Clocks and timers are important parts of our daily lives. They help us stay on time, alert us to how much time we have left, and help us anticipate what is next. What may seem easy for some to manage, can be stressful and triggering for others. Many children need access to visual timers and schedules to avoid stress from transitions and overstimulation. Routines are very important for children and allow them to thrive and feel successful! Visual timers give many children the confidence they need to be able to thrive independently!
Digital and visual timers are great adaptive technology resources. When looking for digital timers, I came across several articles that were helpful. This article defines assistive technology and provides many examples and how they can be used most effectively. This article focuses specifically on five visual timers that are helpful for children with special needs. I also found a Google Site called “A Teacher’s Bag of Tricks.” This website featured a great compilation of online timers in addition to other resources. This website features 20 visual timers and features a variety of physical timers, apps, and webpages for children to use.
There is a wide array of timers available that will assist students in their learning and transitions at school and home. There are many physical timers that are great for younger students who may need to carry the timer around with them to various centers in the classroom. In addition to physical timers, there is also a plethora of online and digital timers. For this blog post, I chose to highlight Online Stopwatch. This website has so many different visual timers to choose from. The “Classroom Timers” tab has traditional timers that have visual images such as a candle or clock. There are also party, animal, space, and sports themed timers that feature characters running, swimming, racing, or blasting off into space. These timers would be especially helpful for students who are not able to read or comprehend numbers yet because they will be able to see the character moving towards a destination or target. The various themes could also excite students and make them feel comfortable using the timers. My favorite part of this website is the “Sensory Timers” tab. These timers are designed for students who are easily overstimulated by loud noises, excessive movement, or bright colors. These timers feature calming visuals and sounds that will allow students to see the timer, but not become overwhelmed by the special effects of it.
The timers from Online Stopwatch, can be used on iPads, Chromebooks, SmartBoards, and more! These timers could be used for the whole class of students and displayed on the SmartBoard or TV in the classroom. Individual students could also use the timers that work best for them on their iPad, Chromebook, or other device. The website is free to use and is easily accessible.
Digital timers are wonderful tools for all students and provides students with structure, awareness, and independence!
–Cassie Kemmerlin, Module 7
School Library Blog 
Timers are definitely a great tool to use. I did not realize how important they were and how they could make such a big difference until I used one with a student. My student was on the autism spectrum and had difficulty switching from one subject or task to the next during the school day. After speaking with his parents about it, they informed me that they use a timer at home to help him, so I tried it in the classroom. It was amazing. His therapist had worked with him using a timer, so he understood when the timer went off it was time to start a new task. The timer made a huge difference in his ability to move from one thing to the next without getting upset. Thanks for sharing.
Stephanie Sulton
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This is a great idea! Any of my students that have anxiety about school and/or classwork would benefit from a user friendly and colorful timer. This made me think of one of my students in particular. He constantly asks in class about our daily schedule, and this would be helpful for him by relieving his anxiety and finding the answer to his questions independently. Great suggestion!
Elizabeth Ford
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Greetings Cassie. This is a great post and you introduced an adaptive technology resources that I had not previously considered and provided a bunch of great resources. The Assistive Technology 101 doc from the Center on Technology and Disability was a great supplement to this week’s resources. (I am sad to learn that funding for CTD ended in 2019 and that the site won’t be available after this year.) The sensory timers were really interesting as well and illustrate the variations within types of adaptive technologies and tools. Thanks for sharing this wonderful resource.
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