The Clock Song is an excellent 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. It’s a simple activity that 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 shown in the picture.
- Then clap and chant the sound that they make together.
- 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 whilst pointing at each clock and demonstrating the tick-tocks with wooden sticks.
- Sing the song a few times while you pass the wooden sticks round the circle.
The Clock Song
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
An Easy Way To learn Musical Note Values
- Once they’ve mastered the song, here’s a fun activity.
- 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.
- Medium steps for the kitchen clock.
- fFast 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 for The Clock Song and the free printable work sheet here.
Hi, how about “our kitchen clock” instead of “mummy’s kitchen clock”?
Hi Sandra, Yes of course do adjust the words to suit, I do that all the time in lessons to make them more relevant.
i 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
I want learn the music note ,
That’s great Raju! You’ve come to the right place!
Hi 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!
I was struggling with the notes” values in that song and I tried playing it before listening to it, that is why … Thank you Sara
Hello 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.