Visual Schedules: the best way to support your children during COVID-19
As offices and schools have shut down, parents are now trying to manage the educational needs of their children at home. Being the teacher, speech-language pathologist, lunch lady and janitor all in one seems to be an impossible task, especially when you couple that with your own work.
Working from home with kids feels unsustainable at best, impossible at worst. Here’s how to ease the burden.
The situation feels impossible for two-parent homes where both partners can work from home — and gets exponentially harder for single parents, kids with special needs, families experiencing homelessness, and parents who have to work outside of the home. Add spotty internet access, financial worries, lack of proper technology for online distance learning, caregiving demands, and logistical challenges like grocery shopping and managing outside time while social distancing, and it can feel downright paralyzing.
In all this crazy mix, your child’s speech, language, and social development may be taking a back seat as you just try to get through the day. We at Compass are here to give you some ideas to help balance your kids’ needs and your own sanity.
31 Likes, 1 Comments - Lawyer Kelly (@lawyerkelly) on Instagram: "Thank God for screen time #quarantinewithkids"
Start with a schedule
Have you seen those ambitious color-coded schedules floating around the internet? The reality sure looks different. Give up on the dream of a detailed schedule and keep it simple.
Kids need routine. Two weeks or more out of school cannot be treated like snow days or we will all lose our minds. Plus there’s no snow.
Children also need routine when the world feels uncertain and there is anxiety all around them. Daily rhythms provide safety and security for everyone.
Consider dividing the day into thirds or fourths. Schoolwork, screen time, outside play, and chores is a simple structure.
Make it visual
As the name suggests, a visual schedule is a visual representation of a sequence of events that is created using pictures, icons, words, etc. You’ve probably seen one in your child’s classrooms outlining the different activities students will be participating in throughout the day. Visual schedules make expectations crystal-clear, reduce tantrums and outbursts, and ease transitions.
Determine which type of visual schedule your child needs. Since no two children are the same, the type of visual schedule you choose for your child should be based on her individual strengths. Do they learn better through pictures or written words?
Decide how long the schedule should be. While some kids may prefer to have their entire day mapped out for them, others may find this way too overwhelming. And let’s face it, nobody can predict fully what a whole day looks like these days. We recommend starting with something simpler, like a “first, next, then” visual schedule with only 3 activities listed (these work best when the last activity is a highly desired one). Don’t be afraid to test a few different options to find out what works best for your child, and remember that their needs may change.
Give your child the power of choice
While it is helpful to provide structure for children, it is also important to give them choices. Collaborate with your to help create their schedule, or use a “First, Then” model like: “When you finish your work, then you can choose between reading, outside time, iPad time, or TV.” Create visual choice boards with simple icons that allow children to see what activities or choices are available. Let them pick from the available options. Giving school-age children choices over their activities will help reduce negative behaviors by sparking their interest and keeping them involved.
Make it realistic
Research suggests a simple rule for figuring out how long children can stay focused: Multiply the child's age by 2-5 minutes. So, if a child is 4 years old, he or she will be able to focus for 8 to 20 minutes, maximum. So when you are making your schedule, keep their attention span in mind. The other factors of attention are your child’s cognitive, language, and motor skills level. Talk to your child’s SLP or student support team to get a realistic idea of this.
Be kind to yourself. Be patient and calm
Each day, remember to be kind to yourself, and in turn, you will be more gracious to your children. No one planned for this. Everyone feels stressed and stretched. We are missing our communities and our routines. Be sure to take care of yourself in small ways throughout the day.
10 PAID printable visual schedules for children
Editable Visual Timetable Cards | You Clever Monkey
Home Visual Schedule and Chore Chart | Teachers Pay Teachers
Visual Schedules for Children with Autism and Special Education Classrooms | Teachers Pay Teachers
Color Coded Visual Schedules for Autism and Special Education | Teachers Pay Teachers
1,461 PECS Visual Schedule Cards | Teachers Pay Teachers
Getting Ready for School Visual Cards | Teachers Pay Teachers
Getting Ready for Bed Visual Cards | Teachers Pay Teachers
Functional Routines Visual Cards | Teachers Pay Teachers
First, Next, Last Board and Cards | Teachers Pay Teachers
Hygiene Visual Cards | Teachers Pay Teachers
8 FREE printable visual schedules for children
Daily Visual Schedule Cards for Kids | Natural Beach Living
Classroom Schedule Cards | Teachers Pay Teachers
Helping Out at Home Free Visual Cards | Autism Tank
Free Printable Daily Schedule for Kids | And Next Comes L
Free Printable Morning Checklists for Kids | Carrie this Home
Free Printable Routine Cards for Autistic Children | Kori at Home
Free Morning Chore Cards for Kids | See Vanessa Craft
Before and After School Visual Routines for Kids | Where Imagination Grows
Ready made visual schedules you can buy
Wait, you don’t have time to print, laminate, and setup your own visual schedules? No worries. Amazon has a TON of great ready made options you can purchase, and I’m sharing some of my favorites below.
SchKIDules Visual Schedules With a double-sided dry erase magnetic board and 72 routine magnets catered to daily routines, weekly extracurricular activities, daily and weekly chores, and more, this visual schedule can be easily customized for kids of all ages and abilities.
Basic Visual Morning Routine Chart
If you’re looking for a basic chart you can hang in your child’s bedroom to remind her what steps she needs to go through each morning before leaving for school, this is a great and inexpensive idea to consider.
150 Loose PECS Photo Cards
If you’ve already got a pocket chart – or velcro dots and a velco board – and want a bunch of real-life photo cards to help you make your own visual schedules for children with autism, this is a great resource to consider!
Visual Schedule for Home
With 2 display boards and 30 home-based widgets, you can create all kinds of easy-to-follow routine charts for different parts of your child’s day with this set.