Time your child can see

Q: Does every step need a timer?

No. The timer is a function you add per step under Functions for the step. Steps without a timer get no countdown.

Q: What happens when time runs out?

A short sound plays, the phone vibrates and Done! appears on the clock face. Steps with only a timer are checked off automatically and the window closes after a few seconds. If the step also has a checklist, your child taps Done themselves.

Q: Can my child pause the timer?

Yes. A tap on the middle button or on the clock pauses it, and the next tap continues where the timer left off. If your child closes the window with the X, the timer starts over next time.

Q: What's the difference between Clock and Ring?

Clock is a clock face where the green area shrinks. Ring is a ring that gets shorter around a big button. You choose the style for each child in their profile, under How the child experiences the app. Your own routines under My routines always use Clock.

Q: Can my child skip the timer?

With the I'm already done button, your child can check off the step before time is up. If you don't want that, turn off Can finish the timer early in your child's profile.

Q: Does my child get a notification when time is up?

No, the timer doesn't send a notification to your child's phone. It's active while the window is open, and the app keeps the screen on as long as the timer is running.

Add a timer to the steps where time matters. Your child sees a clock face where the green area shrinks and big numbers count down, and starts and pauses it on their own.

Time is abstract for many children, especially with ADHD and autism. When time is visible, it becomes easier to relate to.

The timer in Routined mid-countdown for the Brush teeth step

How the timer works

The timer is a function on the step. You choose which steps get one and how much time each step gets.

The clock face

The green area shrinks

The timer opens in its own window when your child taps the step. The green area on the clock face shrinks as time passes, and big numbers count down below it. Your child sees both how much is left and the exact time.

The step list in Routined with the labels Timer · 2 min and Timer · 15 min

Per step

Its own time on every step

You add the timer under Functions for the step and set minutes and seconds, for example 2 minutes for brushing teeth and 15 minutes for breakfast. Steps without a timer get no countdown. In the step list you can see at a glance which steps have a time.

The timer in Routined running and paused, with the I'm already done button

Start and pause

Your child is in control

The timer doesn't start on its own. Your child taps Start, or the clock itself, and pauses the same way. If your child finishes early, the I'm already done button checks off the step right away.

The About the timer dialog in Routined showing the Clock and Ring styles

Clock or Ring

Two styles, one per child

In your child's profile, under How the child experiences the app, choose Timer: Clock or Ring. Clock is a clock face with a shrinking area, Ring is a ring around a big start and pause button. The question mark next to it shows both so you can compare.

Done

When time is up

A short sound plays, the phone vibrates and the clock face shows Done! with a check mark. The step is checked off automatically and the window closes after a few seconds. If the step also has a checklist, your child checks it off with Done.

Why a visible timer helps

A sense of time takes many years to develop, and many children with ADHD or autism find it especially hard to estimate how long things take. When you say "five minutes left," your child hears the words but can't see the time. A timer turns time into something concrete your child can follow on their own.

What the timer looks like

The timer opens in a window on top of the routine, with the step's name at the top. In the Clock style it's a clock face with tick marks and a hand, where the green area shrinks as time passes. In the middle is a round button for Start and Pause, and the whole clock face can be tapped. Below it, big numbers count down, for example 1:39.

In the Ring style, a green ring gets shorter around a big button, with even bigger numbers below. The timer looks the same whether your child uses the Standard or the Visual support display mode.

Steps with both a timer and a checklist

If a step has both a timer and a checklist, a smaller timer appears above the sub-steps and a Done button at the bottom. Then the step isn't checked off when time runs out, but when your child taps Done. This suits steps like Pack backpack, where your child needs to get several things done in a set time.

What happens when time is up

A short sound plays and the phone vibrates.
The clock face shows Done! with a check mark, plus a little confetti in the Clock style.
The step is checked off automatically and any reward is added.
The window closes after a few seconds.

Your child's phone doesn't get a notification. If you've turned on the When a step is checked off notification, you as the parent find out that the step is done.

Good to know

The screen stays on while the timer runs, so it doesn't go dark in the middle of brushing teeth.
The timer follows real clock time. If the app has been in the background, the timer shows the correct time when it's opened again, but the sound only plays then.
If your child closes the window with the X, the timer stops and the step isn't checked off. Next time it starts over from the beginning.
Want the time to always run out? Turn off Can finish the timer early in your child's profile, and the I'm already done button disappears.
There's no separate sound setting for the timer. Turn down the phone's volume if your child is sensitive to sound.
The Morning Routine template already has a timer on brushing teeth (2 minutes) and breakfast (15 minutes).

Making the timer work in everyday life

Allow some margin

Time your child for a few days before you decide. It's better for the time to be enough than to run out too soon, or the timer becomes a source of stress instead of support.

Show the timer before you start

Go through the timer together the first time: "The green area gets smaller. When it's gone, time is up, and then we move on." It's easier to follow something you've already seen.

Pick your steps

Not every step needs a timer. Brushing teeth and getting dressed work well, while other steps can take the time they take. That way the timer keeps its value.

Timers for ADHD and autism

With ADHD, time blindness is common: the difficulty of sensing how much time has passed. A visible timer gives your child something to go by, and it's easier to get started when there's a clear end.

With autism, it's often about predictability. When your child sees exactly how long something will last, moving on to the next step feels less uncertain.

Common mistakes

Too little time: your child gets stressed and loses interest. Adjust upward.
A timer on every step: it gets to be too much. Save the timer for steps where time matters.
The sound bothers your child: lower the volume or try the other style, which some children find calmer.