A speaking clock for kids learning time and older relatives

Two groups get a lot out of hearing the time: young kids who can’t read a clock yet, and older relatives whose eyes aren’t what they were. The setup is nearly the same for both.

For kids

A five-year-old has no idea what “ten minutes” means. Hearing “it’s 7:40… it’s 7:45” while they get dressed slowly builds that sense, and it takes you out of the role of the person nagging about time.

• Use Clock Aligned every 5 minutes in the morning.
• Tell them the one time that matters: “When you hear 7:50, shoes on.”
• Turn it off after school, so it stays the morning thing.

A parent in Japan wrote:

100% Free and Great app

This app has made life such an ease. A perfect app for my kids.

★★★★★ App Store review, Japan, 27 December 2024, Md_in_Japan · App Store

For older relatives

Many older people own a talking clock already, the kind with a button on top. An iPad or old iPhone running Voice Clock can do the same job without the button.

• Use a slower system voice if they find the default fast. You can pick a different voice in the app.
• Every 30 minutes or every hour, Clock Aligned, is calm enough for a whole day.
• Set Quiet Hours for the night.
• Keep the device plugged in. Speaking all day uses more battery than a phone sitting idle.

Set it up for them, press Start, and leave it on a shelf where it can be heard. If they have an iPhone with VoiceOver, see the guide for blind and low-vision users.

One thing to check

Announcements follow the media volume, not the ringer. If an older person turns the volume down to stop a video, the clock goes quiet too. Show them which button does what, or tape a note to the case.

Related: what to look for in a talking clock app.