Visual timer for kids
Shrinking red discFor home and schoolFull screen
Time's up
Space to start or pause, R to reset, F for full screen.
The red part is the time that’s left. It shrinks while the timer runs, like a pie with slices being taken away, and when it’s gone, time is up. Kids who don’t know minutes yet can see at a glance how long they have, which tends to cut down on “how much longer?”
Common lengths
Ways families use it
- Screen time: the child can see when the tablet goes off, so the end doesn’t come out of nowhere.
- Getting ready in the morning, brushing teeth or putting on shoes, with a few minutes on the clock.
- Cleaning up: set 10 minutes and try to finish before the red disappears.
- Taking turns: one child plays with the toy until the disc is empty, then it’s the other one’s turn.
- Homework or reading in short blocks, with a break when the time is up.
Routines and transitions
Switching from one thing to the next is hard for a lot of kids. Seeing the time run down helps some of them get ready to stop, and that’s why visual timers are popular with parents of autistic children and kids with ADHD. Every child is different, so try a short length first and see how it goes.
In the classroom
Put the page on the projector or smartboard and press Full screen, and the disc is big enough to see from the back row. While it runs, the timer asks the computer to keep the screen on, where the browser supports it. For older students who read numbers fine, the classroom timer has bigger digits and presets for each activity.
Questions people ask
What is a visual timer?
A timer that shows the time left as a picture instead of only a number. Here it is a red disc that gets smaller as the minutes pass. When the red is gone, time is up, so a child who can’t read a clock yet can still see how much is left.
Can I use it with an autistic child or a child with ADHD?
Many families and teachers use visual timers for routines and transitions, and some kids find it easier when they can see the end coming. It is a plain timer, not a therapy tool, so if your child works with a therapist or a teacher on routines, follow what they suggest.
What happens when the time runs out?
The red disc is gone, the timer plays three short bursts of beeps, about four seconds in all, and the screen says Time’s up. Phones that allow it also vibrate.
Can I use it without sound?
Yes. Turn the volume down on the device. The end is still easy to see, because the disc is empty and Time’s up appears on the screen.
How do I put it on the classroom screen?
Open the page on the computer connected to the projector or smartboard and press Full screen, or F on the keyboard. The disc and the time left fill the screen.
For any other length, use the countdown timer. In the kitchen, try the kitchen timer or the egg timer. Counting the sleeps until a birthday or a holiday? Make a countdown to the date.