Which timer for which moment
| Moment | Timer | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Transitions | Visual timer | Hide the numbers so younger pupils watch the colour shrink |
| Clean-up | Hourglass, 3–5 min | Flip restarts it at once |
| Think, pair, share | 1 or 3 minute timer | Pick the Soft sound so it does not startle |
| Tests and quizzes | 30 or 45 minute timer | Full screen; the tab title keeps the time if you switch |
| Station rotations | Interval timer | Work = station time, rest = the switch, rounds = stations |
| PE races | Stopwatch | L takes a lap; the list marks the fastest and slowest |
| Countdown to a trip or the holidays | Days until | Save it, and it is there tomorrow on the same computer |
Station rotation times
Set the interval timer's Work to the time at each station, Rest to the time to move, and Rounds to the number of stations. The board shows WORK or REST in words, so pupils do not need to read the colours.
| Stations | Time at each | Time to move | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 stations | 8 min | 30 s | 34:00 |
| 5 stations | 10 min | 60 s | 55:00 |
| 6 stations | 7 min | 30 s | 45:00 |
Totals include the move after the last station, as the interval timer does.
Setting up on a projector or interactive board
Open the timer, press Full screen (or the F key) and everything but the timer disappears. Space starts and pauses, R resets. Under View you can hide the numbers and keep only the picture, and under Sound pick from gentle to loud, or no sound at all: the board then flashes and shows "Time is up". While a timer runs, TimerNook asks the browser to keep the screen on, so the projector does not go to sleep half way through.
Seeing how much time is left before a change can help some pupils, especially some children on the autism spectrum, move from one activity to the next; the Indiana Resource Center on Autism describes visual timers for exactly that (Hume, 2008, "Transition Time", The Reporter 13(2), read 10 November 2026). It is a practical aid, not a treatment, and every class is different.
Questions and answers
Do I need an account or an app?
No. Every timer runs in the browser on the classroom computer, with no sign-up and nothing to install.
Can pupils see the time without the numbers?
Yes. Open View and choose Hide for the numbers. The picture (pie, sand or blocks) still shrinks, and it turns orange and then red with stripes near the end, so the change does not rely on colour alone.
Will the alarm be too loud?
Pick Soft or Chime under Sound and lower the volume, then press Test before class. Choose None for a silent finish: the board flashes four times and says "Time is up".
Does it work on an interactive whiteboard?
Yes, in the board's web browser. The buttons are at least 44 pixels high for touch, and the keys work with a keyboard.