Visual timer

What It Means

A visual timer is a timer that shows time passing instead of only counting it in numbers, usually as a colored section that shrinks to nothing or a row of markers removed one at a time. It lets a child see how much is left before an activity ends, which helps with transitions such as leaving the park or turning off a game. AFIRM, an autismAutism spectrumAutism spectrum disorder: a developmental disability affecting social communication and interaction, with restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. See more resource program at the University of North Carolina's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, describes visual timers as a support for people who find the passing of time hard to perceive.

How It Sounds at Home

• "When the red is gone, it's bath time."
• "Look, there's only a little bit left."
• "Let's set the timer for five more minutes of tablet."

The Breakdown

How to use one

1. Set the timer at the start of an activity, not at the end, so your child knows from the beginning how long it lasts. Nationwide Children's suggests this alongside spoken warnings.
2. Show the timer and say what comes next, such as "5 minutes of play and then dinner," the wording the Pyramid Model handout uses.
3. Put it where your child can see it without asking.
4. Give a spoken reminder partway through.
5. When the time is gone, move on as promised, calmly and every time, so the timer means what it says.

Short version to try today. Before the next screen session ends, set a 5-minute visual countdown, show it to your child, and tell them what happens when it runs out.

Kinds of visual timer

The countdown strip comes from AFIRM's guidance; the sand timer is Buhata's own example.

Good to Know

AFIRM notes that time is an invisible idea, which is why showing it can help children, including many autistic children, who find it hard to judge how long is left. A visual timer pairs well with a visual scheduleVisual scheduleA row of pictures or photos showing, in order, what happens next in a child's day or routine, so they can see what's coming. See more or a first-then boardFirst-then boardA two-part picture board showing a child the task to do now (first) and the activity that follows (then), often something they enjoy. See more, which show what comes next. If changes between activities still bring daily meltdowns, ask your pediatrician or your child's teacher or therapist for help.

Related Terms and Categories

• Visual schedule

  A row of pictures or photos showing, in order, what happens next in a child's day or routine, so they can see what's coming.

• First-then board

  A two-part picture board showing a child the task to do now (first) and the activity that follows (then), often something they enjoy.

• Routine chart

  A chart, often with pictures, listing the steps of one routine in order, such as getting ready for school or bed, that a child checks off as they go.

• Kids morning routine

  The same short list of steps a child follows each school or child care morning, such as dressing, breakfast, brushing teeth and grabbing a backpack.

• Family routines

  The regular, predictable ways a household handles the repeating parts of the day, such as mornings, meals, homework, chores and bedtime.

• Screen-free time

  Set times or places in a family's day, like meals, bedrooms or the hour before bed, when phones, TVs, tablets and games stay off.

Family organization and routines