Step 1: Choose Activities

It's tempting to put everything on you schedule, but children can get overwhelmed with long lists. You'll have more success if you focus on your child's needs. To help you decide, think about these questions:

• When does your child need support/reminders? Morning routine? Getting school work done? Doing a specific job? Getting ready to go out?
• What activities are easy for your child?
• Does your child need more help for some tasks? For example, fine motor skills, gathering materials, staying on task, etc.
• What tasks can your child do without your help?
• How old is your child?
• What do you need to get done?

Tip: Don't Forget Breaks!

When choosing activities, remember to include breaks. Breaks can include:

• Rewards
• Sensory activities
  
• Motor play
• Free choice times
• Snacks

It's a good idea to add a break after difficult tasks.

Step 2: Create a Schedule

There are lots of ways to make visual schedules. Schedules can be made with:

• Laminated or plain paper
• Recycled cardboard
  
• Magnets
• Clip boards
• A baking sheet
• Hook and loop tape (like Velcro)
  
• Re-usable adhesive putty (like Plasti-tak)
• Real objects (for example, a section of cracker box for snack time)
  

When choosing materials, think about whether you will take the schedule with you or  use it at home. You should also think about size (for example, 2x2 inch icons are about the right size for a toddler or preschooler).

Next, think about the tasks on the schedule.

• What will your child understand? Do you need to use real objects? Can you use photos? Does your child understand symbols or drawings?
  
• Can you include words? Even if your child doesn't read yet, using words can help build early reading skills.
  
• How specific do you need to be? For example, "table time" could stand for sensory table play, arts and crafts, a science activity, puzzles, writing, or other fine motor activity.
  

If possible, ask your child to help choose the icons. This can help them feel ownership of their schedule.

The final step is to make your schedule. Remember to make tasks durable and removable. Once your child has finished a task, they should remove it and put it in an "all done" pocket.