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128 Birch Street
Boston, MA, 02131
United States

(617) 390-4076

Invent Boston designs and develops original products to add science + whimsy to  every day tasks at home.   Our first product is a Two Minute timer, Two Minute Turtle, a visual timer. The Two Minute Turtle helps children and adults focus on two minute tasks such as brushing teeth, physical therapy, taking a shower and speaking (practicing a presentation or learning a language).

How Does a Child Learn to Brush Teeth for 2 Minutes?

Invent Boston™, Home of the Two Minute Turtle Timer™

Invent Boston™ blog offers tips and stories by parents, for parents of children ages 4-12 to make toothbrushing and other healthy habits at home, more fun. We write about simple tactics to help kids do what they like to do-touch, seeing, play games and strive for independence. We recommend products to help stay healthy while being kids. We share stories to transform daily healthy habits from something kids resist (for example, toothbrushing, handwashing, toilet training, organizing, taking time-out or pausing, yoga, and taking turns) into something children are motivated to do independently, without parents’ reminders. The original physical product Invent Boston has designed for families is the new light-up Two Minute Turtle Timer, an analog, interval toothbrush timer to make brushing teeth fun for kids. Kids like to press the button, follow the flippers and brush until all the lights blink—the Victory Lap signals to brush the tongue.

How Does a Child Learn to Brush Teeth for 2 Minutes?

Virginia Berman

What's the most common childhood disease?  Tooth decay. And what's one of the early, daily, and most tiring habits to teach children?  From my experience, tooth brushing is up there.  Children don't want it, nor do they understand why do it twice a day... two minutes every time.  The rewards to brushing thoroughly, though, are great. 

What are the options to teach kids how to brush for two minutes?

1) Electric toothbrush:

 Pro: It sounds a beep indicating when to switch to the next part of the mouth.  It has an automatic up and down motion

Con: Some children don't like the sound and vibrating in their head. Must change the head every 6 months. Pricey.

2) Two minute timer phone app:

Pro: Free. It can be engaging to watch Elmo dance.

Con: Not water resistant, usually needs a parent's help to download, keep the phone dry, may have privacy issues. The devices can be more of a distraction than a help.

3) Sand timer/egg timer: 

Pro: it's free from many pediatric dentists.

Con: It tips and falls down easily. It doesn't usually keep the child's attention for the 2 minutes. It does not divide the mouth up into parts.

4) Two Minute Turtle Timer:

Pro: It's is a visual timer--good for kids. It engages kids as it feels like a game guessing which flipper will blink next. It has enough stimulation to hold kids’ attention but not too much to distract. It is the child's to use without the assistance of a parent.  It has some whimsy, a little disco, incentive to stay til the end when all lights flash together. It’s long lasting, running on 2 AAA batteries. Teaches kids how to brush their teeth.

Con: It’s online but may take some looking to find it! It is silent.

Good news is you can test them out to see which of these your child responds best to.  I'm interested in what you find!  Good luck teaching your children to brush 2min2x/day. 

This Great White Shark Teeth--no Brushing needed!

This Great White Shark Teeth--no Brushing needed!

categories toothbrushing timer, two minute turtle timer
tags kids toothbrushing, toothbrush timers, pros and cons of toothbrush timers, two minute turtle timer compared