For young children with autism, behavior problems, and even sensory impairments, making transitions from one activity to another during a daily routine can be problematic. One strategy the EC-LINK team finds useful is to provide the child with an object or picture schedule representing the days’ events.

Schedules serve a number of purposes. Among others, they can help focus the child’s attention, provide information in a way that is easy to understand, i.e., in the form of an object or picture, make verbal instructions clearer, and help the child through the process of making a transition.

To create a schedule, here are a few basic guidelines you might follow:

1. Make a list of primary activities that occur throughout the child’s day, (e.g., arrival at school and hanging up coat, circletime, morning snack).
2. Give each activity a name (e.g. school arrival, circletime, morning snack).
3. Select symbols to represent each activity.

1. Be sure they are appropriate to the child’s developmental level. For example, if a child does not yet recognize pictures, but at least recognizes the names of objects, you should start with objects.
2. Make sure they are large enough so they cannot be swallowed.
3. Chose objects that are meaningful to the individual child. For example, for one child, a spoon might represent morning snack while for another, a bowl might be more meaningful.
4. When selecting pictures, be sure to consider their size, color, contrast, etc., especially if the child has a sensory impairment.

4. Decide how the objects or pictures should be displayed. Some options include:

1. All in one basket or in separate baskets
2. Displayed on a Velcro strip on a cabinet door, wall, classroom door, etc.
3. In a three-ring binder
4. On a wall chart

5. Decide how you will use the schedule so that everyone is consistent. For example:

1. Each time you begin a new activity, take the child to the schedule.
2. Hand the child the object or picture and say, "It is time to ______".
3. Lead the child to the activity and have him place the object or picture in a designated spot.
4. At the completion of the activity, have the child pick up the object or picture and take it back to the schedule area to a designated "finished" container (e.g., basket, box, folder, etc.)
5. As the child places the object or picture in the "finished" container, say, "[name of activity] finished," then proceed to the next symbol on the schedule.

6. A sample picture schedule created using Mayer Johnson’s software program, Boardmaker is shown below:

Guidelines 1 through 6 above are very general guidelines for which there are many different scenarios. For more detailed information, other samples, and step-by-step instructions on how to develop schedules, Hodgdon (1995) is an excellent resource (see complete reference, below). If you do not have it, it is available for loan in Early Childhood LINK’s resource lending library! 

Hodgon, L.A. (1995). Visual strategies for improving communication: Practical supports for school and home, Troy, Michigan: Quirk Roberts Publishing

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