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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.

Filtering by Category: 2 minute talks

The Truth Behind Our Kids' Oral Health

January 27, 2021Virginia Berman

I had so many questions as a new mother—from how to keep my baby comfortable while feeding, to how to put her to sleep. Last on my mind was her oral health, since she didn’t have any teeth!

Then her first solid foods were vegetables and not sweets. We brought her to her first dentist appointment when she was four years old, but we may have waited too long. The dentist told us she had 7 cavities!

What did we miss with her oral health, already by the age of 4?

What are the most important things for early oral health?

I’ve since spent time with professionals in the oral care community. Here’s what matters most for kids:

1) Brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste as soon as they are able to spit it out.

2) Get sealants. Maybe you already know about them. If so, good! Sealants are so effective at cavity prevention that most insurances cover them completely. 50% of kids get medical insurance from CHIP and medicare. But only 30% of of these kids who do go to the dentist get sealants. Why aren’t dentists automatically giving sealants when they are such a help preventing cavities? There is no downside to them.

3) If your child does not drink fluoridated water, then ask for a regular fluoride treatment at the dentist once a year.

Next, I’ll be publishing 10 lessons on Caring for Kids Oral Health so you can learn from our mistakes. Here’s to healthy teeth, beautiful smiles, and relieved parents!

help kids keep their beautiful smiles by teaching how to brush teeth for 2 minutes

categories 2 minute talks, kids timer, toothbrushing timer, toothbrushing, two minute timer
tags 2 minute toothbrushing timer, two minute timer, 2 minutes, toothbrushing timer, quadrant timer, kids toothbrush timer, kids two minute timer

Teach Kids How to Pace Themselves with Toothbrushing

January 12, 2019Virginia 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!

categories 2 minute talks, kids timer, toothbrushing, toothbrushing timer, two minute turtle timer
tags 2 minute timer, 2 minute timer for toothbrushing, two minute turtle timer, bedtime routines, helping kids to brush teeth well

Curious George Goes to the Dentist

November 05, 2018Virginia 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?

categories 2 minute talks, kids timer, two minute timer, toothbrushing timer

Two Minute Turtle Timer Travels

August 07, 2018Virginia Berman

Keep up healthy habits this Summer vacation. Bring the Two Minute Turtle with you on your trip!

categories 2 minute talks, healthy habit, kids timer, starting a business, toothbrushing timer, two minute timer, two minute turtle, two minute turtle timer, visual timers, summer family vacation, healthy habits, packing for family vacati
tags two minute turtle timer, two minute timer, kids toothbrush timer, toothbrush timer, toothbrush timer apps, kids travel pack, travelling with children, toothbrushing on vacation, healthy habits on vacation

Slow, Steady Two Minute Turtle Timer

July 10, 2018Virginia Berman

Slow and steady wins the race. Two Minute Turtle helps you slow down and get the job done.

categories two minute turtle timer, two minute turtle, two minute timer, toothbrushing timer, visual timers, toothbrushing, kids timer, healthy habit, 2 minute talks
tags 2 minute timer, kids toothbrushing, kids timer, two minute turtle timer, two minute timer, bedtime routine, toothbrushing timer

What Do You Want in your Two Minute Turtle Timer™?

May 29, 2018Virginia Berman

You decide what’s best in a visual timer. Answer a 3 question survey to help design it.

categories healthy habit, 2 minute talks, kids timer, starting a business, toothbrushing, toothbrushing timer, two minute turtle, visual timers, two minute turtle timer, two minute timer
tags two minute turtle timer, visual timer, toothbrush timer, designing a timer, invent boston designs a timer, kids toothbrush timer, yoga timer, homework timer, interval timer, mom designer, parent makers

How a Two Minute Turtle timer helps you Speak?

March 15, 2018Virginia Berman

Preparing for a brief Two Minutes takes hours of practice

How can the Two Minute Turtle help you to speak?

1) Practicing for a pitch or presentation. Often 2 minutes is enough. Visual cues at each quarter of the talk, helps pace the talk.

2) Facilitating meetings. A visual timer helps the facilitator stick to an agenda while allowing participation. The Two Minute Turtle timer neutralizes the cut-off too so it's not a person but the Turtle telling when it's time.

3) Learning a new language. Try talking straight for 2 minutes in that language with someone.

Why use a Two Minute Turtle when you have a phone or a clock to keep time?

1) It's colors work well for visual learners.

2) It's quick and easy -just a press of a button, no downloading or setting times.

3) It's fun-engaging and playful with the quiet countdown.

4) It works--people respond to the quarterly visual cues and no one has to be the "bad guy" reminding someone their time is up.

Breaking the 2 minutes into 4 even parts helps a speaker to pace herself. The Two Minute Turtle timer takes the responsibility off of the instructor or facilitator and gives it to the participants-each one is using and following the same colorful lights. Bring a Two Minute Turtle timer to your next meeting or classroom or pitch to help you pace yourself and engage the group.

Learn More

categories two minute timer, two minute turtle, 2 minute talks, two minute turtle timer
tags Two Minute Turtle for speaking, two minute turtle timer, 2 minute timer, 2 minute pitch timer, 2 minute timer for teaching, 2 minute meeting timer, Two Minute Turtle timer for visual learners

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