Converting 12-Hour and 24-Hour Clock Differentiated Worksheets

How can I use these 12-hour and 24-hour digital clock worksheets?

Use these printable clock worksheets with your maths class to teach them how to convert time from a 12-hour digital clock to a 24-hour clock, and vice versa. 

This useful life skill will give them a better grasp of telling the time, and teach them how to add and subtract to convert units of time.

It can sometimes be confusing for children to understand the difference between 12 and 24-hour clocks, but we've tried to make these worksheets as simple and accessible as possible to help make teaching this subject go by in no time at all.

This printable pack include three differentiated versions, with tasks for Higher, Middle and Lower ability kids. This way you can deliver targeted help to those who need it, speeding up the time it takes to learn about the 24-hour clock system.

Tailor this activity for your class and pretty soon every student will be able to convert fluently between 24-hour and 12-hour clocks. 

To learn more about 24-hour clocks so you have everything you need for your lesson, check out the wiki page answering the question: What is a 24-Hour Clock? 

These worksheets make a great accompaniment to this 24 Hour Time PowerPoint. Also check out our handy Digital and Analogue Clock Activity to help childrens' learning.

Converting time from a 12-hour clock to a 24-hour clock

To convert the time from a 12-hour clock to a 24-hour clock, you must consider how the time would appear in a 24-hour cycle.

For instance, before noon (AM), the times will not differ much. 9:00 AM in the morning may be shown as 09:00 AM in the morning.

For times in the afternoon (PM),  you must add 12 to the time shown on a 12-hour clock.

Therefore 1:00 PM would become 13:00 PM, as it includes the first full rotation of the clock face that took place in the morning.

If you explain to children that they essentially keep counting after 12 midday, instead of reverting back to '1', this might help them. 

Present the 24-hour clock system as an easier way to think about time if children are wondering why exactly they should learn this model.

If things are still a bit rocky why not show your class this simple 24-hour clock conversion PowerPoint, or try this Converting Time Worksheet?

Put your students' new knowledge into practice with this 12-hour Clock Planning Resource.

12-hour and 24-hour Digital Clocks

There are two ways of telling the time with digital clocks.

• A 12-hour clock runs from 1 AM to 12 noon, before resetting. Then, from 1 PM to 12 midnight.  
• However, a 24-hour digital clock uses the digits 00:00 to 23:59, resetting at midnight each night to 00:00.
• 24-hour time-keeping is sometimes called military time, because it is widely used by the armies, navies and airforces of the world. Telling your children this fun fact might help them get onboard with learning about the 24-hour clock.