How to Use Kitchen Timer to Motivate Kids

You want his toys picked up from the living room, but your child prefers to watch TV. Getting your child to do tasks he perceives as work -- cleaning, homework, getting ready for school -- often takes a little push from you. The timer method sets concrete boundaries for when your child needs to complete a task. He has little wiggle room to negotiate or stall. While a kitchen timer won't motivate every child, using the basic tool found in most homes may be just what your child needs to get his work done.

Instructions

    • 1

      Identify a specific task you want your child to complete. Breaking down a large responsibility into smaller tasks helps your child know exactly what is expected. For example, if you're using a kitchen timer as a homework motivation tool, break it down into gathering his materials, completing the problems and checking his work. You can also break down the problems into smaller sections, such as completing 10 math problems at a time.

    • 2

      Assign an amount of time to each task for your child. Choose a realistic time that allows him to be successful without stretching out the task too long. He won't likely be able to clean up all of his toys from the living room in 1 minute, but he won't need 15 minutes either -- unless the room is a huge mess.

    • 3

      Decide if you'll have a reward or consequence associated with the timer. For some kids, simply beating the timer is enough; others may need a little more motivation. For example, if he gets done before the timer rings, he might get an extra 5 minutes of TV time. An example of a consequence if he doesn't complete the task is losing TV time.

    • 4

      Tell your child exactly what task he needs to do. Explain that you are setting the timer. Let him know about any rewards or consequences. Say, "I'm setting this timer to 5 minutes. I need you to pick up all of your toys from the living room before the timer rings. If you can beat the ringer, you can have 5 extra minutes on the computer."

    • 5

      Set the timer to the specified amount of time. A basic kitchen timer starts running right away, so wait until you're ready to begin. Place the timer where your child can see it so he has an idea of how much time is left.

    • 6

      Reset the timer if you have a series of tasks for your child to complete. For example, you might give him 3 minutes each to brush his teeth, get on his pajamas and pick out books to read together. After the first 3 minutes for brushing his teeth, reset the timer for the next 3 minutes.

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