Mini Visual Schedules for Busy Families
Research indicates that the people who are most successful at completing their goals, are those who write their goals down. There are a lot of ways to write down your goals (or the steps to complete your goals). Some people use schedules, mini-schedules, or checklists.
For some, it is difficult to maintain a daily schedule, or to ensure the completion of a schedule each day due to a variety of responsibilities. Sometimes a quick mini schedule can be really helpful in the moment.
What is great about using mini schedules is that you can quickly draw (or write) them on a piece of paper, your phone, a whiteboard, etc., and just erase or check off as you go. You can also laminate a piece of paper and use dry erase markers to create your mini-schedule. Some people like to use actual picture cards, especially when the child is very young or is nonverbal.
A mom I know always says “I can’t draw” so she used Paint tools to help her make the mini schedule below, but you can do this in whatever way works best (e.g., whiteboard, paper, photos, phone, tablet, computer, etc).
For some children, pictures help, for some pictures and writing helps. Other children can benefit from just having the tasks on the mini schedule written down (or writing the tasks themselves). It can be looked at as a mini-schedule or a checklist.
Remember to build those preferred activities into your mini-schedule.
Recommended Tools to Help Make Visual Schedules:
Rachel Wise is the author and founder of Education and Behavior. Rachel created Education and Behavior in 2014 for adults to have an easy way to access research-based information to support children in the areas of learning, behavior, and social-emotional development. As a survivor of abuse, neglect, and bullying, Rachel slipped through the cracks of her school and community. Education and Behavior hopes to play a role in preventing that from happening to other children. Rachel is also the author of Building Confidence and Improving Behavior in Children: A Guide for Parents and Teachers.
“Children do best when there is consistency within and across settings (i.e., home, school, community). Education and Behavior allows us to maintain that consistency.”
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