A1.1 – Unité 11 : L’heure et la météo

French weather and time vocabulary for children

Understanding how to tell the time and describe the weather is an essential step in learning French. This unit, focused on French weather and time vocabulary for children, teaches kids to say what time it is, recognize parts of the day, and talk about the weather. These two themes are part of everyday life, making them practical and fun for children to use immediately. Parents will appreciate how this unit connects classroom learning with real conversations at home: looking outside to describe the weather or checking the clock together.

What your child will learn in this unit

By the end of this unit, your child will be able to:

• Say the hour in French (1–12).
• Recognize parts of the day (le matin, l’après-midi, le soir).
• Ask and answer “What time is it?” (Quelle heure est-il ?).
• Name different types of weather (il fait beau, il pleut, il neige).
• Combine weather with activities (Il fait soleil, je joue dehors).
• Use basic future expressions (Demain, il va pleuvoir).
• Count from 51 to 55.
• Combine knowledge from earlier units (family, school, clothing) with weather and time.

These skills allow children to express when things happen and describe the world around them.

A playful and interactive approach

Lessons in this unit (30 minutes each) are designed to keep kids active and curious. Instead of memorizing lists, they practice weather and time in interactive ways:

• Clock games: moving hands on a clock to show the right hour.
• Weather cards: choosing pictures to describe the day’s weather.
• Role-plays: asking “What time is it?” and answering.
• Listening tasks: hearing a weather forecast or a schedule.
• Pronunciation practice: focusing on [œʁ] in heure and nasal sounds in matin.

These activities make abstract ideas like time and weather concrete and enjoyable.

Mid-unit and final progress checks

Two reviews measure progress clearly:

• Lesson 6: A short quiz on telling the time and recognizing basic weather expressions.
• Lesson 13: A final review combining listening, reading, and speaking tasks on time and weather (≥50% pass mark).

Both are interactive and child-friendly, helping parents see real progress.

Cultural connection

In France, children often check the clock for the time of school or meals, and weather is a common topic of conversation. This unit introduces the cultural habit of saying il fait beau when it’s sunny, or listening to a weather report on TV. Children discover how French kids talk about time and seasons, which makes the language more authentic and relatable.

Benefits for your child

• Practical vocabulary: Weather and time are used daily.
• Confidence: Kids can ask and answer questions in real contexts.
• Interactive practice: Games with clocks and weather cards make lessons playful.
• Grammar in context: Using il fait and simple future expressions.
• Cultural awareness: Discovering how French people talk about time and weather.

A foundation for continued learning

This unit on French weather and time vocabulary for children builds naturally on previous units. After learning to describe themselves, their family, their house, and their clothes, children now gain the ability to say when and under what conditions activities happen. This prepares them for Unit 12, where they revise and practice all topics in preparation for the final test.

Parents can be reassured that their child is not only learning vocabulary but also applying it in practical ways, making French learning part of everyday life.

Conclusion

French weather and time vocabulary for children is more than just telling the hour or naming the weather. It gives kids the power to describe their day, connect language to real-world experiences, and participate in simple conversations. With interactive activities, playful reviews, and cultural context, children build confidence and motivation step by step.

By the end of this unit, your child will proudly say the time and describe the weather in French.