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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: kids timer

When Was Your Last Visit to the Dentist?

February 19, 2021Virginia Berman

During this pandemic one piece of good news is many of us have more time to take care of our daily healthy habits, like toothbrushing. And that’s all the more important when dentists are only just opening up. How are your teeth feeling? Have you been to the dentist yet? I went.

Are you taking the 2 minutes to brush each time you brush? We can do this. It is important now more than ever to brush well because brushing teeth, keeping cavities away, helps to keep our immune system strong. A healthy mouth is one way to maintain a healthy immune system—keeping bad bacteria from growing in the mouth.

I still like that feeling of having my teeth cleaned and then to hear “no cavities”. What a relief! I did got to the dentist since Corona and I got that good news, “no cavities!”. I say it’s partly thanks to my Two Minute Turtle Timer I use every time I brush. Now you’re never too old to enjoy a new, useful timer. Get yourself or your parents the gift of a healthy mouth.

The Two Minute Turtle Timer is on sale on our website, and Etsy and Amazon.

Shop on InventBoston.com to get the last of these homemade adorable, 5-star gettin, Two Minute Turtle Timers.

categories oral health, kids timer
tags Two Minute Turtle Timer, toothbrush timer

Lesson#8: The Truth Behind Caring for Your Child's Oral Health

February 03, 2021Virginia Berman

How to make the most of our dentist appointments? Ask questions. Ask dentists to explain what they are doing and why. In the end it’s our children’s teeth or our own and we’re responsible for caring for our teeth. Read about the current state of dentistry in the Atlantic if you need more reasons why to be proactive asking questions.

categories kids timer

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

Two Minute Turtle Timer is Made For a Manual Toothbrush

December 10, 2018Virginia Berman

With more data showing young kids do better without the phone. With more people using fit bits and tracking their daily healthy habits and with parents working so much we need simple solutions to teaching kids to brush their teeth well, the Two Minute Turtle Timer, made by busy working parents of a 4 year old with 7 cavities, is finally here!

categories healthy habit, kids timer, toothbrushing, two minute timer
tags 2 minute timer, toothbrush timer, timer for manual toothbrush, kids toothbrush timer, kids timer for manual toothbrush, Two Minute Turtle Timer

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

Help kids succeed. Help them to focus...in 2 minutes

August 29, 2018Virginia Berman

Help kids focus on 2 minute tasks to give them satisfaction.

categories healthy habit, kids timer, packing for family vacati, toothbrushing, toothbrushing timer, two minute turtle timer, visual timers
tags 2 minute timer, two minute toothbrush, two minute turtle timer, kids toothbrush, kids bedtime routine, stocking stuffer, gifts for kids, gifts for preschoolers

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

Independent Stores Carry the Two Minute Turtle!

June 19, 2018Virginia Berman

Local independent stores are in charge of what they sell. These Boston stores support their neighborhoods and new. innovative products like the Two Minute Turtle.

categories kids timer
tags two minute toothbrush timer, Two Minute Turtle 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

Two Minutes To Make Your Day

April 06, 2018Virginia Berman

Forming healthy habits is not easy but 2 minutes is-we can do anything for 2 minutes! Use the Two Minute Turtle to take 2 minutes to start a new habit. What new habit will you choose? Two minutes-you can do that! Get your today. Choose the color, press the button, let the turtle guide you. Go slow, steady...win.

categories two minute timer, toothbrushing timer, two minute turtle timer, kids timer, toothbrushing, healthy habit, visual timers
tags Two Minute Turtle timer, toothbrush timer, two minute timer, 2 minute timer, kids' timer

Assembling the Two Minute Turtle Timer™

March 08, 2018Virginia Berman

Parent-designed and hand made in USA Two Minute Turtle Timer to help kids and adults with tasks that need a 2 minute timer, like brushing teeth, physical therapy stretches, taking a shower or practicing a talk.

categories kids timer, toothbrushing
tags Two Minute Turtle Timer, two minute turtle timer

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