The best use is short, repeated practice followed by a real-world example. I would rather use it for a few minutes several times during a week than expect one long session to solve every difficulty. Clock reading depends on recognition becoming automatic, and gentle repetition is more suitable than pressure.

A realistic everyday session

Imagine a child getting ready for school and asking when it is time to put on shoes. Instead of answering immediately, I would set a nearby clock to the departure time and let the child compare it with the digital time shown on the device. After practising inside the game, I could ask, “What will the hands look like when we leave?” That turns the app from an isolated exercise into preparation for a real routine.

Another practical moment is bedtime. A child may understand a digital bedtime but not recognise it on an analog clock in the bedroom. A brief session earlier in the evening can focus on matching the two displays, followed by a check of the actual clock. This gives the lesson a reason, which often works better than simply announcing that it is time to study.

I would avoid using the game as a reward for finishing every other task. That can make the child associate clock practice with a chore or treat rather than a useful skill. A calmer approach is to make it part of a predictable learning window and stop before frustration takes over.

Three details that improve the learning value

First, I would ask the child to predict before touching the screen. If the task presents a time, the child should say where the hands belong before setting them. That small pause exposes whether the answer is understood or merely found through trial and error.

Second, I would deliberately mix digital and analog questions instead of allowing the child to stay with the easier format. Digital time can provide quick wins, but analog reading is where many children need the most support. Switching formats makes the connection stronger and shows whether the child can transfer the idea.

Third, I would use mistakes as a conversation prompt rather than correcting immediately. Asking “Which hand tells us the minutes?” or “Where would the hour hand be if it is not quite six?” encourages the child to inspect the clock. This is more valuable than simply moving the hand to the right place for them.

A fourth useful habit is to finish with one time from the child’s day. It might be lunch, a favourite programme, school pickup, or bedtime. The child then has to apply the same idea to a meaningful event, which helps reveal whether the skill has moved beyond the game.

What may feel limited

The focused subject is also the main limitation. A child who needs help with counting, addition, shapes, or broader number sense will need another resource. Even within time learning, an app cannot replace a conversation about duration, calendars, schedules, or the difference between “in ten minutes” and “at ten o’clock.” Those ideas need real examples and language.

I would also be cautious about expecting the game alone to teach the vocabulary used in your household or school. Children may need direct practice with phrases such as “half past,” “quarter to,” or simply “twenty minutes after.” The screen can support recognition, but an adult should listen to how the child explains the answer.

Another possible friction point is motivation. Some children enjoy repeating a narrow skill, while others need stories, characters, movement, or a wider variety of tasks. If your child quickly loses interest in clock faces, a broader educational game or hands-on clock may produce better results, even if it offers less concentrated practice.

How it compares with the usual alternatives

Compared with a worksheet, the game offers a more interactive way to connect setting a clock with reading it. A worksheet is still useful for writing times, drawing hands, and checking understanding away from a screen. I would combine the two rather than treating them as competitors: use the game for immediate practice, then give one or two paper examples to see whether the child can work without prompts.

Compared with a physical teaching clock, the app is easier to use when travelling and can present digital and analog forms in one activity. The physical clock wins for shared learning, because an adult can move the hands slowly, ask questions, and let the child manipulate the face without a device between them. For a child who learns through touch, the physical option may be the better first purchase.

Compared with a broad educational subscription, this game is more limited but also easier to choose for a specific problem. A subscription may make more sense for a family wanting reading, numbers, science, and creative activities in one place. If the immediate need is simply to practise telling time, paying for a large catalogue could add unnecessary cost and choice.

Compared with free videos or browser exercises, a dedicated paid game may provide a cleaner, more repeatable routine. Free material can be excellent, but quality and presentation vary, and a child may end up watching rather than solving. I would choose the free route when an adult is happy to guide each activity; I would choose this game when a compact practice tool is more convenient.

Who should use it, and who should skip it

I recommend it most readily for early learners who can identify basic numbers and need repeated support with digital and analog clocks. It is also a sensible option for parents who want a low-cost, narrowly defined activity rather than a full learning platform. The Everyone rating supports its child-friendly positioning, but adult guidance will still make the practice more effective for beginners.

I would skip it if the child already reads both clock types confidently and only needs advanced work with elapsed time or schedules. I would also look elsewhere if the child needs a highly narrative experience, extensive accessibility options, or a complete mathematics course. A physical clock, printable exercises, or a broader educational app may fit those needs better.

For families with several children at different levels, the decision is less straightforward. One child may benefit while another finds the content too easy. In that situation, I would consider whether the focused purchase will receive regular use, rather than assuming that one educational game automatically serves everyone.

Making the switch without wasting the purchase

If you are moving from worksheets to the game, begin with a short diagnostic rather than starting at random. Ask the child to read a digital time, identify the hour hand, and set a familiar time on a physical clock. Then use the game to practise the weakest step. This avoids spending the whole session on something the child already knows.

If you are moving from a broad learning app, explain that this is a specialist tool for one skill. That expectation matters. The child may initially compare it with games containing many subjects or elaborate rewards, but the benefit here is the chance to concentrate. Keep a real clock nearby so the child can immediately connect the screen with daily life.

I would also decide in advance what success looks like. It might be correctly matching a digital time to an analog face, setting a target time without guessing, or explaining why the hour hand moves as the minutes pass. A clear goal makes it easier to stop at the right moment and prevents unnecessary repetition.

The small purchase price lowers the risk of trying it, but the real cost is attention. If the child does not use it consistently, even an inexpensive app becomes clutter. I would give it a fair trial through several brief sessions, then judge progress by what the child can do on a real clock, not by how quickly they move through the activity.

My recommendation

With an average rating of 4.2 from around a hundred ratings and more than ten thousand installs, Kids Telling Time has found a modest audience for its specific purpose. Those figures do not change my main conclusion: its suitability depends far more on the child’s current clock-reading problem than on popularity.

I would recommend it to a parent who wants concentrated practice with digital and analog time, especially when the child needs repetition but does not need a full mathematics curriculum. The $1.99 price is reasonable for that narrow role, provided the device meets the minimum operating-system requirement and the family plans to use the game alongside conversation and real clocks.

I would not present it as a complete solution. The strongest results will come from asking the child to predict, explain, and apply each time to an ordinary event. Used that way, the game can turn a confusing clock face into something familiar. Used alone, it may leave gaps in vocabulary, elapsed-time reasoning, and practical scheduling.

My final choice would be to try it when the need is specific and immediate: a child who recognises numbers but still cannot reliably tell the time. For that situation, the simple focus is a strength. If your child needs variety, advanced time concepts, or hands-on instruction, I would spend the same decision-making effort on a physical teaching clock or a broader learning option instead.

FAQ