How to Make a Visual Schedule for Autism: Step-by-Step

To make a visual schedule for autism, pick one routine, break it into three to five steps, show each step with a photo, symbol or word, and put the schedule where the routine happens. Then teach your child to check it with your help, and fade that help as they get the hang of it.

Want to skip the cutting and drawing? Download the free printable visual schedule or build one in the app. The rest of this guide explains each part.

What is a visual schedule, and does it work?

A visual schedule shows what happens and in what order, using objects, photographs, icons, words, or a mix. The Indiana Resource Center for Autism describes it as telling a student where to be and when.

Visual schedules belong to a group of strategies called visual supports. In its 2020 review, the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice found that visual supports meet its criteria as an evidence-based practice. According to the AFIRM visual supports brief, that rests on 104 single case design and 2 group design studies. AFIRM says they have been effective from ages 0-2 up to young adults aged 19-22 on the spectrum.

The National Autism Center’s Phase 2 review (2015) looked at studies published between 2007 and early 2012. A summary of its results lists Schedules among the 14 treatments it found most effective for children with autism.

Why might it help? Spoken words disappear the moment they are said. The Indiana Resource Center notes that students with autism may have difficulty processing lengthy verbal requests, and that research shows they can attend to visual information more successfully. A schedule stays put, so your child can check it again.

One honest limit: the research above is about autism. Many families also use visual schedules for ADHD and other needs, and plenty of children do well with a visible routine. I just can’t point you to the same body of evidence for those, so treat the benefits there as what families report.

Which type of visual schedule should you use?

Match the format to how your child understands pictures, not to their age. TEACCH’s guidance, summarised by the Indiana Resource Center, suggests picking the form that would still make sense to the child on their worst day, since comprehension can dip under stress.

Type	What it looks like	Good when	Watch out
Object	A toothbrush for “brush teeth”	Pictures are not yet meaningful	Bulky; hard to carry
Photo	Your own photo of the sink or bed	Starting out; you want it concrete	Photos go out of date when rooms change
Symbol	Standard line icons, for example Mulberry Symbols (free, CC BY-SA 4.0)	Consistent look across home and school	Symbols may need to be taught first
Written	A checklist in words	Your child reads and likes lists	Too much text can be a wall
Picture + word	Symbol or photo with a label	Most children; supports reading	Keep labels short
First-then	Two cards: first this, then that	One hard task, then something preferred	Only shows two steps; see the First/Then guide
Full day	The whole day in order	Transitions, changes, “what’s next?” worries	Long; start with one routine first

Many families start with photos and move to symbols or words later. Ask your child’s teacher or therapist what they already use at school, so the two match.

How do you create your first visual schedule?

Work through these steps for one routine. Do not schedule the whole day yet.

Step 1: Choose one routine

Pick a routine that is currently difficult. Mornings and bedtime are common starting points, along with after school and homework.

Step 2: Break it into steps

Watch the routine as it really happens and write each step. “Get ready for bed” is too vague. Use “put on pajamas”, “brush teeth”, “read one book”. Aim for 3-5 steps to start; you can add more later.

Step 3: Choose the format

Use the table above. If your child already responds to a certain kind of picture, use that. If you are unsure, ask a professional who knows your child.

Download a ready-made one

Prefer paper first? The free printable visual schedule gives you a schedule strip and step cards you can print and use tonight. There is no sign-up.

When you want your own photos, your own steps, timers or a recorded voice, make it editable in the app. Custom photos, voice recording and printing from the app are Premium features. The printable PDF is the free route to paper.

Step 4: Gather the pictures

• Take photos of the real things in your home with your phone.
• Use a symbol library. Mulberry Symbols are free to use with attribution.
• Use an app with ready-made activities, such as MyVisualRoutine, which includes 50+ preloaded activities.

Step 5: Arrange and display it

Show steps top to bottom or left to right. Put the schedule at your child’s eye level, in the place where the routine happens, and add a spot for finished steps.

Step 6: Teach it, do not just post it

A schedule on the wall does nothing until your child learns what to do with it. See the next section.

How do you teach a visual schedule, then fade your help?

Teach it by walking through it together, then pull back your help a little at a time. The goal is that your child checks the schedule on their own.

The AFIRM brief gives practitioners three pointers worth borrowing at home. Stand behind the learner when you prompt, so they look at the schedule and not at you. Fade prompts quickly once the learner meets the goal. Use the support the same way across settings and with every adult.

The Texas Autism Resource Center adds that visual supports are often combined with prompting and reinforcement, and that the learner should get cues, feedback and help while practicing.

One way that can look at home:

1. Full help. You stand behind your child, point to the first picture and say a few words: “First, brush teeth.”
2. Less help. You hold the schedule out or tap it, and your child looks and moves on their own.
3. A small cue. You only say “Check your schedule.”
4. Independent. Your child goes to the schedule without a prompt. Praise it.

Move on when your child is ready, not on a timetable. If they slip back during a stressful week, go back a step. For a plan fitted to your child, ask their therapist or teacher.

What do example visual schedules look like?

These run five to seven steps; trim to three to five when you start.

Morning: wake up, use toilet, wash hands, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, shoes on. More in the morning routine guide.

Bedtime: bath, pajamas, brush teeth, toilet, story, lights out. More in the bedtime guide.

After school: hang up backpack, wash hands, snack, free play, dinner.

Homework (useful for ADHD): get folder, set a timer, work until it rings, short break, finish, put it in the backpack.

Paper or app: which is better?

Use whichever one you will actually use every day. Many families have paper in the bathroom and kitchen and an app for travel and appointments.

Paper is tactile, needs no battery, and is always visible. It is harder to update, and pictures get lost.

An app goes everywhere, is easy to rearrange, and can include timers and a recorded voice. It needs a device, and it can pull a child toward other apps. If that is a worry, look at Kids Mode or your device’s guided access. See our comparison of visual schedule apps for honest notes, including when paper is the better fit.

Which mistakes make visual schedules fail?

• Too many steps. Twenty steps overwhelm. Start with five.
• Using it now and then. Routines build through repetition. Use it every time for a few weeks.
• Out-of-date pictures. If the bathroom changed, change the photo.
• Taking it away too early. Some families keep a schedule for years, especially around change or illness.
• Using it as a threat. If the schedule is used as a punishment, it can stop working as a neutral guide.
• No room for change. Add a “surprise” or “change” card so the schedule can bend.

What can you add alongside a visual schedule?

A schedule does one job: showing order. These tools cover the rest:

• Choice boards let your child pick between two or three options inside a routine.
• First/Then boards pair one harder task with something your child likes.
• Day plans show the whole day.
• Visual timers show how long a step lasts.

The CDC notes that TEACCH is built on structure and visual learning, for example daily routines written or drawn and placed in clear sight. If you are a therapist or work in a school, see MyVisualRoutine for therapists.

Frequently asked questions

What is a visual schedule for autism?

A visual schedule is a set of pictures, symbols, objects or words that shows what will happen and in what order. It can cover one routine, such as getting dressed, or a whole day.

How many steps should a visual schedule have?

Start with three to five steps for one routine. Add steps once your child follows the first version without much help.

Do visual schedules work for autism?

Visual supports, which include visual schedules, are listed as an evidence-based practice for autism by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice, as summarised by AFIRM. Results still vary from child to child, so it helps to check in with your child’s therapist or teacher.

What age can you start a visual schedule?

AFIRM reports visual supports being effective from ages 0-2 up to young adults aged 19-22. Many families start with photos at a young age and change the format as the child grows.

How do I get my child to use a visual schedule?

Walk through it together at first: point to a step, do it, then return to the schedule. Reduce your help gradually until your child checks it alone. Start with a routine your child already enjoys if they resist.

What if my child can read? Do they still need pictures?

Some children do well with words alone, and others like pictures with words. Let your child’s preference guide you, and ask their teacher what is used at school.

Can I make a visual schedule for free?

Yes. You can draw one, take photos with a phone, use free symbols such as Mulberry Symbols, or print a free schedule. MyVisualRoutine is free to start, with an optional Premium upgrade.

When should I stop using a visual schedule?

There is no deadline. Fade your prompts as your child becomes independent, but some families keep the schedule itself in place, especially around change.

Ready to make one?

If you prefer paper, download the free printable visual schedule. If you want your own pictures, timers and a routine that goes everywhere, download MyVisualRoutine. It is free to start, with an optional Premium upgrade.

Related guides: Morning routine · Bedtime routine · First/Then boards · Choice boards · Best visual schedule apps · Visual schedule feature · Free resources

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This article was written by the solo developer of MyVisualRoutine, not a clinician. It is for general information and is not medical, therapeutic or educational advice. Every child is different, so please check with a qualified professional, such as a BCBA, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist or special education teacher, before changing your child’s support plan.