When we distributed inexpensive hand-held stopwatches to children on the playground and saw their enthusiasm and interest in timing, we designed the Timer. The timer, with a large digital display, can be encased in a wooden structure on the playground. Catherine Call Children get excited about timing playground activities and inventing new games using time. They time obstacle course runs and clock how long they jump rope. They swing across an overhead trolley and time themselves.
Some kids invent more complicated obstacle courses that have a series of activities.
They mark their race times in a game. Next to the lights is a wide path for running. Across the path, at one end, is the controller which has a knob for setting the speed at which the lights will flash on the track and two buttons, one for starting at the near end and the other for starting at the far end. As each light flashes, a bell in the track rings, so the speed is represented by the setting on the knob, the rate of the lights flashing and of bells ringing. Children create all kinds of games with the Light Track.