Guide · a.m. and p.m.

A.M. and P.M. Explained for Kids

The short answer

A clock goes round twice each day, so we need a way to tell the two turns apart. A.M. is the first turn, from midnight to noon: the morning. P.M. is the second turn, from noon to midnight: the afternoon and evening. School starts in the a.m. and dinner is in the p.m.

Why we need them

There are 24 hours in a day but only 12 numbers on a clock. That means 7:00 happens twice: once around breakfast and once around dinner. Writing 7:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m. says which one you mean. Digital clocks with a small AM or PM do this for you, but a clock with hands doesn't.

Noon and midnight

Noon and midnight are the two turning points. At 12:00 noon, the morning ends and a.m. changes to p.m. At 12:00 midnight, p.m. changes back to a.m. and a new day begins. This is the confusing bit: 12:00 p.m. is noon and 12:00 a.m. is midnight. Saying noon and midnight instead avoids any mix-up.

How to remember it

The letters come from Latin: ante meridiem means before midday, and post meridiem means after midday. For children, the simple link is this: a.m. is when you're Awake for the Morning, and p.m. is for Play and Moon. Draw a line for the day, mark noon and midnight, and add your child's day to it.

How to do it with Clockwood

  1. Print blank clock faces and make two: one for the morning, one for the evening.
  2. Add a real event to each: 7:00 a.m. breakfast, 7:00 p.m. bath.
  3. Look at any time page to see what it means in the morning and the evening.
  4. Ask at odd moments: is it a.m. or p.m. right now?

Questions people ask

Is 12 noon a.m. or p.m.?

12:00 noon is p.m., and 12:00 midnight is a.m. The change happens right at 12, so many people just say noon or midnight.

When do kids learn a.m. and p.m.?

Usually in second grade in the US, alongside telling time to five minutes.

Keep reading

BasicsHow to Tell Time on a Clock: A Simple Guide AgeWhen Should a Child Be Able to Tell Time? Elapsed timeElapsed Time for Kids: How to Work It Out
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