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When you're busy with students, it's easy to lose track of time. You might find yourself with only three minutes for cleanup or stuck in the middle of work time as the dismissal bell rings. Using a timer in the art room provides a simple solution. Watch the video to find out how a timer can help you and your students have a more productive class period.

And, if you'd like to learn more about the timer featured in this video, head on over to the Time Timer website.
How do you keep track of time in the art room? Are there any other visual timers you like to use?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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Why a Timer is the Single Most Important Item for Your Classroom - The Art of Education University

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When you're busy with students, it's easy to lose track of time. You might find yourself with only three minutes for cleanup or stuck in the middle of work time as the dismissal bell rings. Using a timer in the art room provides a simple solution.

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This timer is great because the minutes match the minute tick marks of a standard clock.

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Digital Timers with dynamic backgrounds, analog or digital to project from your Mimio.

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Looking for an online timer? Below are six great ones to check out. Listed below you will find the basic features for each option, as well as my opinion on the best feature (+) and a drawback (-) for each timer. Hopefully, one of these will fit the need you are looking for when it comes to a timer you can use in your physical or virtual classroom.

Classroomscreen

Free

The timer has a digital display, graphical countdown presence, and a choice of ten musical sounds.

This online tool has a dashboard where you can display 14 different widgets to support your class activities and keep classroom tools organized.

You can draw or have text boxes in the workspace.

Other widgets include a clock, roll dice, or have three lists to draw random names, calendar, etc.

Choice of colorful photos, animations, or solid backgrounds

Upgrade: Pro at $30 per year, or volume discounts for schools

+ So much more available than just a timer - If you are looking for a simple timer - not your best option

Timer-Tab

Free

This online timer has a countdown, alarm clock, and stopwatch with a pause.

There is a vertical banner ad on the left side of the screen.

Four different themes available

Attached to the Timer-Tab is a Christmas Countdown and World Clock.

Remove ads by using PayPal to donate any amount to Romuald, the developer.

+ Time shows on the Chrome tab - Customization of the user interface appears clunky

Google Chrome Timer

Website - type timer 5 seconds or any amount of time in the Google search bar or the Omnibox

Free

Starts automatically

High-pitched beeping sound

Stopwatch also available

Bookmark several timers for easy access

+ Quick and easy (no bells or whistles) - Annoying alarm and no customization

Classroom Timers - Fun Timers

Free

Classic timers: egg, countdown, candle, bar

Fun: rocket, robot race, emoji, sport-themed timers, and many more

Digital and graphic interface with animations

Full screen available

Upgrade: Single Premium at $12 per year or Group Premium at $50 (no adds, larger timers, no clutter)

+ Very bright, colorful, and fun animations - EXTREMELY easy to click on advertising product installations

Classtools.net

Free

Very colorful digital countdown timer

Add multiple timers and run in sequence or all at once

Add a tune or YouTube video to each timer

Soundtrack plays during the countdown. Many to choose from: Mission Impossible, Pink Panther, Hawaii 5-0, classical selections, etc.

Small chime for the finish

Upgrade: Individual yearly at £14.99 or Institutional yearly at £49.99

Classtools also has free games, random name picker, quizzes, and diagrams.

+ If you need music playing during the countdown, this is the timer you want.
- Ad banner at the bottom of timer window

Classroom Timers

Free

Big buttons to select time

Change timer shape and color

Digital and graphic interface

Full screen available

Stopwatch available along with many other virtual manipulatives

+ Very easy to set up the time - Ad banner to the right of the timer

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Looking for an online timer? Below are six great ones to check out. Listed below you will find the basic features for each option, as well as my opinion on the best feature (+) and a drawback (-) for each timer.

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(4 min read)

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Do you ever feel like there is never enough time in a school day? That you are always behind schedule? <all teachers everywhere raise their hands> Sure choosing to extend an activity or bask in the moment is one thing, but consistently being behind is SO frustrating. As a class, we learn about, engage in, and begin DOZENS of activities every.single.school.day. So making every moment matter is critical! Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite tools and strategies for keep our classroom moving and our day rolling ahead.

The Art of the Timer

Time management is one of my struggles in the classroom. I mean, I could teach Guided Readings for 5 hours a day...not even kidding. Since coming to first grade and having ALL day with one group of friends, a timer has quickly become one of my best management tools. So why do I use a timer??

It keeps me on track and ensures that I know the big-picture game plan for the day.

Students learn to budget their time and know when to expect a transition. Being able to expect a transition is huge for students who tend to struggle during these transitions!

Timers can be motivating for students, as they know a task or activity has a tangible end. Plus, it helps build an attitude of "I can do this!"

Tracking time is perfect tool and visual for tracking stamina...which we do a lot of in 1st grade!

With that said, not all timers are created equal. Below you'll find my favorite time-management tools, as well as, when and why I use them at different parts of the day.

Stopwatch Timer

Online stopwatch is a free timer that counts down and also can act as a stopwatch counting up. With a large screen and easy-to-press numbers, this is my go-to classroom timer especially when we are building reading stamina since it can be seen easily from across the room. It's simple to use, no bells and whistles, and my 1st graders can easily navigate it. Using this timer makes a coveted classroom job and it also keeps our class rolling. Begin Heggerty, set the timer for 12 minutes, and then, move on.

PowerPoint Timers

Did you know you can set timers on a PowerPoint presentation? If your math or reading rotation charts are hosted on a PowerPoint, you can set the Slide Transition time for any amount of time - 10, 12, 15, 20 minutes. Once you press, Slideshow -> "Play from Start" the time starts and the new slide will automatically appear after the allotted time. This is a great and silent way to tell yourself and students it is time to transition to the next center, choice, or activity. (If you would like the below chart, snag it free here.)

Phone Timers/Alarms

The iPhone Timer is one of the best tricks of the teaching trade. It is PERFECT for reminding you of those things that always get lost in the hustle of the day - i.e. Alice going to the office for her medicine, taking attendance and sending-in lunch count, sending Jake for Wednesday speech. My iPhone is littered with dozens of reminders and alarms. Plus, you can assign different sounds to each alarm so students know when 'their' alarm is sounding and can take action! Once students are trained, it places the responsibility on your students, which helps build independence. #winwin

Magnetic Timer

For times when you need your SMART Board or screen for something but still want a timer, I love this magnetic timer from Scholastic Reading Club that I snagged for FREE with bonus points. It makes a faint ticking sound as it counts down which it a perfect auditory reminder for students that time is limited, and when the time is up, there is a cute little jingle.

I use this timer for impromptu timings, timers for a specific group of students (since it is not evasive and pretty quiet), or when the time needs to move to a certain area of the room. Most of our classroom future is metal, so it is easy to move the timer to our classroom library, our pocket chart center, or Work on Writing.

Sandtimer

Lastly, a sand timer (Amazon affiliate link) is a simple intervention and support for individual students who struggle managing their own time or are working toward a specific goal or end. It's an ideal tool because it is inexpensive, hard to break, small, and silent. No one else in the room needs to know a friend is using a timer!

My "barometer students" (students who help you determine the "weather" of a room and are often the students who break stamina first) keep a sand timer in their book bins. It helps remind them of the just-right times to change books or positions when reading. Additionally, I have several friends who keep a 2 or 3 minute minute timer next to them during Work on Writing to alternate writing and drawing. This is a strategy I use with friends who seem to do a lot of illustrating and just a *little* writing. 😉

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Managing Time in the Classroom - The Brown Bag Teacher

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Do you ever feel like there is never enough time in a school day? That you are always behind schedule? Sure choosing to extend an activity or bask in the moment is one thing, but consistently being behind is SO frustrating. As a class, we learn about, engage in,...