What are the first clocks?

The first clocks were simple tools that helped people tell time using things they could see and feel every day.

Imagine you're playing outside, and your shadow gets longer as the day goes on. The first clocks worked like that! People used the sun to know what time it was, when the sun was high in the sky, it was noon, and when it went down, it was night. This kind of clock is called a sundial, and it’s like having a giant ruler on the ground that shows how much time has passed by where the shadow falls.

Sometimes people didn’t have sunlight, maybe it was cloudy or nighttime! So they used water instead. They had a big jar with water, and as the water slowly ran out into another jar, they could tell how long something took. It's like watching your favorite drink drip drop by drop, you know exactly when it’s gone!

These early clocks were like our first friends who helped us know when to go to bed or play outside. Simple, but super helpful!