The Clock Song is a fun and easy way to learn musical note values. It helps kids to understand and recognise the difference between Minims (or 1/2 notes), Crotchets (1/4 notes) and Quavers (1/8 notes) by making it into a fun game. In essence, this simple activity makes the musical concept clear, and the note names and values easy to remember.
Using the the printable sheet (scroll down and click the picture to download).
- First, discuss the three different types of clock and clap and chant the sound that they make.
- Slow, long tick-tocks for the Grandfather clock.
- Medium length tick-tocks for the kitchen clock.
- Fast, little tick-tocks for the little watch.
- Then sing the song together whilse pointing at each clock and making the tick-tocks with wooden sticks.
Grandfather Clock goes
t-i-ck to-ck, ti-ck to-ck, ti-ck to-ck,
Mummy’s kitchen clock goes
tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock,
My little watch goes
tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock
tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock.
Chime Bar Tune of The Clock Song
An Easy Way To learn Musical Note Values
Once they have mastered the song, blow some magic on your hands and rub it on your feet – a useful way to encourage enthusiastic participation! Then you can sing the song while taking steps in time to the tick-tocks, big steps for the Grandfather clock and medium steps for the kitchen clock, and fast little steps for the watch. Using the wooden sticks you can then test them on the note values by playing the three tick-tocks in a different order, and asking them which is which.
If you want to see how The Clock Song fits into a music lesson plans for kids of a variety of ages take a look at my Clocks and Mice lesson plan.
If you are new to music theory, read my Introducing the Note Family post, which explains basic note values in a child friendly way and check out my How To Read Music Made Easy ebook which is accompanied by lots of handy printables and worksheets.
To print the free sheet music (vocal line) for The Clock Song and the free printable resource, click the pictures below
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Sandra says
October 24, 2018 at 9:07 amHi, how about “our kitchen clock” instead of “mummy’s kitchen clock”?
Sara Mullett says
October 24, 2018 at 6:26 pmHi Sandra, Yes of course do adjust the words to suit, I do that all the time in lessons to make them more relevant.
whitney groves says
October 1, 2015 at 2:34 ami really like this website! im learning by muyself how to play the piano and i think the clock song will be a fun one to learn!! hope everyone else like this website. i also am learining other song that was listed on here itll be cool if you try both to
raju says
August 22, 2015 at 6:50 amI want learn the music note ,
Sara Mullett says
August 22, 2015 at 9:45 amThat’s great Raju! You’ve come to the right place!
Sara Mullett says
July 24, 2015 at 10:34 amHi Grace, You are absolutely right! Sorry if that has cause confusion for you! Yes, in the chime bar clip the rhythm is the same in bars (measures) 1, 5 & 8. But on the printable sheet music bar 5 is slightly different to fit in with the words. Unfortunately, this sort of little mistake can happen when things are written or recorded on different days. Anyway, well done for spotting it! It shows you are developing a good understanding 🙂 I am so pleased to hear you are learning so much from Let’s play Music!
Grace says
August 5, 2015 at 1:35 amI was struggling with the notes” values in that song and I tried playing it before listening to it, that is why … Thank you Sara
Grace says
July 23, 2015 at 11:56 pmHello Sara, I am taking baby steps in piano lessons with you. Thank you for all the posts. I appreciate. I have listened to the xylophone and I ordered one for myself. Anytime I am getting it. Do you agree with me that *Xylophone beats in the first measure of the second staff are the same as for the first and the third staffs. They seem not to match with the written notes. I thought the beats would sound different *titititi ta ta instead of ta titi ta ta. Let me know if I am on the right track.