A classroom timer the whole room can see
Put this timer on the projector or the interactive board, pick the minutes and press Start. A big colored disk shrinks as time passes, so every child can see how much time is left from the back of the room. Nobody has to read numbers or ask "how long now?"
It is made to stay calm. The last minute turns amber, not red, as a quiet heads-up. At zero there is one soft chime instead of a buzzer, and one tap on the bell turns the sound off. It is free, with no signup and no ads.
How teachers use it
- Transitions. "When the blue is gone, we line up." A two- or three-minute timer gives everyone the same warning at the same time, and the disk does the reminding for you.
- Centers and stations. Run 10 or 15 minutes for each rotation. Children glance up to pace themselves, so the switch is never a surprise.
- Clean-up. A 3-minute tidy is easier to start when the end is visible. Many classes like to race the disk.
- Tests and timed work. The time left is a shape, so nobody has to work out minutes in their head. Switch the numbers off if a countdown makes some children anxious.
- Brain breaks. A 2- to 5-minute movement break with a clear end is easier to come back from than an open-ended one.
- Children with ADHD who need to see time. Many children with ADHD find it hard to feel time passing. This is often called time blindness. A visual timer turns time into something they can see, which can make waiting, starting and stopping easier. It is a support for the whole class, not a treatment.
Tips for using a visual timer in class
- Say what happens at the end before you press Start. "When the blue is gone, pencils down." Then let the timer be the messenger.
- Use the same lengths for the same routines. Clean-up is always 3 minutes, centers are always 15. Predictable routines make transitions smoother.
- Keep the disk where everyone can see it. Press F for full screen, so the disk fills the board.
- Give a warning, not a surprise. For big switches, like the end of free play, start a short timer a few minutes ahead.
- Turn the numbers off for younger children. The shape is enough, and there is less to read.
- Point at the disk instead of raising your voice. When time is up, the timer has already said it.
- Celebrate starting. Praise the class for getting going when the timer starts, not only for finishing on time.
Keyboard shortcuts
Space starts and pauses. F goes full screen and back. R resets to the length you chose. You can also tap or click the disk to start or pause, and type any length from 1 to 180 minutes in the Custom box.
More free tools for your classroom
Need one fixed length? Open a ready-set timer: 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. For work and break cycles that run themselves, use the pomodoro timer. For everything else, the main visual timer remembers the length you used last.
For younger classes, our free learning games run on interactive boards with no account and no ads, the printable activity sheets are free to print for the whole class, and a printable visual schedule shows the order of the day in pictures. Why do shapes beat numbers? Read our guide to visual timers.
Questions teachers ask
Is this classroom timer free?
Yes. It is free, with no signup, no account and no ads. It runs in any browser on a classroom computer, an interactive board, a tablet or a phone.
How do I make the timer full screen on a projector?
Press F on the keyboard or tap the Full screen button. The disk fills the display and the menus and text go away. Press F again or Esc to leave full screen.
Can I turn the sound off?
Yes. Tap the bell button to switch the sound off. With the sound on, the timer plays one soft chime at the end, never a loud alarm.
What happens when the time runs out?
The disk turns amber, one soft chime plays and the timer starts counting up, so you can see how much extra time the class needed. Tap "I'm done" when the class has finished.
Does a visual timer help students with ADHD?
Many children with ADHD find it hard to judge how much time is left. A shrinking disk shows time as a shape they can check for themselves, which can make transitions and starting work easier. It works best alongside the other supports in their plan.
Can I hide the numbers so children only see the disk?
Yes. Tap Numbers off. Only the shrinking disk stays on screen, which suits younger children and anyone who finds a countdown stressful.