Using Visual Schedules to Support Children with Autism

The Spark Learning Blog • Posted by Alix Naginski, MSc, RBT on November 14, 2025

How Visual Schedules Can Help Your Child Thrive

Call them schedules, outlook calendar, written planners, to do lists, or reminders on post-its, but we all use schedules. Whether it’s at work, for travel, or just to keep track of our daily chores and meetings, schedules are a helpful tool to support efficiency, avoid conflict, remind us of important deadlines and meetings, and create structure in our daily lives. For individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), schedules can become valuable tools to create a sense of predictability, independence and a greater feeling of control throughout the day.

Why do we use schedules?

Children with autism often thrive on consistency and routine. While we can’t control every moment of daily life, using schedules can help children feel prepared, confident, and more in control. Visual schedules break tasks down step by step, clearly showing what comes next, reducing anxiety, and encouraging independence.

Types of visual schedules

The options are endless, and flexibility is key! Here are some common formats:

Visual pictures (e.g icons or photos of the task)
Written words
Timetables or task strips
Removable/ Adjustable Components (e.g., Velcro pictures)
Reusable or day-to-day customizable
Task-specific or full-day overviews

Schedules can be used to break down any part of a child’s day. Emphasis could be placed on knowing what’s happening next or even a step-by-step guide for a particular task, such as washing hands, packing a backpack, or brushing teeth.

Creating an Effective Schedule

Here are a few key tips to identifying the type of schedule that works best for your child:

• Break down tasks: Be specific! For example, instead of just “wash hands”, break the full routine down into specific steps:

Turn on water
Wet hands
Pump soap
Rub hands together
Rinse
Turn off tap
Dry hands

• Match it to your child’s skill level: If your child responds best to visuals, pictures may be the way to go! If your child likes to read, they might prefer a written checklist. Many children like crossing off completed tasks, while others enjoy removing them from the strip; it all depends on what works best for them.

• Maintain consistency and accessibility: Place the schedule in a consistent area that your child has access to and knows where to find it. This will reduce reliance on prompting from adults and will lead to more independence.

• Make the schedule together: Engage your child by creating the schedule with them whenever possible. Building it together gives them ownership of the schedule and helps them feel more engaged – whether that’s placing the Velcro images or writing out the steps with you.

• Review and use the schedule together: Present and review the schedule with your child before the start of their day or before the task begins. As the day continues, revisit the schedule as frequently as needed. For example, you could:

Cross items off
Remove completed pictures
Check things off with a marker
Erase a step from a dry erase board

Schedules are a simple but powerful tool that can make a big difference in the lives of children with autism. While there are many things that we cannot control on a daily basis, schedules can provide a sense of appeasement, increase independence, and help your child navigate their day with greater confidence.

Join the Spark Family

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At Spark, we believe that ABA therapy should be engaging, natural, and, most importantly… fun! Our goal is to empower children, support families, and build confidence in every child we work with.

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