In this modern era, if you asked kids to read a clock face that was not digital, they may not be able to tell the time. They are so accustomed to digital clocks and digital timepieces that other timepieces (to them) are antiquated and/or confusing. If you want to teach your tween or teen on how to read different clocks and timepiece watches, start by purchasing different watches. They do not have to be expensive timepieces, but they should each have a different type of watch face on them so that your teen learns to read a different kind of clockface. The following shows all of the different styles of clockfaces that exist, and what your kid can discover by learning how to read them. 

The Face with Roman Numerals

How long has it been since you have seen Roman numerals on a watch face? Probably a good long time, judging by the obscurity of watches available with these numbers on them. Some grandfather clocks still use Roman numerals, but if you have not seen a grandfather clock in some time then that does not help you either. By buying a watch with Roman numerals on the face, your teen or tween learns to read them, from one to twelve, something which most kids are no longer taught in school. 

The Face with Actual Numbers

Yes, your kids know English numbers from one to twelve. What they may not know is how to read a watch with actual numbers on it and not a digital readout. Some schools still touch on this subject, but it helps to get your kids into practice reading the time properly with this type of watch or clockface. They will have to figure out what "half past," "quarter to," "quarter after," and various hours followed by numbers looks like and means without a digital display telling them. 

The Face with Space-Holding Positioners

These types of watches and clocks have either dots or bars instead of numbers where the numbers usually are found. If you really want to make this learning lesson a challenge, introduce your teen/tween to this type of watch first. He/she will be forced to remember the position of the numbers on a clock or watch face when the numbers are not present but represented by dots or bars only. It is also an introduction to how military personnel learn time positions on a watch face; something that may be of importance to you if you are head of a military family. 

Look for a timepiece watch with one of these face styles to help your child learn how to tell the time without digital numbers.