Skip to content

Free Visual Timer for Toddlers & Kids

Time's up!

Add this visual timer to your website or blog:

Need something to time?

Browse 36 toddler-tested activities — each with a setup, a model, and roughly how long it'll keep them engaged.

Browse activities →

What Is a Visual Timer?

A visual timer shows the passage of time through animation rather than numbers. Instead of watching digits count down, your child sees sand drain through an hourglass, a circle unwind, or colorful blocks disappear. This makes the abstract concept of time concrete for children who can't yet read a clock.

Visual timers are widely used by occupational therapists, teachers, and parents of children with ADHD and autism. They reduce transition anxiety by making time predictable. Common uses include screen time limits, brushing teeth, getting dressed, cleanup time, and bedtime wind-down.

Toothbrush timer

Dentists say two minutes, twice a day — but two minutes feels like forever to a toddler. Set the pills to 2 and let them watch the sand drain or the blocks vanish while they brush. It turns "keep going" into a finish line they can see.

Bedtime timer

A calm countdown makes the move from play to pyjamas feel fair instead of sudden. Set 5 or 10 minutes for the wind-down so "almost time for bed" becomes something your child can watch run out, no clock-reading required.

Play timer

Perfect for turn-taking, clean-up, and "five more minutes" at the park. Because the time is visible, the end of the turn isn't a surprise — the timer is the bad guy, not you, which makes transitions a lot less tearful.

Cartoon time

Use it as a screen-time or cartoon timer: agree on the length before you start, then let the animation count down alongside the show. When the blocks are gone, the episode's over — a predictable limit that's easier to honour than a verbal warning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a visual timer for toddlers?

A visual timer shows time passing through animation. Toddlers who can't read a clock can see sand draining or blocks disappearing and understand that time is running out.

What age can kids use a visual timer?

Most children can follow a visual timer from around age 2. The key is that the timer communicates through movement and color, not numbers or text.

Is this timer free?

Completely free. No signup, no ads, no app to install. Works in any mobile or desktop browser.

Make an unforgettable gift

A whole keepsake coloring book for grandma, mom, dad, a teacher, or a brand-new baby. $12, no subscription.

Get the Gift Pack
Hello Playdate beta

Send feedback

🙏
Thanks — we read every one.
You can close this or send another.
Including: page URL, viewport ▾
page:
viewport: