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Editor's Note: This week, to celebrate Occupational Therapy Month, Time Timer brings you a guest blog by pediatric OT Robyn Colley. Note how she uses the Time Timer to clarify expectations and help children of all age and ability levels achieve independence. 

As a pediatric Occupational Therapist, I often work with children who have transition difficulties or have a disorganized nervous system (generally both). The Time Timer has been an important tool in my practice for over a decade. 

Children need to be able to transition without feeling over-stimulated, frustrated, or mad. 

But they also need help knowing how and when to transition. Just telling a child that she has "five more minutes" and expecting her to comply is a lot to ask.

Many people set a kitchen timer that counts down. This can be over-stimulating due to the ticking or bell sound at the end - and over-stimulation does not help transitions! A kitchen timer also does not teach the concept of time.

I truly believe children learn the concept of time by using the Time Timer. They can see the difference between 5 minutes or 45 minutes. Then, when they connect what they see to what they feel, time is not so daunting. 

It's that time of year – the Internet is ablaze with back-to-school tips!  Here's a set for Time Timer fans.

5 time-related questions to ask your child's teacher:

1. How much time should my child spend doing homework at night? On the weekends?

2. Does my child respond well to time limits, or is that a stressor?

3. Does my child handle time well academically? Is she rushed during tests? Does he complete tasks on time?

4. Does my child handle time well socially? Does he share? Does she struggle with transitions?

5. What can we be doing at home to help our child manage time?

Bonus Question: What is the classroom bullying policy? If my child is targeted or sees another child being bullied, what should we do?

More excellent questions to ask your child's teacher >>

Does your child's teacher have a Time Timer? Email him or her the Time Timer animated video. Teachers can buy in bulk at the Time Timer Store.

Autism Spectrum Quarterly is one of the best resources for families who love someone with Autism. By

 interviewing real people and sharing stories from all walks of life, editor Diane Twatchman-Cullen rallies the Autism community to nurture children on the Spectrum into confident adults. 

This quarter, AS Quarterly's TIPS section featured "Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Time Timer" by Jennifer Twatchtman-Bassett, M.S., CCC-SLP!

Jennifer writes: 

"While I have found Time Timers in many of the facilities where I practice, I also find missed opportunities for using them. So, this issue's TIPS column not only presents strategies for teaching kids how to use the Time Timer, but also some specific examples of situations where they are very helpful."

You can subscribe to ASQuarterly.com to see Jennifer's full list. Here are our favorites!

1. Accentuate the positives! Always begin with small amounts of time on the Time Timer that lead to preferred events or activities (e.g. 5 more minutes and we'll be finished in the store; 5 minutes to break time).

2. Set the child up - for success! When you do begin to use the Time Timer for non-preferred activities, start with only small amounts of time. For example, if your child doesn't like to clean her room, set the Time Timer for 5 minutes and gradually lengthen to 15 or 20 minutes over time. 

3. Use the Time Timer as a substitute for indefinite words like in a little while. 

4. Use the Time Timer to reduce conflicts at home or in school by showing how much time each child has before he needs to relinquish the TV, computer, iPad, etc. 

5. Use it for so many other situations in which knowledge of the time involved can ease anxiety and help with transitions!

Thanks for a wonderful article, Jennifer! Visit ASQuarterly.com and Facebook.

A Time Timer Classroom is an amazingly productive place.

It's a classroom where students can visualize time, understand it as a concept, and learn to manage it effectively. If you've taken advantage of Time Timer's Back-to-School Special, then you've heard how thousands of teachers worldwide prefer this visual approach to time. 

• Young children can watch the Timer and anticipate when class will switch from math to recess to silent reading and test time, reducing behavior problems. 
• College, high school and junior high students can complete standardized tests, group projects and creative assignments with more independence. 
• Students with special needs can engage with a quiet visual timer – no noisy ticking or distracting numerical countdown.

So how can schools really maximize their Time Timers? What does a true Time Timer Classroom look like?

Why is the Time Timer an ideal timer for math teachers? We traveled to St. Louis to find out! As the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers battled for World Series glory last week, the Time Timer team celebrated at the St. Louis Americas Center with hundreds of very excited, very loud, very cool math teachers!

We were all in St. Louis for NCTM's (The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) conference. Educators traveled through the Americas Center learning about new math/science curriculua and teaching tools.

Many teachers stopped by the Time Timer booth ~ and offered their tips for using Time Timers in the classroom. 

Tips from First-Timers ~

Some of the math teachers we met were trying a Time Timer for time. They envisioned it as a problem-solver and a time-saver: 

"I'm a Quiz Bowl Coach. My team could use this to improve their response time." 

"My 3rd graders take forever to calm down after recess. We do a five-minute countdown breathing exercise. This Timer would be good for helping them focus."

"A speaker was demonstrating your iPad App in his presentation this morning. Does your App let me time multiple students at once?" Yes, it does!

"I need your software that counts down the seconds. We do one-minute quizzes every day."

"You know who would REALLY use this. My daughter. For practicing the piano."  

"I just bought this other timer, but I wish I had seen yours first. Yours is actually using fractions of a pie chart to explain time. That's cool. Do you have any Apps?"

Tips from Life-Timers ~

These math teachers have used Time Timers for years. Here are their insights into this classroom teaching tool: 

"My inclusion students loved this Timer so much that the mainstream children started wanting to use it too. We all use it together for Trigonometry drills." 

"Set the Timer for the last five minutes of every class period. Help the students pack up their bags, write down their homework, and clean up the classroom. You'll instill good organizational habits, which help their grades just as much as homework and tests do."

"Children with Autism often have gifted abilities in math – but they struggle to interact with the other students. This Timer helps them feel calm, knowing that the class period won't go on forever. They're able to feel more comfortable spending time with the other students."

"My gifted kids need to be challenged – and I need time to work with the ones who are struggling. So I set the Timer and let the accelerated students do timed tests on their own. They love it!"

"My students use this Timer every day. By the end of the school year, they've developed a reliable internal clock. The change in their behavior is AMAZING!"

As the end of the school year approaches, many schools have end-of-the-year testing and standardized exams. The Time Timer is a GREAT resource for learning time management skills in a testing situation. 

If you just bought a Time Timer for your classroom: 

+ Start by using the Time Timer for non-stressful activities, like games, hands-on work and positive reinforcement.

+ Next, introduce the Time Timer during practice tests. Try to use the same age-appropriate amount of time for each practice so that your students build their internal clock. Then, when you say, “You have 30 minutes left,” they’ll have a strong intuitive idea of what that means.

+ On test day, use the Time Timer for 5 - 10 minutes of quiet time before the test starts to help prepare for the exam. 

+ Because all Time Timer operate nearly silently, you can have one running during the exam without creating a distracting or stressful ticking sound. Students will be able to quickly glance up and see how much time they have left. No matter how young they are, you'll be surprised at how quickly they get good at this!

Located in Lafayette, Colorado, Imagine! provides support services to almost 3,000 people of all ages with developmental delays and cognitive disabilities.

In this video, Imagine!’s Technology Architect Alex Andrews provides a short instructional overview and reviews of the new Time Timer iPad app, which the organization believes may be beneficial for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or related conditions. Thanks, Imagine!

It's an exciting day here at Time Timer—the long-awaited Time Timer MOD is finally here!

Finally, a Time Timer with the style and durability of the Time Timer PLUS in a size that's portable and easy to use anywhere—from your office desk to the kitchen counter. The MOD features a removable, silicone cover that offers an extra layer of protection from the bumps and falls that are part of everyday life. The MOD is sold with a Charcoal cover, and you can also customize your MOD with our most popular, fun colors: Berry, Blue or Green! (Covers sold separately.)

Check out the new Time Timer MOD in our store!

Check out the great review of our new iOS apps from our friends at Rookie Moms!

As the Moms point out, in the minds of especially younger kids, there are really only two times: "now" and "not now." And knowing the difference can be really challenging for kids (and parents) to navigate!

One helpful strategy the team points out in their review is using “When/Then” phrases, such as "When your dirty clothes are picked up, then I will read you a book." This can be a great way to use sequencing instead of duration for a child who cannot grasp the passing of minutes. "When we have finished dinner, then Grandma will arrive."

Now, there's an app for that. Thanks for the review, Rookie Moms!

Years ago, the debate about form versus function may have had its merits. Today, not so much. We want both. Here at Time Timer, it’s always been about the simple genius of the disappearing red disk and how it allows a child or anyone, for that matter, to actually “see” the passage of time. That will never change. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with the form without sacrificing any of the function.

Over the past year or so, we’ve introduced the colored bands for the improved Time Timer Watch PLUS and judging by your response, they’re a big hit! We also did a limited edition run of those jazzy little 3” colored timers last spring. They went so fast that I didn’t even get one because I couldn’t decide between the blue and green before they were sold out!

What are the chances that I wasn’t the only one that couldn’t choose which color I liked best? And, what if I didn’t have to decide but could get both without actually buying two timers?

Meet the newest Time Timer—the Time Timer MOD! At slightly under 4”, the MOD is easier to see than the 3” timer but still small enough to fit on a crowded desk or travel in a professional organizer’s briefcase. Borrowing from the design of the award-winning Time Timer PLUS, the MOD comes with a sturdy silicon case, durable clear lens cover and handy center knob.

But what is going to make you fall in love with the MOD is the option to change the color of its case whenever you want! Optional, snap-on colored cases will be available in bright blue, green and berry. With the MOD, you will not only get the same powerful tool that you have come to expect from Time Timer, but you also have the ability to match its look to how you feel on any given day. Or match it to the décor of the room or office you’re using it in. Maybe you’ll want a green cover to use when timing an activity for your son and then snap on the blue or berry one for your daughter.

How you use the color option provided by the MOD is limited only by your imagination. And that is the point.

We can’t give you an exact date when the MOD will be on the shelves but it’s getting close. It’s always difficult to predict demand of a new item so make sure you watch for updates. You’re not going to want to wait for these any longer than you have to!