A 8 minute timer you can see
Eight minutes sits between a quick burst and a full study block. It suits one short, focused job.
This is a visual timer. The time is a blue disk that shrinks as the minutes pass: more disk, more time. You can read it in one glance from across a room, with no numbers to work out. The last minute turns amber, and the end is one soft chime.
What 8 minutes are good for
- A medium-boiled egg, firmer than soft but not chalky (about eight minutes for a large egg).
- A short reading block for a young child, with a break after.
- A plank and stretch series, with the disk showing how much is left.
- Clearing the dinner table and loading the dishwasher.
One tip
If a child resists a long task, offer two eight-minute blocks with a short break in between instead of one long sitting. The end they can see makes the first block easier to start.
Other timer lengths
1 min · 2 min · 3 min · 4 min · 5 min · 7 min · 8 min · 10 min · 15 min · 20 min · 25 min · 30 min · 40 min · 45 min · 60 min · 90 min · Classroom timer
Need a different length? Type any number of minutes from 1 to 180 in the Custom box, or open the main visual timer, which remembers the length you used last. For work and break cycles that run themselves, use the pomodoro timer.
Why a shape works better than numbers
Numbers only help if you can feel what "8 minutes" is like. For many children, and for many people with ADHD, that feeling is unreliable. This is often called time blindness. A disk that shrinks turns time into something you can see, so nobody has to guess. More in our guide to visual timers.
Questions about the 8 minute timer
Is 8 minutes long enough for a reading session?
For many younger children, yes, especially if they find reading hard. Short, frequent sessions often work better than one long one. Build up as reading gets easier.
Can I use this timer for cooking?
Yes. Keep the page open on a phone or tablet in the kitchen. It plays a soft chime at the end and the disk turns amber, so you can see it from across the room.
Is this 8 minute timer free?
Yes. It is free, with no signup and no account. It runs in your browser on a phone, tablet, laptop or classroom screen.
Does the 8 minute timer make a loud alarm?
No. It plays one soft chime at the end and the disk turns amber, not red. You can switch the sound off with the bell button.