Parents' Guide to

Happy Kids Timer

By Patricia Monticello Kievlan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Cute timer helps kids build routines; some limitations.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Paid Education
Happy Kids Timer Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Happy Kids Timer App: Screenshot #1
  • Happy Kids Timer App: Screenshot #2
  • Happy Kids Timer App: Screenshot #3
  • Happy Kids Timer App: Screenshot #4
  • Happy Kids Timer App: Screenshot #5

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Unclear whether personal information are shared for third-party marketing.
  • Unclear whether this product displays personalised advertising.
  • Unclear whether data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • Unclear whether this product uses a user's information to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Unclear whether this product creates and uses data profiles for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What’s It About?

Happy Kids Timer is an app created to help kids develop a morning routine. First, parents enter their child's name and select their gender, and parents can choose to upload their child's photo. Kids progress through a series of pre-set activities (like making their bed and getting dressed), and they have a pre-set amount of time in which to complete each task. Some tasks that have a less clear stopping point, like brushing teeth and washing hands, have a minimum time that kids have to complete, too. Kids earn stars for completing tasks, and accumulating enough stars can result in parents printing out an award certificate or giving kids a real-life reward.

The app's free version includes eight common morning routine activities, and parents can customize the name of the child's reward, the target number of stars kids must earn to receive the reward, and the minimum and maximum time for each task. In the paid version, parents can add up to two more custom activities and further customize the built-in activities.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The series of built-in tasks is a great start for helping kids build routines, but there are some limitations. The animations are cute, and it's nice that you can print out a certificate for kids once they've completed tasks enough times to meet a milestone that you set. Plus, it's nice that you can customize the name for your child's real-world reward: This might be a nice way to help remind kids that a "new game" or "trip to the zoo" awaits them as a reward.

That being said, Happy Kids Timer has some limitations that might limit its appeal: You can only use it with one child, making it a poor fit for families with multiple kids, and you can only add and customize tasks by making in-app purchases. In general, this app might be worth a look if you have one child who needs to work on developing a morning routine; however, if you need more features, and you're looking for more engaging animation, you might look elsewhere.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how kids felt as they watched the graphics in Happy Kids Timer as time ran out. Ask kids whether they felt like they had enough time for the activity or if they would adjust next time.

  • Talk about earning rewards for completing everyday tasks versus doing them because they need to get done. Will they earn prizes every time, forever? If using incentives doesn't work for your family, what are some other ways to motivate your kids?

  • Families can talk about how important learning to manage time can be to the basics of life: school, household chores, homework, cooking, screen time, sleep, and more. How can an app like this help?

  • Choose one task that your kid has trouble completing on time or staying focused on during a certain amount of time and utilize this timer for that one problem area first. Encourage your kid to choose the settings at the beginning, and listen to your child's feedback after the experience.

  • Discuss why it's important to have a morning routine. Ask kids why they think it's important to leave home at a certain time and what might happen if someone left home without finishing something such as showering or getting dressed.

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
  • Skills: Self-Direction : achieving goals, set objectives, time management, work to achieve goals, Health & Fitness : hygiene and self care
  • Pricing structure: Paid
  • Release date: August 7, 2017
  • Category: Education
  • Publisher: Evoprox
  • Version: 1.1
  • Minimum software requirements: iOS 8.0 or later; Android 4.1 and up
  • Last updated: December 1, 2021

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended app lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate