Converting units of time: what children learn
Year 4 pupils convert between different units of measure, including hours to minutes, minutes to seconds, years to months and weeks to days.
In this game children match times in one unit to the same time in another, such as 3 minutes and 180 seconds. Knowing the key facts, 60, 60, 7 and 12, and multiplying or dividing by them, is the whole skill.
This topic covers the Year 4 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Measurement): pupils should be taught to “solve problems involving converting from hours to minutes; minutes to seconds; years to months; weeks to days”. Year 4 pupils are usually aged 8–9.
For families following US standards, the closest Common Core standard is 4.MD.A.1, which is taught in Grade 4.
How to play
Pick a card on the left, then the card on the right that matches it. Each game has 6 pairs. Wrong matches are counted as mistakes, and you get three stars for a game with no mistakes.
Step by step
- Learn the facts. 1 minute = 60 seconds. 1 hour = 60 minutes. 1 week = 7 days. 1 year = 12 months.
- Bigger unit to smaller: multiply. 2 hours = 2 × 60 = 120 minutes.
- Smaller unit to bigger: divide. 35 days = 35 ÷ 7 = 5 weeks.
- Halves and quarters. Half an hour is 30 minutes. A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes.
Worked examples
Example 1: 2 hours
Working: 2 × 60 = 120.
Answer: 120 minutes
Example 2: 4 years
Working: 4 × 12 = 48.
Answer: 48 months
Example 3: 8 weeks
Working: 8 × 7 = 56.
Answer: 56 days
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Using 100 instead of 60 for minutes and seconds. Time is not decimal. There are 60 minutes in an hour.
- Dividing when you should multiply. Ask: will the number of smaller units be bigger? It should be.
- Forgetting that 1 hour 30 minutes is 90 minutes, not 130. Convert the hours first, then add the minutes.
Activities to try at home
- Ask how many minutes until bedtime, then how many seconds.
- Work out how many months old each family member is.
- Count down the days and weeks to a birthday.
Ideas for the classroom
- Pupils make a conversion poster for units of time.
- Time an activity in seconds and convert it to minutes and seconds.
- Play quick-fire conversion bingo.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why is time harder to convert than metres or grams?
Metric units use 10, 100 and 1,000. Time uses 60, 7 and 12, so children need to know those facts.
Do children convert analogue and digital times too?
Yes. Year 4 pupils also read, write and convert between analogue and digital 12- and 24-hour clocks.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. Tab to a card, press Enter to pick it, then pick its partner.