The kinds of visual schedule
| Kind | What is on it | When families use it |
|---|---|---|
| First then board | Two pictures: what happens first, and what comes next | One step at a time, or a brand new routine |
| Day strip | A few photo cards for the next part of the day, with an "all done" pocket at the end | Seeing what is left of the morning or the afternoon |
| Routine chart | The steps of one routine from top to bottom, often with a box to check | Mornings, bedtime, getting out the door |
| Week board | One column per day, with where the child goes and who is with them | "Is today a school day?" and "How many sleeps?" |
They all work the same way: one picture for each step, in order, where your child can see it. Start with a first then board, then a day strip: our guide to a visual schedule for toddlers walks through it. We also have free charts made for your own photos: a bedtime routine chart, a chore chart for kids, a potty training chart, a choice board and a feelings chart for kids.
What goes on a schedule
- One clear picture per card, and one short word under it once your child is ready for words. "Shoes", not "Put your shoes on now".
- The steps of your child's real day. Your breakfast, your car, your bedtime song.
- A way to show what is done. A pocket, a check box, or turning the card over.
- Only a few cards to start. A first schedule can be two or three pictures. You can add more later.
Carissa built her first schedule for her own 2-year-old, from photos. The first rule in her setup guide: "The photo has to be the real thing. Your front door, their nap mat, their sitter's face, all shot from their eye level. A toddler doesn't read a cartoon school bus as their school."
How to set one up
- Print at "Actual size" on cardstock, so the cards stay the size they were drawn. US Letter and A4 both work.
- Cut out the cards and laminate them, or cover them with clear tape. Little hands are hard on paper.
- Add hook and loop dots (Velcro is one brand) to the back of each card and to the strip.
- Hang it where the routine happens, at your child's eye level: the fridge for mornings, the bathroom door for bedtime.
- Go through it together. Point to each picture as you say the step, and let your child move the card when the step is done.
Our Photo Visual Schedule, in the Doctor Carissa shop on Etsy (doctorcarissa.etsy.com), has first then boards, day strips and a week board in one kit, made for your own photos. The Photo Visual Schedule Bundle has all eight printables from the photo kit in one file for home use, including the Out and About Photo Cards for errands and outings. The Classroom and Clinic License edition of the Photo Visual Schedule adds 36 classroom cards, student strips and a classroom shot list, with a license for one classroom, clinic or caseload.
Guides and free printables
Free printable
Free choice board with photo cards"I want" and "I choose" boards with two choices each, and 12 photo cards for your child's real things.
Free printable
Free chore chart for kidsA week of four jobs on one page, with a 1 inch photo frame for each job and a check circle for every day.
Free printable
Free potty training chartOne week on a page: a circle to mark today and five sticker spots a day, sized for 3/4 inch stickers.
Free printable
Free feelings chart for kids"I feel" and "I need" on one page: 18 photo frames for your child's own face and their own things.
Guide
First then boardsWhat a first then board is, how to make one and how to introduce it at home.
Free printable
Free bedtime routine chartBedtime and morning on one page, eight steps each, with a 1 inch photo frame over every step.
Guide
Visual schedules for toddlersA photo schedule for a toddler: which photos to take, how many cards, the all-done pocket and changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is a visual schedule the same as a routine chart?
A routine chart is one kind of visual schedule. It shows the steps of a single routine, such as getting ready for bed. "Visual schedule" is the wider name, and it also covers first then boards and strips that show a whole day.
What age can a child start using a visual schedule?
There is no set starting age. A family handout from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations describes picture tools like these for children as young as 12 months. Many families start with a two-picture first then board around age 2.
Should a visual schedule use photos or drawings?
Some children take to photos and some to drawings, so it is fine to try both. Photos of the real things in your child's day, taken from their eye level, show this cup and this door rather than any cup or any door.
Do only autistic children use visual schedules?
No. Picture schedules appear in general handouts for families of all young children, and preschool teachers use them with a whole class. They are also common in guides for families of autistic children.
Sources
We opened and checked every link on October 4, 2026.
- How to Use Visual Schedules to Help Your Child Understand Expectations (PDF), National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations. Picture tools for children as young as 12 months; let your child remove the picture when an activity is done; begin with one time of day, then expand.
- Tips and Ideas for Making Visuals to Support Young Children (PDF), Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, Vanderbilt University. Pictures remain after the spoken words are gone; a word with every picture; photo tips (plain background, one item, the child's point of view); a finished pocket; keep it at the child's eye level.
- Visual Supports tip sheet (PDF), Vanderbilt Kennedy Center TRIAD. A visual schedule is for longer sequences such as bedtime or the morning routine and shows what comes next; don't expect a child to understand visuals right away.
An educational support tool. Not a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed speech-language pathologist or physician. Read the full disclaimer.