RoutiniusQuick answer: Pick one routine that’s currently hard (often the school morning), break it into 4–8 steps, give each step a clear picture, put the pictures in order somewhere your child can see, and use it the same way every day: point, say the step, let your child mark it done. You can make it on paper in 20 minutes or on a phone or tablet in a few.
What a visual schedule is (and why it helps)
A visual schedule is a routine shown as pictures in order: wake up, breakfast, teeth, clothes, shoes, bag. Instead of you repeating each instruction, your child looks at the schedule to see what’s now and what’s next.
Parents, teachers and occupational therapists use visual schedules because pictures stay put. A spoken instruction is gone the moment it’s said; a picture can be checked again and again, which helps children who are young, easily distracted, or anxious about what comes next. They’re common in autism and ADHD support, but plenty of children without any diagnosis benefit from seeing the plan too.
Step 1: Choose one routine
Start with a single routine, not the whole day. Good first choices:
- School or daycare mornings: lots of steps, a deadline, and usually the most reminders.
- Bedtime: predictable, the same every night, and a calm way to practise.
- After school: snack, bag away, homework, play.
Step 2: Break it into steps your child can see
Walk through the routine as it really happens and write down each action. Then:
- Keep each step to one action. “Get dressed” is one step; “get dressed and make your bed” is two.
- Name it the way you say it at home. If you say “PJs”, don’t write “Pajamas”.
- Cut to 4–8 steps. Fewer for younger children. Merge tiny steps or split a long routine in two.
Step 3: Pick pictures and make it
On paper (free)
- Draw, print or photograph each step. Photos of your child’s own things often work best for toddlers.
- Stick them in a row on a strip of card, top to bottom or left to right.
- Add a way to mark each step done: a pocket to drop the card in, a strip of Velcro, or a clip that moves down.
- Put it at your child’s eye level where the routine happens, such as the bathroom door or by the front door.
A kitchen timer or your phone’s Clock app can time any step that tends to drag.
On a phone or tablet
A visual schedule app does the same job without laminating, and can add a timer to each step so your child sees time passing. In Routinius, each routine is a column of bold colour blocks: the current step fills the screen with an animated picture and a timer bar, and done steps shrink away.
To change the routine on paper you remake the card; in an app you drag a step. Many families use both: an app on the kitchen tablet and a paper strip in the car.
Step 4: Teach it, the same way every day
- Introduce it when everyone is calm, not in the middle of a rushed morning. Go through it together like a game.
- For the first week, walk through it with your child. Point to the step, say it, and let them mark it done.
- Use the schedule instead of repeating yourself. When they drift, point to the picture: “What’s next?”
- Celebrate finishing, not perfection. A high five at the end of the routine is enough.
- Adjust after a week. If a step always stalls, split it in two or give it a timer.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Too many steps | Cut to the 4–8 that matter; merge the rest |
| Pictures your child doesn’t recognise | Use photos of their own things |
| Schedule hidden on the fridge | Put it where the routine happens, at their eye level |
| Only used on bad days | Use it every day so it becomes the routine |
| Timer on every step | Time only the steps that drag; let the rest wait for Done |
For a ready-made morning version, see our morning routine chart for kids. If your child struggles with “five more minutes”, our guide on how to explain time to a toddler helps.