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O'clock Matching Game

A cut-and-match activity for students who finish early. Twelve o'clock pairs across two sheets, plus a harder set of twelve with quarters and halves.

Objective: Reading o'clock, quarter past, half past and quarter to on an analog clock and matching each to the time in words

  1. Sheet 1: 1 o'clock to 6 o'clock

    O'clock Matching Game sheet 1: six puzzle pairs, each an analog clock piece with a pointed tab and a matching notched piece reading 1 o'clock through 6 o'clock Download sheet 1

  2. Sheet 2: 7 o'clock to 12 o'clock

    O'clock Matching Game sheet 2: six puzzle pairs reading 7 o'clock through 12 o'clock Download sheet 2

  3. Harder set, sheet 1: quarters and halves

    Quarters and Halves Matching Game sheet 1: six puzzle pairs for quarter past 1, half past 2, quarter to 4, quarter past 5, half past 6 and quarter to 8

    For students who have mastered o'clock. Mixes quarter past, half past and quarter to.

    Download harder sheet 1

  4. Harder set, sheet 2: quarters and halves

    Quarters and Halves Matching Game sheet 2: six puzzle pairs for quarter past 9, half past 10, quarter to 12, half past 12, quarter to 1 and quarter past 7

    Includes quarter to 12 and quarter to 1, where the hour hand sits just before the 12 or the 1.

    Download harder sheet 2

  5. How to use it

    • Print both sheets, ideally on card. Cut along the dashed lines so each row becomes two pieces: a clock and a time.
    • Mix all 24 pieces up. Students match each clock to its time. The pointed tab fits the notch, so matched pairs sit together.
    • For a quicker version, hand out only sheet 1. For a challenge, time them, or have them order the matched pairs from 1 o'clock to 12 o'clock.
    • Once o'clock is easy, move on to the harder set. Keep the two sets in separate bags so the pieces don't mix.

    Keep a set in a zip bag for early finishers.