Waiting is hard when you can't see the end. A visual timer makes 'soon' feel real — and gives your child something calm to do while they wait.
Set the timer or build the card before the wait begins — show your child the full timer first, while they're calm.
Place the phone, tablet, or printed card where your child can clearly see it.
Let the timer answer 'how much longer?' instead of repeating it yourself. Point to it if they ask.
Pair the wait with a calm activity — a fidget toy or deep breaths gives the nervous system something predictable to hold onto.
Give a 30-second warning before time is up — 'almost done' — so the ending isn't sudden.
Waiting requires holding an abstract idea — time passing toward an invisible end point. Many autistic children experience time differently, and phrases like 'soon' or 'a few minutes' carry no concrete meaning. The uncertainty itself is often more distressing than the wait.
A visual timer changes this. Instead of an abstract promise, the child has something they can watch — sand settling, a circle shrinking. The waiting becomes visible, and visible things feel safer than invisible ones.