Time-Out Turtle Gift for Kids
Virginia Berman
Two Minute Turtle for kids’ time-outs.
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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 to Teach Kids a Healthy Habit Using 2 Minutes?
Virginia Berman
Learning a new habit can be daunting. But doing anything for just 2 minutes, is possible at any age. The Two Minute Turtle Timer makes starting new habits happen for even the youngest kids.
Need to get kids to brush their teeth? Bring the Two Minute Turtle Timer to the bathroom mirror. No need to borrow their parent’s phone or worry about getting screens wet or kids’ distracted by the screen at bedtime. The Toothbrushing Turtle Timer holds the children’s attention, without a screen.
Two Minute Turtle is a 2 minute toothbrush timer
Need to keep kids on the potty longer? Hand them the Two Minute Turtle Timer while they are sitting to keep them there 2 minutes longer (press again for longer!).
Need kids to take a quiet minute? Give them the Two Minute Turtle Timer to sit or be still.
Need to teach kids a foreign language? Use the Turtle Timer to keep time while they speak without stopping for 2 minutes, in a foreign language.
Two Minute Turtle Timer Used for Verb Drills to Learn a Foreign Language
Teach Kids How to Pace Themselves with Toothbrushing
Virginia Berman
How do you teach kids to pace themselves? Make it fun. Make it like Simon Says. Have the Turtle’s flippers be Simon. Kids will follow the Turtle!
Read MoreTwo Minute Turtle Timer is Made For a Manual Toothbrush
Virginia Berman
With more data showing young kids do better without the phone. With more people using fit bits and tracking their daily healthy habits and with parents working so much we need simple solutions to teaching kids to brush their teeth well, the Two Minute Turtle Timer, made by busy working parents of a 4 year old with 7 cavities, is finally here!
Read MoreWhich Toothbrush Timer is Best for a Manual Toothbrush?
Virginia Berman
Which toothbrush timer is the right one for kids using a manual toothbrush? We tested the options. This is why we designed and developed the Two Minute Turtle Timer.
Read MoreTwo Minute Turtle Timer, a timer not just for kids
Virginia Berman
Two Minute Turtle Timer is for visual learners of all ages.
Read More2 Minute Timer Makes Healthy Play
Virginia Berman
Two Minute Turtle is a 2 minute timer to help us start and keep daily healthy habits.
Read MoreI Need My Two Minute Turtle
Virginia Berman
Fiona is an experienced French and Spanish high school teacher. She, like foreign language teachers everywhere, get students to speak when they prefer not to, and when they are not comfortable speaking in a foreign language. “I forgot to bring my Two Minute Turtle with me to school and I was lost!” Fiona uses the Two Minute Turtle Timer to get the students to do verb races and speak til the 2 minute timer stops.
Learning to Speak a Foreign Language with a Two Minute Timer
“I was lost when I forgot to bring my Two Minute Turtle Timer to class”
The Two Minute Turtle Timer is a helpful tool in language class to show kids how much time is left. And it’s not the teacher but the turtle that’s telling them so you, the teacher, can push the button, sit back and listen until the Victory Lap. Let the turtle do the time telling and you do the teaching.
Curious George Goes to the Dentist
Virginia Berman
Two Minute Turtle Timers are for the curious ones. Do you know someone who may be interested in toothbrushing in a new way? With the Two Minute Turtle Timer?
Read MoreThis Friend Makes Morning Routine More Fun
Virginia Berman
The Two Minute Turtle Timer is a companion for 2 minute tasks to help you focus.
Read MoreTrick or Treaters! 2 Minute Turtle Timer so you can enjoy Halloween
Virginia Berman
Halloween doesn’t mean giving up on good toothbrushing! The Two Minute Turtle is key this Halloween to helping get kids to brush teeth thoroughly for the full 2 minutes.
Read MoreWhen To Start Brushing a Child's Teeth?
Virginia Berman
How to avoid those early cavities? Learn from our mistakes and get started even before the baby has teeth!
Read MoreHelp kids succeed. Help them to focus...in 2 minutes
Virginia Berman
Help kids focus on 2 minute tasks to give them satisfaction.
Read MoreEnjoy vacation. Eat dessert!
Virginia Berman
Do you and your kids like dessert? Of course we do! Even the healthy French, where this sweet treat was made, enjoy their patisseries. And we say yes to dessert, especially on vacation. One way to enjoy dessert is keep those healthy habits. Take the Two Minute Turtle timer to vacation to keep brushing teeth even after a night of treats on vacation. This Summer take your Two Minute Turtle timer along and enjoy the pastries! You'll brush well enough so the dessert will not hurt!
Two Minute Turtle Timer Travels
Virginia Berman
Keep up healthy habits this Summer vacation. Bring the Two Minute Turtle with you on your trip!
Read MoreSlow, Steady Two Minute Turtle Timer
Virginia Berman
Slow and steady wins the race. Two Minute Turtle helps you slow down and get the job done.
Read MoreIndependent Stores Carry the Two Minute Turtle!
Virginia Berman
Local independent stores are in charge of what they sell. These Boston stores support their neighborhoods and new. innovative products like the Two Minute Turtle.
Read MoreWhat Do You Want in your Two Minute Turtle Timer™?
Virginia Berman
You decide what’s best in a visual timer. Answer a 3 question survey to help design it.
Read MoreHow do Children Learn?
Virginia Berman
Children are visual learners-they see everything for the first time. They see colors, shapes, pictures. They respond to visual cues and intuitive ones too. Toothbrushing is not an intuitive task but we ask 4 year olds to do it every day, 2 times a day for 2 minutes and when they are waking up or tired and going to bed.
How do children learn new habits? In response to how our kids learned, we designed a two minute timer for them to watch, follow and enjoy, to make toothbrushing more appealing. Children need visual cues especially learning something they don't want to do. And when it's bedtime--they are tired and parents are tired too.
Learning is hard work. Sometimes it doesn't have to be as hard and that's why we created the Two Minute Turtle. And while we are on the turtle ocean topic and how to make learning more fun, a message from the Ocean to all of us...
Two Minutes To Make Your Day
Virginia Berman
Forming healthy habits is not easy but 2 minutes is-we can do anything for 2 minutes! Use the Two Minute Turtle to take 2 minutes to start a new habit. What new habit will you choose? Two minutes-you can do that! Get your today. Choose the color, press the button, let the turtle guide you. Go slow, steady...win.