Many children with autism are visual learners. They take in new information not so much from hearing how something should be done, or even being walked through step-by-step—they need a chance to sit and digest an image, or flow cart, or pictograph that explains the order-of-events and reason behind each action to fully grasp and comprehend the task at hand. So be accommodating. If you make a visual schedule for your child to help them navigate their daily routines, they’ll tackle them with greater  ease and confidence. At Monarch House, we are strong proponents of mapping things out in advance. By using structured visual supports, we help parents and caregivers find practical ways to enhance predictability, reduce anxiety, and foster independence in their child.  

Here are ten useful ways to create a visual schedule for daily routines for children in Mississauga.

1. Use A Picture-Based Schedule

A nice, bright, bold, easy-to-read instructional poster on the wall is a reassuring thing for most children with autism. It lays out the expectations clearly, and offers step-by-step pointers, as well as the order of operations that make for the most efficient approach to the task. They love it. Visual schedules with pictures of activities help children with autism understand their daily routine. Make use of interesting photos, pictographs, flow charts, illustrations, clipart, or drawings to represent each step clearly.

2. Implement A First-Then Board

Do you ever get stuck doing a task with two different things in your hands for two completely different stages? How does this happen? If you have a strong handle on what is to be done when, it can simplify your whole routine, and make sure there’s no wasted time. A simple “First-Then” board helps children grasp task sequencing. Place an image of the current activity under “First” and a preferred activity under “Then” to motivate completion.

3. Create A Velcro Or Magnetic Board

You want to build this thing to last. A simple paper poster will become faded or ripped in time, and let’s face it, it won’t be taken as seriously. Go to the trouble of making the poster big, and colourful. Laminate it. Affix it to the wall in a way that can be moved and inspected more closely without fraying any tape or compromising its durability. A Velcro or magnetic board allows flexibility in adjusting the schedule throughout the day. Children can move completed tasks to a “Done” section, reinforcing a sense of accomplishment.

4. Utilize A Digital Or App-Based Schedule

If you want to do this all digitally, that’s fine. You run into the issue of your kids spending more and more time staring at a tablet or screen, but that’s the way you want it, that’s what you get. The pros, however, are a neater, more accessible, and easy to edit schedule down the road. For tech-savvy children, using apps or digital planners with visual aids, timers, and voice cues can enhance engagement and accessibility.

5. Incorporate A Written And Visual Combination

Adjust your visual schedule to reflect the comprehension level of your kid. Use words they will understand and don’t push any technical terms beyond their current level. This is a piece of communication. It’s not a learning tool for reading or vocabulary. So keep focused on the big picture. You want your visual schedule to be easily understood—above all else. Learning new words can come later, maybe at storytime or something. Older children or those who can read may benefit from a combination of words and images. This method helps develop literacy skills while maintaining visual support.

6. Use A Binder or Flipbook Format

Who wouldn’t want to carry an instructional poster everywhere they go? Some kids like to keep the rules in their back pocket to reference any time they need them. So be accommodating to that. Make smaller versions—different editions in different colours—and they can collect them all. A portable binder or flipbook with laminated pages allows children to carry their schedule anywhere. This is useful for transitioning between home, school, and therapy sessions.

7. Implement A Timed Visual Schedule

Like it or not, we live in a world where the clock, for most people, more often than not, rules the day. The sooner your child learns to work around the confines and pressures of time, the better they’ll navigate the expectations of society in general. So teach them how to work on a schedule and how to manage their own internal time clock as to how long things take. They can master time once they understand how it works and they are familiar with its parameters. One way to do this is to add a timer to each task. This can help children understand the fundamentals of time management. Using countdown timers, sand timers, or digital clocks can create structure and reduce resistance to transitions.

8. Include Choice Boards

Children with autism often feel like they are caught in a whirlwind of adult responsibilities and expectations and that they have very little control over their own lives. This isn’t fair to them. Give them autonomy wherever you can. Providing options within the schedule empowers children to make decisions. A choice board with interchangeable activities fosters independent thinking while maintaining structure.

9. Make It Interactive And Engaging

Does your kid love collecting Pokemon cards? Do they know everything there is to know about the value, power, and rarity of each card  they have? Kids with autism can be like that. It’s awesome that they have such passionate special interests. It’s a gift. So run with it. Using fun themes, stickers, or personalized elements makes the schedule more appealing. Letting children participate in creating their schedule increases ownership and cooperation.

10. Gradually Fade Support For Independence

At first the schedule is going to be the source of control in the room. It will lay out the rule of the land, and all those in its presence will have to do as it says. This will slowly change with time as your child becomes so efficient that they eventually become in control of the schedule themselves: They become the ones making more efficient modifications to the order of operations. They are the ones suggesting new, and better, ways of doing things. As children become familiar with their routine, reduce reliance on the visual schedule by encouraging verbal reminders or self-monitoring techniques, fostering independence over time.

It’s nice to know what is going to happen next, and when. Children with autism take comfort in the idea that they have some control over the maelstrom of events that are presented to them each day. They do this by adhering to a set schedule that, in some ways, makes itself the source of reliable structure. As a parent or caregiver, give them this confidence. At Monarch House we have a professional, interdisciplinary staff of occupational therapists, behavioural therapists, psychotherapists, and speech pathologists that are here to help you with the planning, preparations, and layout..  By using these strategies, caregivers can create an effective visual schedule tailored to your child’s unique needs. A well-structured visual routine can make daily transitions smoother, reduce anxiety, and enhance confidence in completing tasks independently—makng for a happier household overall.