A Reading App With a Built-In Timer for Kids
Most reading timers just count minutes. Time-2-Read gives your child something worth reading for those minutes: a new story where they're the main character.
If your child's school asks for 20 minutes of reading a night, you've probably tried a kitchen timer, a phone stopwatch or a reading-log app. They track time well. What they can't do is make the reading itself appealing.
Time-2-Read puts the timer inside the story. Every story has a 20-minute reading timer, and the story is written around your child, at the reading level you choose.
Timer in every story
A 20-minute timer starts when reading starts. Pause it, end early, or keep going.
Stories worth the minutes
Your child's name and interests drive the plot, with an illustration on every page.
Help on hard words
Tap a word to hear it, or use phonics help to sound it out, so the session doesn't stall.
Timer apps vs. a reading app with a timer
Standalone timers and reading trackers are good at logging minutes, and some fluency apps time a child reading a passage aloud to calculate words per minute. Those are useful tools. They answer a different question: how long did my child read? Time-2-Read is built around a second question: what will make my child want to read for those 20 minutes?
- A countdown or log: great for accountability, but the reading material is up to you.
- A fluency timer: measures speed on short passages, useful for practice drills.
- Time-2-Read: the timer sits inside a personalized, illustrated story at the right level, so the minutes and the motivation come together.
How the 20-minute timer works
- Open a story and the 20-minute timer starts.
- Pause it for dinner or a question, then pick up where you left off.
- End early on a hard day. A short session is better than a fight.
- Keep reading past 20 minutes if the story has them hooked.
Pair it with a paper log
Many teachers still want a signed log. Print our free 20-minute reading log, read with the timer, and fill in a row each day. If you're wondering whether 20 minutes is the right goal, see our guide on whether reading 20 minutes a day is enough.
Frequently asked questions
Does Time-2-Read have a reading timer?
Yes. Every story has a built-in 20-minute reading timer that starts when your child starts reading. You can pause it, end early or keep reading.
What ages is it for?
Ages 3 to 15. Younger children can listen along with read-aloud narration; older children read on their own at the level you set.
Can I use it for my child's school reading minutes?
Many families use the timer alongside the school's reading log. Check with your child's teacher about what counts toward their reading minutes.
Does the app work on phones and tablets?
Yes. Time-2-Read runs in the browser on phones, tablets and computers.
How much does Time-2-Read cost?
Your first 3 stories are free. After that, Premium starts with a 7-day free trial, then costs $12.99/month or $99/year.
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