Back when I was teaching elementary school, I realized how beneficial timers could be in the classroom. It wasn’t long after I became a mom that I realized just how valuable it could be to have a timer within the classroom. It was a visual timer that a kindergarten teacher utilized with her students. It took me a while to find the correct one. Amazon helped me get it only six months ago. This been a lifesaver for me.

I also sent one to my sister for her to use with her three-year old son. It’s a fantastic product that they enjoy the same way as we do. I wanted to make sure to mention this product as I think that every parent and caregiver of children in the early years could benefit.

Any timer can be employed in the classroom and at home in various ways, I like this particular one timer countdown. It shows youngsters how much time remains since they don’t have any idea of the concept of time. When there is a lot of time left on the timer, it displays an abundance of red and when there’s just an inch or two left, it shows only the tiniest bit of red. Genius!

Once it’s sounded the sound will stop and then automatically shut off. Also, you can disable the sound if you prefer. This timer comes with “feet” allowing you to put it up on any flat surface. (We shift ours from room to room around the house depending on the needs.) It can also be hung in the walls. It only requires one AA battery and appears to last for a long time. It is so easy to use that I often let my three year old daughter operate it.

Here are a few ways this timer makes my life easier.

Nap time:

My 3-year-old daughter is having a hard time sleeping recently, but if I tell her to set the timer for 45 minutes and she’s required to remain in bed until it ends, she’s okay to do that since she knows that it’s only temporary and has an expiration point. I ensure she shuts off the alarm and she sleeps within a matter of minutes after the timer ends. If she doesn’t sleep then at the very least she had 45 minutes of rest time.

Time for play:

My daughter Pooky is my only child. She is begging me to spend as many hours with her as possible. Although I am a fan of playing with Pooky, there are other activities that I must do. It was helpful to realize that Pooky will accept that the timer has ended after we have played for fifteen minutes.

Rest time:

Sometimes mommy and daughter both require a break So we start the timer and enjoy silence until it ends.

Clean-up time:

With no timer, my child takes FOREVER to get her toys. The timer lets my daughter focus better on her task and creates an exciting race against time. If I am concerned that she’s not going to finish on time, I can add timer time or assist her get there before the timer is set to go off.

TV/Device time:

Pooky, like most children, enjoys playing with apps and watching videos. I do not want her spend too much of her time in this manner So I set the timer so that she doesn’t argue (too much) when time is up. I make it as brief as I can (about 25 minutes).

Time of work:

If I’m faced with a deadline, but my daughter is constantly begging me to play with her, I set the alarm for about 30 minutes and remind my daughter that she’s required to play by herself and then let me do my work until the timer is off. It works! I get uninterrupted time and knowing that the clock is running, I am able to focus on my job.

Potty time

When we started potty training my daughter experienced a phase of wanting to go off the toilet as soon as I put her on it. I used the timer to let her know she was required to stay on the toilet for at least a few minutes.

Time for bed:

This is another part of our day that caused us a lot of conflict. Using this timer, we enjoy a peaceful night. As soon as it is getting close to the time when we begin our bedtime routine, the timer will be set for approximately 15 minutes. Then she is free to play whatever music she likes until the time runs out. Even though she might be a bit upset with having to go to bed, she doesn’t have to fight the buzzer. The red disk disappearing on the timer face will help her anticipate what’s in store.

Adventure time:

If my daughter is aware that we’re going to a place that’s exciting and keeps asking repeatedly when it’s the right time to leave yet, I set the timer to let her know how much time is left before we will leave the house. This only works for an hour before we leave however it provides us with peace. She’ll have fun and will stop pestering me about the time, and simply checks periodically the status of the timer.