Discover the magic of an hourglass
Welcome to a world where time dances through grains of sand! Hourglasses — those timekeepers of old — also serve as gateways to imagination and creativity for you and your little ones.
As we explore the world of hourglasses, we’ll discover not only their fascinating history but also fun crafts, hourglass drawings and coloring pages, and engaging activities. Get ready to share the magic of hourglasses with your kids, one grain of sand at a time.
⏳ A tiny adventure in glass
An hourglass, also known as a sand timer, is a device that measures the passage of time. It consists of two glass bulbs connected vertically by a narrow neck that allows sand to trickle from the top bulb to the lower one.
The time it takes for all the sand to pass from one bulb to the other is precisely measured, making the hourglass an effective timekeeper.
⏳ Why hourglasses are awesome
Watching the sand move in an hourglass is like watching a slow race. Each grain of sand is in a hurry to get to the bottom. This is a great way to see how time moves, one moment after another.
Hourglasses have a rich history that dates back to the early 14th century, and they were widely used in various aspects of daily life, including navigation, cooking, and as a timekeeping tool in homes and churches.
What makes hourglasses especially fascinating is their simplicity and the visual representation of time passing. Unlike digital clocks or watches, hourglasses provide a tangible sense of time’s flow, making them a perfect tool to introduce the concept of time to young children.
⏳ VIDEO: “How to draw an hourglass”
10 fun facts for curious minds
- Pirates once used hourglasses to time their treasure hunts and make sure everyone took turns steering the ship.
- The narrow part in the middle of an hourglass, where the sand slips through, is called the “throat.”
- Some hourglasses don’t use regular sand; they use glittery sand that sparkles like tiny diamonds under the sun.
- Long ago, people used hourglasses during debates to make sure everyone got their fair chance to speak.
- Hourglasses often appear in fairy tales and magic stories, where they can control time or hold powerful secrets.
- The first hourglasses were used over 1,000 years ago, making them one of the oldest ways to measure time.
- Not all hourglass sands are the same color. They can be all sorts of colors, from bright blue to sunset orange.
- In the kitchen, tiny hourglasses are used to time the cooking of eggs, making sure they’re just right — not too soft and not too hard.
- The sand in hourglasses can come from special beaches or deserts from all over the globe.
- Unlike clocks that need batteries or winding, you can reset an hourglass just by flipping it over.
Fun hourglass crafts to try
Turn our hourglass clipart into fun projects you can hold in your hands. These crafts are perfect for a rainy day or whenever you feel creative.
- Paper hourglass: Cut out two hourglass shapes from paper and decorate them. Glue them together on the edges and pretend it’s counting down to your next adventure!
- Bookmark treasure: Draw an hourglass on a thick piece of paper and color it in. Use it to mark where you’ve paused your reading journey in your favorite book.
- Bottle of colors: Fill a small bottle with layers of colored sand. It’s like making your own hourglass that never runs out of time.
- Magic water hourglass: Tape two small water bottles together, one upside down, with colored water inside. Flip it and watch the waterfall!
- Tiny time capsule: Decorate a small box with our hourglass clipart and fill it with your favorite things. Open it in the future for a surprise from past you!
- Sand Timer Set: Package includes 6 pieces sand timers. 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes timer in one set. These different time length hourglasses can...
- Sturdy and Safety: Sand timers are composed of ABS, high borosilicate glass and protective cover. These sand timers are sturdy and safety for kids.
- Multipurpose: The hourglass makes the passing of time visible. These are great for timing kids’ tooth brushing, studying, cooking, exercising, games and so on. Also ideal for using at...
- Multi-color: Each hourglass has clear number on both sides, and each amount of time has its own color. You can tell apart them easily.
Learning is fun with hourglass games
Hourglasses are not just for looking at! They can be part of fun games that make learning about time a blast.
- Guess the time: Guess how long it takes for your hourglass to run out and see if you’re right. It’s like racing against time!
- Timekeeper’s quest: Find out cool facts about hourglasses and time. Each fact you find earns you a point in this exciting treasure hunt.
- Quick, before the sand runs out!: Play quick games like charades or drawing races, using the hourglass to time each round. The faster, the funnier!
- Make your own hourglass: With some help, create a simple hourglass using salt and two jars. It’s a fun way to learn about how things work.
- Stories of time: Write a short story or draw a picture with an hourglass in it. It could be a magical object or a key to solving a puzzle!
- More Accurate Sand Timer for Kids: Made in USA and Imported. The large sand timer combo pack set have achieved the highest quality ±5% industry standard in the USA
- Safety Sand Timer for Kids: The big sand timers set are made with friendly high borosilicate glass and acrylic material, lead-free and chromium-free. And each one has a number of time...
- The Hourglass Sand Timer Set for Many Occasions: Good idea to help your kids do things more efficiently and develop a strong sense of time. This functional plastic 1/3/5/10/30 minutes...
- Best Gift for Every Occasion: The large kids sand timer combo pack is a classic gift idea for your children and toddlers or your loved ones on their special days throughout the year....
Hourglass drawings & coloring pages
Print out and color these hourglass drawings, or with the coloring pages, you can make the sands of time any color you want.
Time to explore with books
Reading books about hourglasses and the history of time can take you on amazing adventures. You’ll learn how people measured time long ago, and you might even discover some time-traveling stories!
- Cleary, Brian P. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 08/01/2015 (Publication Date) - Millbrook Press ™ (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Older, Jules (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 02/01/2000 (Publication Date) - Charlesbridge (Publisher)
- Cottage Door Press (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 10 Pages - 09/18/2018 (Publication Date) - Cottage Door Press (Publisher)
- Sierra, Judy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages - 06/01/2007 (Publication Date) - Clarion Books (Publisher)
- Browne, Vix (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 27 Pages - 12/06/2023 (Publication Date) - Neville House Publishing (Publisher)
