Visual Schedules

 

With any extended period of time at home comes the difficulty of maintaining routines. Visual schedules are a great way of visualizing this for our children and helping them navigate their day.



Visual supports can be used to communicate with people. They are adaptable, portable and can be used in most situations.

Visual supports can help to provide structure and routine, encourage independence, build confidence, improve understanding, avoid frustration and anxiety, and provide opportunities to interact with others. They can make communication physical and consistent, rather than fleeting and inconsistent like spoken words can be.

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Types of visual support

A wide range of items can be used as visual supports. For example:

• tactile symbols/objects of reference, eg swimming trunks, packaging, food labels

•  photographs

•  short videos

•  miniatures of real objects

•  coloured pictures

•  plain squares of coloured card

•  line drawings

•  symbols

•  written words.

 

These can be real objects, printed images, or on a smartphone, tablet or computer