Recently I saw another mom using the timer on her iPhone to help her toddler transition from one activity to another. I was glad to see that I’m not alone in using my phone in this manner. One of the benefits I’ve noticed is that it lets me off the hook from being a nag, which I had started to feel like, particularly towards my whimsical four-year-old. Here are a few apps that make the timer concept a little more playful.
Lickety Split is a musical timer which can be used in either a “beat the timer” or a “countdown” mode. In our home this translates into “I bet you can’t get your Legos put away before the timer runs out” and “Your sister gets to hold the kitty until the timer runs out and then it’ll be your turn, ok?” The button to stop the timer is designed for the child to push, empowering the child and motivating her to complete the task at hand. The app itself is free, and there are a few built-in timers to begin with (taking turns, brushing teeth, cleaning room) but adding additional tasks and the ability to change the motivational music is an in-app purchase. I it adds to the kiddo’s empowerment and lets me avoid nagging, I think it’s worth it.
Brusheez is a free timer app focused specifically on oral hygiene. Your child can choose from a number of different monsters and customize any missing teeth to match her own mouth. As the app counts down from 2 minutes the toothbrush on screen brushes the monster’s teeth in a pattern for your child to follow, making sure each tooth is focused on. I read somewhere that kids don’t actually have the manual dexterity to properly brush their teeth until they’re 10, so I have the kids brush their own teeth in the morning and an adult drives the brushes in the evening. Brusheez helps keep the kids focused; I just wish it included flossing and rinsing too!
Christine Dehne is an artist and professor. Follow her @KeepingKidsAppy.