Printable Images for a Visual Schedule for Kids

While I’m not a fan of rigid schedules, I do find it easier to complete the tasks I need to complete each day when I have a routine in place. I believe that having a routine also benefits my children. I appreciate routines so much that five years ago I even wrote a post on how routines can make or break your day!

It is a little difficult to explain changes in routine to young kids because time is a difficult concept to grasp. To them, an hour sometimes seems like forever! Thus, I wanted to make a visual schedule to help my kids understand our routine.

I began by writing out our routine. I then found clip art images that corresponded to each activity in our routine. I purchased a simple pocket chart because I decided this was the best way to display our routine (this is the one I chose). I used PowerPoint to place each clip art image in a 2 inch x 2 inch square (the size needed for the pocket chart) and labeled each image. Finally, I printed these, covered them with self-adhesive laminating sheets, cut them out, and placed them in the chart.

As you can see, we now have a handy visual schedule! I believe it has helped my kids in a number of ways.

• Smooth transitions. My kids know what to expect and when to expect it, so they are ready when it is time to transition from one activity to the next.
• Independence. Because my kids know what is happening next, they can take steps independently to prepare for the next activity (for example, getting their shoes on when it is time to go for a walk).
• Telling time. The clock faces on the pocket chart increase my kids’ familiarity with analog clocks and give them opportunities to practice telling time.
• Reading. Because I labeled each clip art image, my kids can practice familiar sight words and learn a few new ones!
• Productivity. The chart helps us make sure we are accomplishing what we need to. If we get off task, we can easily see which activity we need to move on to.

If you would like to use these images to create your own visual schedule, then feel free to print a copy for yourself.

Click here to view and download an editable, printable copy of the images.

They are in a PowerPoint document, so you can change the images or add additional ones as needed. All of the images are public domain, so there are no limits to how you can use them. If you do not have PowerPoint, then you can access a PDF copy here.

I hope these images benefit you as much as they’ve benefited us!

Do you try to maintain a routine with your kids? How do you go about doing this?

Shared at the following:

Busy Monday, Encouraging Hearts and Home, and Over the Moon.