The Clock With Movable Numbers is a Mathematics Montessori material designed for children aged 3-6, crafted by Nienhuis Montessori to AMI standards.
This innovative time-telling material features a plywood clock face with removable number tokens in two colors - red for hours 1-12 and blue for 24-hour notation (13-24). The movable hands and dual numbering system support children in understanding both 12-hour and 24-hour time formats, while the stable wooden stand ensures easy manipulation during lessons.
“Children display a universal love of mathematics, which is par excellence the science of precision, order, and intelligence.”— Maria MontessoriThe Discovery of the Child
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'”
— Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
The Clock With Movable Numbers addresses the child's growing awareness of daily rhythms and their mathematical understanding of quantity. This plywood clock with its red hour tokens (1-12) and blue 24-hour tokens (13-24) bridges concrete number work with abstract time concepts. The removable number tokens allow children to physically construct the clock face, reinforcing number sequence while introducing temporal relationships. The dual color system creates a visual distinction between morning and afternoon hours, making the 24-hour cycle concrete rather than abstract. The movable hands on this wooden clock invite repeated practice, allowing children to represent any time of day through their own manipulation. By presenting both 12-hour and 24-hour formats simultaneously, this clock respects the child's capacity to understand multiple systems of measurement. The stable wooden stand ensures the clock remains accessible for independent exploration, honoring the principle that learning happens through repeated, self-chosen interaction with carefully designed materials.
Each order includes everything needed for proper presentation and long-term use.
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Invite the child to place the red tokens 1-12 around the clock face, starting at the top with 12
Once comfortable with 12-hour format, introduce the blue tokens, explaining these represent afternoon and evening hours
Demonstrate moving the hour hand slowly while counting the hours it passes
Show how the minute hand moves faster, completing a full circle each hour
Set the clock to show current time and relate it to present activity
Each material supports multiple areas of child development simultaneously.
Manipulating the movable hands helps children understand the relationship between hours and minutes while building concrete time-telling skills.
Arranging removable number tokens reinforces number order and introduces the concept of 24-hour time notation.
Placing tokens and adjusting clock hands develops pincer grip and hand-eye coordination essential for writing preparation.
Transitioning between 12-hour and 24-hour systems builds flexibility in mathematical thinking and real-world application.
Designed for child-sized hands
Professional tips from AMI-trained guides to maximize the educational value of this material.
“Begin with only red tokens (1-12) until the child masters basic time-telling”
'At 10:00, when the hands look like this, we'll have snack'
Allow children to remove and replace tokens daily as a morning routine to reinforce number sequence
Connect clock work to the decimal system by grouping hours into tens and units
Everything you need to know about this material.
This clock is designed for children ages 3-6 years old, aligning with the sensitive period for order and mathematical concepts in Montessori education.
The clock includes two sets of removable number tokens - red numbers for hours 1-12 and blue numbers for 24-hour notation (13-24), allowing children to physically exchange numbers to explore both time formats.
The clock features a durable plywood clock face with removable number tokens and movable hands, all mounted on a stable wooden stand for easy manipulation during lessons.
The removable number tokens allow children to physically manipulate the numbers, reinforcing number recognition, sequencing, and the relationship between 12-hour and 24-hour time through hands-on exploration.
Yes, once introduced to the material, children can work independently with the clock, arranging numbers, setting times, and exploring time concepts at their own pace, following the Montessori principle of self-directed learning.
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