What is a visual timer?
A visual timer shows time remaining as a shrinking area of color instead of numbers. Even children who can't read a clock yet understand right away that time is up when the red is gone.
Because time passing is visible at a glance, visual timers are widely used in preschool and elementary classrooms, special education and at home. They work just as well for adults keeping meetings and presentations on schedule.
Ideas for using it
- Kids' routines: 3 minutes for brushing teeth, 10 for tidying up, 30 for screen time. The disc ends the activity instead of you having to say "time's up".
- Classroom activities: Put group work, quiz time or recess on the classroom TV so students can check the time themselves.
- Meetings and talks: Give each speaker 5 minutes and Q&A 10 minutes to keep meetings from dragging on.
- Focused work: If the numbers distract you, turn off Show digital time and just watch the disc.
How to use
- Drag around the disc to set a time, or tap a preset from 1 to 60 minutes.
- Press Start (or the space bar) and the disc starts shrinking.
- When time is up, the alarm plays and the disc flashes.
- In Settings, change the dial range (10, 20, 30, 60 or 120 minutes), the color and the alarm sound. A 10 or 20 minute range makes short activities easier to see.
Frequently asked questions
Can I set more than 60 minutes?
Yes. Change the Dial range to 120 minutes in Settings to set up to 2 hours.
Why are the numbers counterclockwise?
The numbers run counterclockwise from 12 so that the edge of the disc moves clockwise, like a clock hand, as time runs out. It's the same layout used by classic classroom visual timers.
Can I show it fullscreen on a classroom TV?
Press the fullscreen button at the top right (or the F key) and the disc fills the screen. The screen stays on while the timer runs.
Can I use it without sound?
Set the volume to 0 in Settings and the disc will just flash when time is up. Good for libraries and quiet rooms.