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Age Guides

Age 6 guide to time and money

Age-appropriate activities, explanations and practice ideas for time and money.

Quick answer

By the end of this page, you will understand how to tell time to the half hour and to the quarter hour, and how to count money up to 50p using 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, and 50p coins.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to:
  • Tell the time to the half hour and quarter hour
  • Count money using 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, and 50p coins
  • Use time and money in real-life situations
  • Understand the value of different coins and how they add up

Why this matters

Time and money are two of the most important parts of everyday life. Learning to tell time helps you know when to wake up, eat lunch, play, or go to bed. Counting money helps you know how much you have and how much things cost. These skills will help you in school, at home, and when you go shopping. Understanding time and money is like having a superpower that helps you make smart choices.

How it works

Let’s start with time. A clock has two hands: the short hand shows the hour, and the long hand shows the minutes. When the long hand points to 12, it is o’clock. When it points to 6, it is half past the hour. When it points to 3, it is quarter past the hour. When it points to 9, it is quarter to the next hour. Now let’s look at money. Coins have different values. The more coins you have, the more money you have. You can add up the values of coins to find the total amount.

Examples you can see

Let’s use a clock to show how time works:
  • When the short hand is on 3 and the long hand is on 12, it is 3 o’clock.
  • When the short hand is on 3 and the long hand is on 6, it is 3:30 (half past 3).
  • When the short hand is on 3 and the long hand is on 3, it is 3:15 (quarter past 3).
  • When the short hand is on 3 and the long hand is on 9, it is 3:45 (quarter to 4).
Now let’s look at money. Here are some ways to make 20p:
  • One 20p coin
  • Two 10p coins
  • One 10p coin and two 5p coins
  • Twenty 1p coins
  • One 10p coin, one 5p coin, and five 1p coins

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Money Shop You are going to the shop with your parent or carer. You have 20p to spend. You want to buy something that costs 15p. How much change will you get? What coins could you get as change? Try to find different ways to make 20p using different coins.
  1. First, you have 20p.
  2. You buy something that costs 15p.
  3. How much money do you have left? (20p - 15p = 5p)
  4. What coins could make 5p? (One 5p coin, or five 1p coins)
  5. Try to make 20p using different combinations of coins.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking that the long hand shows the hour instead of the minutes.
    Why it happens: Children might confuse the two hands.
    Fix: Practice by pointing to the hour and minute hands separately and counting the minutes.
  • Mistake: Confusing the value of coins.
    Why it happens: It’s easy to mix up the size and value of coins.
    Fix: Use real coins or play with toy coins to understand their value.
  • Mistake: Adding up coins incorrectly.
    Why it happens: Children might skip coins or count them twice.
    Fix: Use a counting strategy like counting on from the largest coin value.

Parent and carer guide

As a parent or carer, you can help your child by:
  • Practising telling time with a real clock or a digital clock.
  • Using coins to play a game where you ask your child to make a certain amount.
  • Encouraging your child to count money when shopping or at home.
  • Using everyday situations like “It’s 10 minutes to 4 o’clock” to help your child understand time.
  • Letting your child help with simple shopping tasks where they count coins.

Practice questions

  1. What time is it if the short hand is on 4 and the long hand is on 6?
  2. What time is it if the short hand is on 7 and the long hand is on 3?
  3. How much money is 3 five-pence coins?
  4. How much money is 2 ten-pence coins and 3 one-pence coins?
  5. How many 2p coins make 10p?
Answers:
  1. 4:30 (half past 4)
  2. 7:15 (quarter past 7)
  3. 15p
  4. 23p
  5. 5 coins

FAQ

What is the difference between 10:15 and 10:45?

10:15 is a quarter past 10, and 10:45 is a quarter to 11.

How can I help my child learn to tell time?

You can use a real clock or a digital clock, play time games, and use everyday moments to practice telling time.

Why is it important to learn about money?

Learning about money helps you understand how to spend and save your money wisely, and how to make choices when shopping.

What coins are used in the UK?

The UK uses 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, and 50p coins.

How can I make 30p using coins?

You can make 30p with one 20p coin and one 10p coin, or three 10p coins, or six 5p coins, or thirty 1p coins.