Classroom timer
A countdown timer with digits you can read from the back of the room. Set the time, press start, and the class can see for itself how long is left. No account, no adverts, nothing to install.
How it works
Set the time
Pick a preset between 1 and 30 minutes, or drag the dial to a time of your own. The timer remembers what you used last, so it is still there next lesson.
Start the clock
Press start or use the space bar. The R key puts the clock back to the beginning. The +1 minute button gives the class more time without starting over.
Put it full screen
The button in the top corner fills the screen with the timer. The rest of the page drops away, so the whiteboard shows nothing but the clock.
Hear when time is up
An alarm sounds at the end. You choose which sound it is, or turn the sound off when the class is working quietly.
Countdown or stopwatch
The timer works both ways round. As a countdown it counts back to zero, which suits a task, a reading slot or a break with a clear end.
As a stopwatch it counts up from zero. That suits anything where the time itself is the answer: how long a pair takes over a sum, how quickly the class tidies up, how long everyone can keep quiet.
One button switches between them. The clock starts again when it does, so an old time is never left standing.
Why a timer on the board helps
Children judge time differently from adults. "Five more minutes" says very little. A clock they can watch run down says a great deal more.
It also saves questions. A class that can see the time left stops asking for it, and you do not have to break off the lesson to answer.
A timer earns its place most at tidying up, at paired work and at the change from one activity to the next. Those are exactly the moments that run over on their own.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account?
No. The timer opens straight away and works without signing in.
Does it work on an interactive whiteboard?
Yes, that is what it was built for. The digits, the buttons and the alarm are sized for a classroom, and one button puts the timer full screen.
Does the clock keep running if I switch tabs?
Yes. The timer measures real time rather than counting ticks, so it does not fall behind while you open something else.
Can I turn the sound off?
Yes. You choose the alarm, and you can switch the sound off entirely. Time then runs out on screen only.
Does the timer cost anything?
No. The timer is free and stays free. There are no adverts on it and nothing is asked of you.
Other tools
- Whiteboard
Write and draw on the board, with markers, an eraser and lines or squares.
- Hangman
Guess the word letter by letter, with English word lists.
- Group maker
Split the class into random groups, by number of groups or by group size.
- Connect four
Connect four on the classroom board, with two players or against the computer.