Using Visual Supports

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Using visuals to support everyday routines and transitions

As adults we use visuals every day. Some examples include calendars, to-do lists, maps, and assembly instructions. Therefore, it isn’t hard to see why children would benefit from similar supports.

What are visual aids?

Visual aids are communication tools that act as a cue for children to help through a particular routine or develop specific skills, like routine boards, visual schedules, checklists, etc. Visuals can help to provide structure and routine, improve understanding, avoid frustration and offer opportunities to interact with others.

Visuals can assist with many things, including:

Language and communication skills
Comprehension and understanding
Organization, scheduling, and choice making
Rules, reminders, and following directions
Transitions
Reinforcing specific skills and/or behaviors

Why Visuals?

The benefits of using visuals with young children

Visuals, in additional to language supports, can be helpful tools in providing support for skills that children are still working to develop, build independence, and decrease challenging behaviors.

child hand touching adult hand with hearts

Prevention

The use of visuals can often help avoid or prevent challenging and unwanted behaviors.

Understanding

Visuals, like to-do lists, calendars, and signs help make abstract concepts more concrete.

Independence

Visuals decrease behaviors and anxiety and increase understanding, flexibility, and independence.

Using VIsuals

Best practices for implementing visuals

How do you implement and reinforce visual schedules and communication tools?

Discuss the schedule with your child.
Choose a format together, when appropriate.
Introduce the schedule in a simple format, then build it out over time.
Model how to use the schedule — “think and do” out loud.
Continue to reflect on what is and is not working for you child and family, making improvements as needed.
Use the schedule as consistently as possible.
Include changes to the day, routines, or expectations.
Allow the schedule to grow with your child’s needs (and your own) over time.

Types of Visuals

Visual Schedules

Visual schedules and routine boards are useful in helping children understand a scheduled sequence of events, anticipate changes, and increase independence.

These types of visuals benefit children who struggle with routines or who are always asking “what comes next” or “when are we going to…, helping them visualize that there are sequential events that need to occur prior to the activity.

Bedtime Picture Scedule PDF

Types of Visuals

Task Charts

Task charts, checklists, and to-do lists help children make sense of their roles and responsibilities. They deepen understanding, alleviate anxieties, and prevent behaviors that stem from lack of information or misunderstanding.

These types of visuals can be helpful for homework, chores, and jobs, including:

packing their lunch,
completing homework,
e-learning,
getting dressed, etc.

Types of Visuals

Feelings and Emotions

Social-emotional visuals, like visual scripts, feelings charts, and problem solving wheels can be used to help children understand social situations.

These visuals also help them engage with others, respond appropriately to situations, and solve problems. They help children visualize their emotions and provide choices on how to solve current and future problems.

Feelings Charts

Types of Visuals

Reward and Token Boards

Rewards encourage positive behaviors and can change unwanted behaviors. You can use token boards and reward systems as a way to reinforce your child for the good work they are doing. This also allows them to see what is available to earn at the end of a series of tasks. Additionally, giving your child a say about the reward he receives can make it feel more enticing.

Examples:

Additional Resources

Printable visual tools

Print and use these PDF resources to help incorporate visuals into your child’s daily routines.

PDF Resource

First-Then Board

Download

PDF Resource

Morning Routine Social Story

Download

PDF Resource

Afternoon Checklist

Download

When words and visual elements are closely entwined, we create something new and we augment our communal intelligence ... visual language has the potential for increasing ‘human bandwidth'—the capacity to take in, comprehend, and more efficiently synthesize large amounts of new information.

Dr. Robert E. Horn

Stanford University

https://childcareanswers.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Featured-Video-Visuals1-e1638477758575.png

Incorporating Visuals into Your Daily Routine

Understand the benefits of using visuals and examples of ways in which you can incorporate visuals into your daily routines, help with transitions, and increase positive behavioral outcomes.

Using visuals to support everyday routines and transitions

What are visual aids?

Visuals can assist with many things, including:

The benefits of using visuals with young children

Prevention

Understanding

Independence

Best practices for implementing visuals

Visual Schedules

Task Charts

Feelings and Emotions

Reward and Token Boards

Examples:

Printable visual tools

First-Then Board

Morning Routine Social Story

Afternoon Checklist

Incorporating Visuals into Your Daily Routine

Using Behavioral Strategies to Decrease Challenging Behaviors

Using Rewards & Consequences to Manage Behaviors

Strategies for Supporting Your Child’s Independence

Using Visual Supports

Using visuals to support everyday routines and transitions

What are visual aids?

Visuals can assist with many things, including:

The benefits of using visuals with young children

Prevention

Understanding

Independence

Best practices for implementing visuals

Visual Schedules

Task Charts

Feelings and Emotions

Reward and Token Boards

Examples:

Printable visual tools

First-Then Board

Morning Routine Social Story

Afternoon Checklist

Incorporating Visuals into Your Daily Routine

Using Behavioral Strategies to Decrease Challenging Behaviors

Using Rewards & Consequences to Manage Behaviors

Strategies for Supporting Your Child’s Independence

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