Visual Schedule for Kids: How to Make One That Works

A visual schedule for kids is a short row of pictures, photos or simple words that shows, in order, what happens next, for example "get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, shoes on". The easiest way to start is with one routine (morning, after school or bedtime), three to six steps, placed at your child's eye level, with a way for your child to move or tick off each step as it is done. This guide shows you how to make one in about 20 minutes, three example schedules, how to use it day to day, and what to do when it does not work.

In brief:

• Start with one routine and three to six steps.
• Use photos or simple pictures, in the same order every day.
• Hang it at your child's eye level, where the routine happens.
• Let your child move or tick off each step.
• Change it slowly and with your child's input.

In this article · 12 min read

1. What a visual schedule is, and why parents use it
2. How to make a visual schedule for kids in 6 steps
3. Three example schedules you can copy
4. How to use the schedule day to day
5. When the visual schedule is not working
6. Where a book can help
7. More guides that fit with a daily schedule
8. When to talk to a professional
9. Who it is for
10. Key terms
11. Frequently asked questions
12. Sources

What a visual schedule is, and why parents use it

A visual schedule is a series of pictures, photos or written words that shows the activities of a day, or the steps of one task, in the order they happen. It belongs to a wider family of tools that researchers call visual supports: concrete cues, such as pictures or written lists, that tell a child what is happening or what is expected. In its 2020 review, the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice, a research team at the University of North Carolina, names visual schedules among its examples of visual supports (NCAEP, 2020).

The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, a US-funded early childhood resource, explains the idea in two words: predictability (the child knows which activity is coming and when) and consistency (the order stays the same). A visual schedule lets a young child see what the day will look like (NCPMI, 2020). Understood.org adds that pictures are simpler and easier to follow than written schedules for kids who are easily distracted or find organization hard (Understood). And CHADD, the parent organization for ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), says routines can give children with ADHD "a sense of security and reassurance", and suggests making a visual list of steps because breaking a task into smaller parts makes it easier to finish (CHADD).

A fair note: these are practical guides, not a promise. Most of the research on picture schedules was done with autistic children. The NCAEP team counted 65 studies supporting visual supports: 34 published between 1990 and 2011 and 31 more between 2012 and 2017. A separate review from Vanderbilt University found 31 studies on visual activity schedules, 16 of them of acceptable quality, and concluded that they can be considered an evidence-based practice, meaning a method backed by several good-quality studies, for autistic people from preschool to adulthood (Knight, Sartini and Spriggs, 2015).

These results do not prove that a schedule works for every child, and it will not fix every morning. Think of it as a tool to try for a few weeks and adjust.

How to make a visual schedule for kids in 6 steps

Here is a simple method, based on the NCPMI guide and WonderBaby's advice, with a few practical additions.

1. Pick one routine. Choose the time of day your child needs the most support, such as mornings, the hour after school or bedtime. A schedule can cover part of a day, half a day or a whole day, but one routine is enough to begin with.
2. List three to six steps. Write the steps in the order you want, for example for bedtime: bathroom, wash, pajamas, brush teeth, read a book, bed. If the list feels long, split it into two short schedules.
3. Put a "fun" step after a hard one. NCPMI suggests structuring the day so enjoyable activities follow more challenging ones, for example brushing teeth right before a story.
4. Make the cards. WonderBaby recommends images that are "easily recognizable, uncluttered, and easy for your child to identify", and notes that some children respond better to real photos than drawings. You can take a photo of your child doing each step, draw simple pictures or print free symbol sets. Add a short word underneath if your child is learning to read. Cover the cards with clear tape so they last.
5. Choose a format. A strip of card with Velcro, a magnetic board, a file folder, a ring binder or a row of clothespins on a ribbon all work. What matters is that your child can handle it.
6. Add a "done" place and hang it low. NCPMI finds schedules work best when children can see that an activity is finished: a pocket or envelope marked "done" where cards go, a clothespin that moves down the row, or a page you turn. Hang the schedule at your child's level where the routine happens, for example in the bathroom or kitchen.

Which format suits which child

These are suggestions rather than rules, and the best format is the one your child actually uses.

A "first-then" board is just two squares, "first" and "then", with one picture in each, for example "first put on pajamas, then read a story". NCPMI says it can ease the move from one activity to another and break routines into smaller steps.

Three example schedules you can copy

Use these as a starting point and change the order to match your home.

Some of the ideas come from parent guides in French and English: a morning routine of gentle waking, breakfast, washing, dressing and leaving, and an evening routine with a snack, screen-free free time, dinner, a story and bed (Pass Éducation). For a longer look at the evening, see our guide to a bedtime routine for kids.

How to use the schedule day to day

A schedule only helps if it becomes part of the day. The NCPMI guide suggests the following:

• Teach it. Show your child how it works by explaining and demonstrating the pictures, once or twice at calm moments.
• Refer to it often. For example, "We just got home, let's check your schedule to see what comes next."
• Talk about it. "Look, you got dressed. Now it's breakfast time!"
• Make it active. Your child turns over or moves each card to "done".
• Celebrate. Notice effort, especially on the not-so-fun steps: "You tidied up! You must feel proud."

WonderBaby adds a few more points. If your child does not respond, prompt with words first, then guide them to the schedule and point to the pictures. Expect to keep prompting during switches between activities at first. And introduce changes slowly, because too many at once can overwhelm a child.

Two more ideas are worth keeping in mind. First, flexibility: Pass Éducation reminds parents not to be too rigid about the order or timing of activities, especially on holidays, and notes that some steps, such as dressing before or after washing, can change. Second, involve your child: letting your child choose some of the pictures or the order of the steps makes it feel like theirs. A schedule that is done with your child is much more likely to be used than one done to your child.

If you would like to see the idea explained by therapists, The Children's Institute of Pittsburgh, a pediatric rehabilitation center, shares occupational therapy tips on visual schedules in this short video:

When the visual schedule is not working

It is common for the first version to need fixing. Here are the most frequent problems and ideas to try.

• Your child ignores it. Check that it is at eye level, near the place where the routine happens, and that you refer to it yourself each time. Try fewer steps or a first-then board.
• Your child refuses a step. Put the step before something your child enjoys, or break it into smaller pieces ("socks on" instead of "get dressed").
• There are too many steps. Cut to three or four. You can always add later.
• The routine changes. Add a blank card or a "surprise" card for days when plans change, and tell your child in advance when you can.
• Your child loses interest after a few weeks. Change the pictures, the format or the order of the steps, and let your child decide how. Routines can take weeks to settle in.

If you also use a points system, keep the two ideas separate: the schedule shows what comes next, while a reward system is a different tool. We cover that in our guide to a reward chart for kids.

Where a book can help

A visual schedule works best on a calmer day, and it is easier to stick with when you have a few more ideas to try. 100 Ways to Support Kids with ADHD and ADD by Magda Pabst is a practical workbook for parents and teachers of children aged about 3 to 12. In its chapter on emotional support and a supportive family or school environment, it suggests stable, clear routines, with a daily schedule planned together with the child and visible homework checklists with ticks or stickers. Other chapters add a timer game for homework, active breaks, a relaxing bedtime routine and a quiet zone for calming down.

Magda Pabst's view

In 100 Ways to Support Kids with ADHD and ADD, Magda Pabst makes the day visible with a large wall calendar that the child helps to update every morning; for older children, a scheduling app with reminders can do the same job. Parent and child look at it together at the start and at the end of the day, to celebrate what went well and to talk about what was hard. Her long-term aim is for the child to keep the calendar up to date alone. It is a useful way to think about any visual schedule: fill it in together at first, then hand over the pen little by little.

At Books Go Publications, every guide is built on reliable sources and checked by native-speaker editors in English, French, German and Spanish, which is why this page links to the studies themselves rather than to summaries of them.

The book is written for children with ADHD, but many of its routines suit most children. It is a set of ideas to choose from and adapt, not a medical tool or a diagnosis, and every child is different. The boxes on this page show the Books Go Publications titles for children.

More guides that fit with a daily schedule

• A calm place for big feelings makes the day smoother: see our guide to a calm down corner at home.
• If homework is the hard part, try how to make homework fun.
• Short movement breaks fit nicely between steps: brain break ideas for kids.

You can find more on the Books Go Publications blog and on the Books Go Publications home page.

When to talk to a professional

Routines and pictures are everyday supports, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Talk to your child's pediatrician, a teacher or a child psychologist if:

• your child has strong, frequent difficulty with routines, transitions or paying attention, even with clear support;
• mornings or bedtimes end in big outbursts almost every day for several weeks;
• you notice delays in speech or understanding, or you are worried about ADHD, autism or another condition;
• you are feeling exhausted or overwhelmed by the daily routine.

For ADHD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends behavior therapy first for children under 6, and that the most effective type is parent training in behavior management (CDC). Asking for help is a normal part of parenting, not a failure.

Who it is for

A visual schedule is a simple tool that suits many families and classrooms.

• Parents of preschoolers: pictures let a child who cannot read yet see what comes next, which can make mornings and bedtimes calmer.
• Families of children with ADHD or autism: a fixed order and a "done" pocket break the day into small, visible steps, as the guides from NCPMI and CHADD suggest.
• Teachers and childminders: the same picture cards help a whole group get ready for the switch from one activity to the next.
• Parents of school-age children: a written checklist lets an older child take charge of their own routine and grow more independent.

Key terms

• Visual schedule: a row of pictures, photos or words that shows the steps of a routine in order.
• Visual supports: pictures, objects or written cues that tell a child what is happening or what to do.
• First-then board: a card with two squares, one task now and one pleasant activity next.
• Transition: the moment a child stops one activity and moves on to the next one.
• Prompt: a word, gesture or pointing finger that reminds the child to check the schedule.
• Evidence-based practice: a method that several good-quality studies have found useful.

Frequently asked questions

What is a visual schedule for kids?

It is a set of pictures, photos or simple words showing the steps of a routine in order. Children can look at it to see what comes next, which can make a day more predictable. It can cover a short routine or a whole day.

At what age can a child use a visual schedule?

Parent guides describe picture schedules for young children, and one French guide says a ritual board is generally meant for children aged 2 to 6 (Alcuin Fonds, in French), with a written checklist for older children. There is no single age: choose the format that matches how your child understands pictures and words.

How many steps should a visual schedule have?

Start with three to six steps for one routine. If your child finds that too much, use a first-then board with two cards, then add steps over time.

Should I use photos or drawings?

Either can work. WonderBaby notes that some children respond better to real photos, so photos of your child doing each step are a good first try. Simple, uncluttered pictures are fine too.

Do I need a reward chart as well?

Not necessarily. A visual schedule shows what comes next and helps your child feel prepared. A reward system is a separate tool, and some families prefer not to link the two.

When should I stop using the schedule?

There is no deadline. Adult help usually fades little by little as the child becomes more independent, so you can first stop prompting, then keep the schedule as a reminder for as long as it helps.

Sources

• Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism, National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice, University of North Carolina (2020)
• Evaluating visual activity schedules as evidence-based practice for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, Knight, Sartini and Spriggs, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2015)
• Visual Supports for Routines, Schedules, and Transitions, National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (2020)
• What Is a Visual Schedule and How Do I Make One?, WonderBaby
• Download sample picture schedules and visual planners, Understood
• Creating Routines When Parent and Child Both Have ADHD, CHADD
• Treatment of ADHD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Les rituels et routines, Pass Éducation (in French)
• Tableau rituel enfant, Alcuin Fonds (in French)