Guides

How to use a visual timetable at home

A visual timetable is a row of pictures that shows the steps of part of the day, in order. Here’s how to set one up at home so it gets used, not ignored.

What a visual timetable does

Spoken instructions disappear the moment they’re said. A picture stays put. A visual timetable lets your child check what’s happening now and what comes next without being told again, and moving each card to Finished shows them the routine getting shorter.

Many children find pictures easier to follow than words, especially at busy times of day. That includes a lot of autistic and ADHD children, but plenty of other children too.

Start with one routine

Pick the part of the day that’s hardest, not the whole day. For most families that’s the morning or bedtime. Then:

1. Choose three or four steps, for example toilet, get dressed, breakfast and shoes on.
2. Use the same words every time. If the card says Get dressed, say “get dressed”.
3. Put the board at your child’s eye level, where the routine happens. A morning board belongs near the bedroom or the kitchen, not in a drawer.
4. Walk through it together the first few times: point to the card, do the step, move the card.

Make finishing visible

The Finished pocket matters more than it looks. When each card goes in, your child sees progress, and you get a natural moment to say “done”. Keep praise short and specific: “Teeth done. Shoes next.”

When the plan changes

Changes are where a timetable earns its place. Show the change before it happens: swap the card, or add a Change card where the usual step was, and talk it through. A quick warning with a picture is usually easier than a surprise.

Common snags

• Too many steps. Eight cards can feel like a wall. Start with three and add more later.
• Only using it on bad days. It works best when it’s simply how the morning goes, every day.
• Your child rearranges the cards. Let them help put the steps in order. Owning it helps.
• Home and school look different. If school uses a timetable too, matching the pictures at home helps the day feel joined up.

Kits that go with this guide

• Morning Routine kit (£3.99): A morning board, 15 picture cards and 3 blanks, Now and Next and First and Then.
• Daily Routine bundle (£9.99): 101 picture cards and 7 boards from morning to bedtime, plus the full Card Maker for your own words.
• School Day timetable (£4.99): A visual timetable with 45 cards for home or the classroom, plus a Today board.
• Classroom Pack (£9.99): The School Day timetable, Now and Next, token board and break cards in one download. Save £4.47.
• Now and Next board (£3.49): A big Now and Next board, take-along strips and 45 picture cards.

Written by a dad to an autistic son with ADHD. This is everyday parenting advice, not medical or therapy advice. If you’re worried about your child, talk to your GP, health visitor or school SENCo.