Parents' Guide to

Mouse Timer

By Dana Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Mouse eats the apples while time ticks away.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free Education
Mouse Timer Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Mouse Timer App: Screenshot #1
  • Mouse Timer App: Screenshot #2
  • Mouse Timer App: Screenshot #3
  • Mouse Timer App: Screenshot #4
  • Mouse Timer App: Screenshot #5

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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.
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What’s It About?

To use MOUSE TIMER, simply view all the numbers on the screen and choose one. For example, tap on 10 and apples in 10x6 rows appear. Watch the mouse eat through the first row of apples. That's one minute. Then the mouse moves to the next row to begin eating the apples to count down the second minute. Tap the pause icon if you want to pause the timer. In the last moment the mouse will eat the cheese, an alarm sounds, and time is up! Tap the back arrow to return to the home screen. Limit the number of time options on the home screen by un-checking the numbers you do not want to appear. If you want a white mouse, you can buy it via in-app purchase.

Is It Any Good?

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

This is a particularly cute visual timer, although it may be so cute some kids could get distracted. As a free app created for kids 5 and under, Mouse Timer doesn't have a lot of options. But that can be a good thing, especially for very young kids. Visual timers can be extraordinarily helpful for kids to stay on task or meet a timed goal for reading, homework, household tasks, and more. If kids can keep their eyes on their work more than on the mouse, it's a great way to visualize the passing of time. Of course, as a free app, it's extremely simple and doesn't have a ton of options, but if you just need a basic way to measure time, this fits the bill!

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about time management. Use Mouse Timer to show your kids what it looks like to have three minutes to brush your teeth or 20 minutes assigned reading time.

  • For kids who have difficulty staying on task, consider setting the timer in very short intervals; for example, five minute timers set four times for a 20 minute task. Take mini-stretch or re-focus breaks every time the timer is complete.

  • If your kid gets distracted by watching the cute mouse eat, remind them to focus on the task and peek at the mouse's progress only every once in a while.

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
  • Subjects: Math : counting
  • Skills: Self-Direction : motivation, time management, working efficiently
  • Pricing structure: Free (optional in-app purchase $.99)
  • Release date: June 9, 2017
  • Category: Education
  • Publisher: LITALICO
  • Version: 1.0.5
  • Minimum software requirements: iOS 7.0 or later; Android 4.1 and up
  • Last updated: July 11, 2020

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