Classroom Timer

Free online timers designed for teachers and classrooms. Visual countdowns that students can see and understand. No sign-up required.

5 min Timer 10 min Timer 15 min Timer 20 min Timer Custom Timer

Popular Classroom Timers

Quick access to the most commonly used timer durations in classrooms. Click any timer to start immediately.

Timer Types for Classrooms

Different timer styles for different classroom needs. Visual timers work great for younger students, while sensory timers help with calming activities.

Sensory & Calming Timers

These timers provide gentle, calming visual feedback - ideal for transitions, sensory breaks, and students who need a non-stressful way to see time passing.

For Special Education

Visual timers are recommended tools for students with autism, ADHD, and other learning differences. Our timers provide predictable, non-verbal time cues.

Why Use Visual Timers in the Classroom?

Visual timers transform the abstract concept of time into something students can see and understand. Unlike traditional clocks that require reading skills and mental math, visual timers show time as a shrinking quantity - when the color is gone, time is up.

Research supports the use of visual timers in educational settings. They reduce anxiety by making time predictable, improve on-task behavior by providing clear expectations, and support students who struggle with time perception.

Transitions

Give students clear warnings before activity changes. "When the timer ends, we clean up."

Timed Activities

Set time limits for centers, group work, or independent practice.

Tests & Quizzes

Display remaining time for the whole class to see during assessments.

Brain Breaks

Time short movement or relaxation breaks between lessons.

Turn-Taking

Fair, visible timing for sharing materials or speaking turns.

Cool-Down

Give students a visual for how long they need to calm down.

Timer Recommendations by Grade Level

Pre-K & Kindergarten

Young children respond well to colorful, engaging timers. The Rainbow Timer with its bright color bands is ideal. Sand Timers are also great because the falling sand is intuitive even without number sense.

Elementary School (1st-5th Grade)

The Visual Timer works perfectly for this age group. Students understand the shrinking circle and can gauge time remaining at a glance. Consider adding a background image related to your current unit.

Middle & High School

Older students benefit from timers that show both visual and numeric time. The Progress Timer with its percentage display works well for this age group. The Pomodoro Timer is excellent for teaching time management skills.

Tips for Using Classroom Timers

  1. Be consistent - Use timers regularly so students know what to expect.
  2. Give warnings - Set a shorter timer first as a "5 minutes left" warning.
  3. Make it visible - Project on a screen or interactive whiteboard so all students can see.
  4. Praise compliance - Acknowledge students who finish before the timer.
  5. Adjust as needed - Some activities need more time than expected. It's okay to add time.
  6. Let students set timers - Give ownership by letting students start the timer.
  7. Use for positive activities - Don't only use timers for work. Use them for fun activities too.

Features Teachers Love

Common Classroom Timer Durations