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128 Birch Street
Boston, MA, 02131
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(617) 390-4076

Invent Boston designs and develops original products to add science + whimsy to  every day tasks at home.   Our first product is a Two Minute timer, Two Minute Turtle, a visual timer. The Two Minute Turtle helps children and adults focus on two minute tasks such as brushing teeth, physical therapy, taking a shower and speaking (practicing a presentation or learning a language).

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Toothbrush Timer Both Parents and Kids Love

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Toothbrushing Turtle Timer™ is the epitome of fun

while helping kids learn how long to really brush their teeth. The visual cues help to keep my kids focused on the goal.

Getting my boys (3 and 6), to brush before bedtime always seemed to be a chore, now they look forward to it.

When the 2 minutes are up the turtle does a “victory lap,” where the flippers all light up and we all do a little dance party in the bathroom…because, why not!?

- National Parenting Product Awards review

It sounds a bit silly to love a timer, but the Turtle Timer does exactly what I wanted and that was hard to find. (4).png

This is an A+ Product

Listen. Y’all need to buy this right here for your kids. This is an A+ product.

Let me describe the ways.

1) Asthetics: It’s cute
2) Safety: It’s easy to put in and take out the required batteries (batteries not included). The battery cover is screw locked so your kids aren’t going to pull out the batteries and eat them.
3) Education: The flippers (turtles don’t have fins) light up in primary colors to teach colors, and they blink to teach counting. First 30 seconds = 1 blink, second 30 seconds = 2 blinks, third 30 seconds = 3 blinks, fourth 30 seconds = 4 blinks
4) Oral health: The ultimate reason to buy this product. Each flipper blinks for 30 seconds (I timed them) for a total of 2 minutes, which is the brushing time the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends. ALSO for every new “session” a different flipper starts blinking first. Which is good, because the ADA recommends starting in a different tooth quadrant every time you brush your teeth (because we humans tend to get lazy with the last two quadrants when we are brushing our teeth).

This product is the only one like it on the market. (I know because I scoured the internet.) It also came with a little tooth brush and personalized note.

This product is a cute and excellent learning tool. I purchased this product for my 4 little cousins who are learning how to properly brush their teeth.
— Tilestons, 2021 Amazon Review
I never write reviews, but I am compelled to share that this silly little toy has completely changed our nightly toothbrushing ritual from bargaining, whining, and so so many prompts to “brush longer” and make sure to get the back”, and “just give me the toothbrush already” to... two minutes of complete silence. The different legs light up to easily correspond to the different quadrants so that both my 6 and 3 year olds only needed one set of instructions before picking up on the idea. Now there are times when they seem too quiet and independent that I get suspicious and check in, only to find them brushing the corresponding quadrant as the turtle EVERY time. I purposely waited over a month to post this review because I was sure the novelty was going to wear off, but instead it seems like quality toothbrushing has become habitualized. Never has a child gadget (toy) been this effective for this little money, I feel like I stumbled on the secret treasure of parenting, gifting me a few moment of peace in the nightly bedtime routine.
— KL, Cleveland OH March 2021
This Turtle is spectacular. It’s so basic, and so adorable, and it does exactly what I wanted it to do—it’s a tooth brushing timer with 30 second intervals to teach my kids to brush long enough in the right places. They love it. I love it. It’s ridiculously cute and easy to use and it sticks to our mirror. Perfect. I’d give it 10 stars if I could
— Mizpurplest, March 2021 Amazon
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I named him Terrance.

“We love the Two Minute Turtle Timer™! My daughter named him Terrance. She loves to watch the lights and now brushes her whole mouth ...willingly!”

Clare, mom of 4 year old

Oh my goodness! My special needs child no longer fights tooth brushing. The feeling of brushing his teeth bothers him so it has always been a struggle. He loves this Turtle! It is the first thing that has really inspired him to brush without complaint. He focuses on the Turtle and it’s lights and is able to tune out the feeling of tooth brushing. Thank you!
— Amazon customer, Feb 2021
I love the turtle! It arrived and I easily installed batteries and the kids used that night for brushing. I have a 5 and a 2 yr old and brushing is a chore to them, but the turtle helps them get excited following the little flippers. They love the end where they brush their tongue. Lots of fun. Looks great and good quality.
— Elly S, Etsy 5 star review
We use our turtle timer every morning and night! My five year old loves it and her teeth hygiene has drastically improved. What a lovely little device.
— Bekah, Etsy shopper 5 star review
Thank you dearly! This was a lovely present to a local family.
— Diane, Etsy Shopper 5 star review
My 3.5 year old daughter uses the Two Minute Turtle Timer™ and loves it. It really helps her focus on how much time to spend brushing. This two minute timer is a great gadget and I will definitely recommend to friends.
— RB, dad Inventboston.com shopper
This turtle timer is a huge hit with my boys (age 4 and 6) getting them to brush is not quite the chore anymore. Great quality item!
— Cassandra, Etsy Shopper, 5 star review
My kids love it so far and have been using it daily for brushing!
— Leah, Etsy shopper
The Turtle Timer has seriously been great! The kids look forward to brushing their teeth, and it gives them a framework for knowing how long and what part to brush. As a parent, it has helped me stop dreading the wiggles and battles of daily oral hygiene. A great gift. Thank you!
— Tonja, mom, 2021 Washington state
We’ve had no cavities -use it every day including my adult son, age 22, with autism. Love the timer I have one I use for yin yoga
— Darlene, 2020, Etsy, 1 year after purchasing Turtle Timer
I purchased the Turtle Timer for my 7 year old son as he’s been struggling to take the time to brush his teeth for a full 2 minutes. It’s been a constant argument between us. I asked him what I could do to help him (besides brush them myself) and he said a timer would help. I researched for a while and most of what I found just wasn’t what I needed. Then I found yours :)
and it works perfectly! We love how each flipper lights up to remind him to switch sides of his mouth. Basically he was always rushing through the process. We are very pleased with our purchase. Thanks so much! So glad we found you.
— Nikki, Shopper, Etsy Dec 2020
My children use the 2 minute timer, Two Minute Turtle™ Timer regularly. Now we don’t have to remind them to brush. It’s easier for all of us.
— Andrew, Dad to 8 and 10 year old
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Toothbrush Timer builds bonds!

Siblings brushing teeth together with Turtle!

My daughter and I love the Two Minute Turtle Timer™. She brushes the full two minutes and she doesn’t need any reminders now.
— Ashley, mom
One of my children has autism. I was a participant in a zoom professional development workshop on Autism and a parent mentioned how they had looked everywhere but couldn’t find what they were after, then found the Turtle Timer.

I’m not even sure how we got onto teeth brushing. They gave it very good feedback.
— Michelle, Etsy shopper, Australia
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My son uses his 2 Minute Turtle Timer™ every single night.

Anya, mom, Stoneham MA

A great alternative to 2 minute timer videos! Easy for kids to use themselves. Love it!
— Susie, CA, Etsy shopper, August 2020
I was given this by a fellow dad at a fatherhood class, he recommended it when I mentioned difficulty with getting my son to brush his teeth. It took a week or two to catch on, but now my son loves it. It’s super durable, been dropped many times with no ill effects.
— Andrew, Amazon shopper, May 2019
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We are loving the Two Minute Turtle Timer™. My son is super excited to brush now.

Lori

5 stars. This sticks to the bathroom mirror and the lights change when it is time for the kids to switch quadrants. Two minutes is a long time for our younger child but for our older child, it helps them brush correctly now that they are getting a lot of their permanent teeth.
— Jen, 2020 Williamsburg VA via Uncommon Goods
My kids used multiple 2 minute sand timers—they either broke or we lost them. I googled and found the Two Minute Turtle™ Timer. My kids received these 2 minute timers and have used it twice a day ever since. I definitely recommend the Two Minute Turtle Timer to parents.
— Adam L., Frisco TX, father of an infant, 4, 6, and 8 year old
We were able to leave the house TEN MINUTES EARLIER because we didn’t have to do the usual brushing teeth battle thanks to the new 2 minute timer, Two Minute Turtle™ Timer!
— Susan, preschool teacher, mother of 6 year old
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A Simple Visual Guide

Do I think the Two Minute Turtle Timer™ is a good idea? No. It's an excellent one! Even using an electric toothbrush, this 2 minute toothbrush timer gives kids a helpful visual guide.

Dr. Patricia Chiu, Bay State Orthodontics Boston MA

We had so much stress over teeth-brushing with our 8 year old. He hated brushing his teeth and wouldn’t do a good job of it himself. If we helped him we all ended up stressed out.

We tried using a regular kitchen timer, or my phone timer, but both had drawbacks. He might keep the brush in his mouth for 2 mins but he might neglect to brush all the areas of his mouth. My phone was a big distraction as he just fiddled with all the alarm sounds.

I searched Amazon for a tooth brushing timer and found a lot of 2-min timers but most had nothing that would help remind him to switch to a different area of his mouth. They didn’t seem to offer anything different from a regular timer.

Then I found the Turtle Timer!

We’ve had it now for about a week and it has really helped!
For one thing, I no longer have to say ‘time to brush your teeth’, which was always met with resistance. Instead I now say ‘let’s play the turtle game!’, which sounds way more fun!

He enjoys not knowing where it’s going to start. And it’s SOOOOOO helpful that it tells him where to brush. Without this I am sure he would miss rows of teeth.

I highly recommend this product and my son wants to give it 5 stars!
— Emma, Amazon shopper, Dec 2019
Children love brushing teeth with Two Minute Turtle Timer

The kids look forward to brushing their teeth—it gives them a framework for knowing how long and what quadrants to brush. As a parent, it helped stop the wiggles and battles of daily oral hygiene… thank you !

Tonja, Turtle Timer Customer 2021

I named him Flashy.
— A young Two Minute Turtle™ Timer fan, Linda from CT, 2019
I bought 2 Two Minute Turtle Timers™. Then I went back to the store right away to buy 2 more. I brush longer. I can be the model for my kids now. I need this 2 minute timer, Two Minute Turtle™—I hope you never go out of business!
— Steve Z, father of 4, Roslindale MA
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The Two Minute Turtle™ surprised me!

I thought it was for my kid. But I use it every day. I don't HAVE to press the button each time I brush but I DO and it feels good, like I've taken a positive step to a healthier me.

—Dr. Maren B., Roslindale, MA

This is a great little device even if you already know how to brush your teeth! I use it as a timer for my core workouts. Although the total timing is two minutes, each leg blinks for 30 seconds, so you can time up to two minutes in 30 second intervals. It’s great for things like planks, and I find that because it doesn’t have numbers it keeps you in the moment for the duration of the exercise rather than just focusing on the countdown. And it is totally adorable!
— Margaret, Amazon Shopper May 2019
Its’ genius! I love this Two Minute Turtle™ Timer!
— Meg, mother at Boston Maker Faire
This product is genius. We tried so many different things to ensure our kids brush their teeth right and long enough. From apps to special toothbrushes. None of them really helped much. The Turtle is so simple yet so effective. The kids loved it right away (8 year olds). Their teeth already got much better and everybody is happy.
— A Rau, Amazon shopper August 2019
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This product is genius!

A Rau, Amazon Shopper

I love the Two Minute Turtle™ Timer. After a month using it, it exceeded my expectations. My 4 children are brushing better because of the Two Minute Turtle™ Timer!! I’m very pleased with the results.
— Dr. Ian McLaughlin, McLaughlin Family Dentists, W Roxbury MA
Not only does my daughter use the Two Minute Turtle™ Timer, I ALSO brush my teeth alongside her for the full 2 minutes! We adore the color, the weight in the palm, the quadrant signal lights. It’s the 4 signal lights that set this 2 minute timer apart from a 2-minute egg timer. Somehow brushing for 2 minutes using an egg timer seems an eternity, but the adorable Turtle Timer goes rather easily. Then, the colorful victory lap! Great invention. BIG smiles and (many emoji) thumbs up!
— Dr. P, Brookline MA
The Two Minute Turtle Timer™ transformed toothbrushing for my son. Maybe it’s because he’s competitive and doesn’t want to quit before the Turtle Timer does!”
— Kim N, mother of 7 year old
My daughter, Hazel, is addicted to this 2 minute timer, Two Minute Turtle Timer™
— Matt, father of Hazel, age 7
The Two Minute Turtle Timer™ is magnificent. It works like a charm. My four year old loves the game of not knowing which teeth to brush next and it has turned brushing teeth from something annoying and hard into something fun and easy to do thoroughly
— Erik V, Boston MA, dad to 4 year old son
There are apps to time your toothbrushing, but who wants a toothpaste-crud covered phone in the bathroom sink?”, reviewing the Two Minute Turtle Timer™
— The Gadgeteer
I love the Two Minute Turtle™ Timer. It’s the only thing my son uses at night when he brushes his teeth.
— Rob, Father of 4 year old, Roslindale
I forgot to bring my Two Minute Turtle™ Timer to my class today and I felt lost!
— Fiona B, Paris France, English as Second Language teacher
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I love this Two Minute Timer. My son, age 4, has autism and this Two Minute Turtle Timer™ lights keeps him focused!

Kaitlynn, Curious George Store Operations Supervisor Cambridge MA

My children love the Two Minute Turtle™ Timer and brush longer now. They use this 2 minute timer every night!
— Joy, preschool teacher and mother of 4 year old
Novelty has not worn off for my kiddo...I haven’t had to bug or help with teeth brushing since I bought the Turtle Timer. Woooorth it!
— 5 star review from Kristin, Etsy shopper
We are all enjoying the Two Minute Turtle Timer™! Our 8 year old uses it to brush teeth each evening and then I do a check. She sticks with it, follows the light prompts, and loves that this 2 minute timer is a turtle.
— Amy, mother of 8 year old
The Two Minute Turtle Timer™ is easy. It doesn’t need any sound. This 2 minute timer makes it more fun to brush my teeth!
— Abby, age 8


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Quick video:

This Two Minute Toothbrush Timer, original edition, helps kids pace themselves

Actually i love it (the Two Minute Turtle Timer™) and i use this 2 minute timer every day ...and what i really love about the Two Minute Turtle™ is it’s subtle .... ie: i cannot manage to “go the distance“ but it has totally increased the time i brush my teeth three fold .... the fact is in “turtle time “i can brush my hair and my teeth take a vitamin and put on makeup ... (all in turtle time). he is a friendly companion and i love him.
— Nina Bentley, Westport CT
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The Two Minute Turtle Timer goes above and beyond

The Two Minute Turtle™ is visual and a spacial 2 minute timer. I love it!

Beth, Watertown High School, MA Fablab Teacher

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Two Minute Turtle™ is a Time-Out Timer

Make Time-outs more constructive. Kids learn to wait with their friendly turtle companion.