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Kids Timer
A disc that gets smaller as the time runs out. Children can see how much is left without reading a single number.
How long to set it for
| Use | Typical time | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Brushing teeth | 2 min | Start it when the brush is in the mouth |
| Taking turns with a toy | 2–5 min | Same length for every child, every time |
| Getting dressed or shoes on | 5 min | Make it a race against the disc |
| Tidying up | 5–10 min | Name one area, not the whole room |
| “Five more minutes” before leaving | 5 min | Start it where the child can see it |
| Quiet play or reading | 10–20 min | Hide the numbers so only the disc shows |
| Screen time | 15–30 min | Agree the time before the screen goes on |
These are common starting points, not rules. Shorter is better at first: a timer that finishes teaches more than one that is abandoned.
How to use it
- Pick a time with the chips, or set your own with the steppers.
- Choose a color your child likes and press the full-screen button. Put the screen where they can see it but not reach it.
- Say what the timer is for in one sentence — “when the green is gone, we put shoes on” — then press Start together.
- When it rings, follow through straight away. The timer only works if the end always means the same thing.
Why children need to see time
A four-year-old has no feel for how long five minutes is. Numbers counting down mean little before a child can read them, and “soon” means nothing at all. A shape that shrinks is different: the child can see that there was a lot and now there is a little, the same way they can see that a glass is nearly empty.
That is why teachers and occupational therapists use disc timers for transitions, the moments of the day when a child has to stop one thing and start another. The warning is built in. Nobody has to announce “two more minutes”; the child can watch it coming.
Making it work at home
Let the timer be the one who says stop. “The timer says it is bath time” lands very differently from “I say it is bath time”, because there is nobody to argue with. For that to hold, do not add time when it rings, at least not while the habit is forming.
Use it for things your child likes as well as things they do not: ten minutes of a favorite game, a turn on the swing. A timer that only ever ends the fun becomes the enemy. And keep the first few uses short and easy, so finishing on time is something they have already done.
Common mistakes
- Starting the timer without telling the child what happens when it ends.
- Giving “one more minute” when it rings. Once is enough to teach that the end is negotiable.
- Setting long times for small children. Under about four, anything over ten minutes is too long to hold in mind.
- Putting the phone in the child’s hands. Prop it up out of reach, or use a laptop or TV.
Questions people ask
What age is a visual timer for?
From about two or three years old, when a child can understand “when it is gone, we stop”. It stays useful through primary school, and many older children and adults with attention difficulties prefer it to a digital countdown.
Can I hide the numbers?
Yes. Untick “Show the time” and only the disc is shown. That suits children who get anxious watching seconds tick, or who cannot read numbers yet.
Is there a quiet ending?
Yes. Choose a soft sound such as the chime, wind chimes or birdsong, or pick Silent and the screen flashes instead.
Does it work on a tablet or TV?
Yes. It runs in any modern browser. Press the full-screen button and the disc fills the screen; on a TV, mirror your phone or laptop as you normally would.
Is it safe for kids to use?
The page has no accounts, no chat and nothing to buy, and it stores only the timer settings in your browser. As with any website, it is best used with an adult setting it up.