Our Favorite Tool to help your child transition through the week

Transitions can be tough whether your child is a toddler, preschooler, or elementary age. Check out our blog post “Let’s Talk Transition Times”, for more tips to help you navigate transition times in the moment.

A **visual schedule** can help ease all transition times with children. It is a weekly calendar that highlights that day's activities and transition times.

I remember when my little one went from baby to toddler and transitions started to feel A LOT more complicated. My mornings began to look like this: I am trying to get out the door and my toddler refuses to go potty (I had recently started potty training), he will not put on his shoes, and before I knew it, 30 minutes had passed and we are running late. When he was in the baby stage, I could dress him and carry him out the door when it was time to go. Now everything has changed and he suddenly feels older and much more independent. This is the stage when my child started to really struggle with transitions, and also when I knew it was time to make a change. A Visual Schedule is something that I had used in my classroom with my students for years. So when I started to use one at home, it was a GAME CHANGER. Download our free visual schedule here. We have created different templates to choose from so that you can get started using this tool today.

**The Purpose of a Visual Schedule**

Keep your child “in the know.” Using a visual schedule to help your child know the plan can help ease their stress **(and therefore create less struggle during transition times)** because they know what to expect.
Organize your day and support the whole family.
Parents can reference the visual schedule and talk about how the plan changes sometimes. This helps teach flexibility.
Creates a partnership with you the parent because the whole family is a part of the routine and planning.
Establish boundaries for children placed by the caregiver

3 Tips to use this tool effectively:

Be Consistent

When you use the visual schedule tool each day, your child will develop the habit of checking in with a schedule to see what they are doing that day. Keep the visual schedule in a communal space where you and your child can refer to it easily. Places like the kitchen or living area are great spaces for the whole family to reference. Fill it out each week with your child so that they can know what is going on. Pick a day and time that works best for your family. This helps ease worries and gives your child the opportunity to ask questions and creates routine.

Keep it Simple

We are huge fans of “stick figure” drawings and simple phrases on the visual schedule. Keep it simple so that you can easily draw or write out your child’s schedule. This also helps your child from becoming overwhelmed with too much information and makes it more doable for a busy family.

Don’t Be Afraid to Change the Plan

As educators, we will use a visual schedule as an opportunity to teach flexibility. It can be hard when plans change and that’s a part of life. A visual schedule is a tool that allows the caregiver to explain the change of plans, reflect on how it makes your child feel, and discuss the alternative decision. Children can be very adaptable, but you can help strengthen this skill when children have the opportunity to learn about flexibility, how it feels, and how to respond when changes happen in your life that may make you feel disappointed.

Use the Visual Schedule Tool for Every Age

Toddler

Toddlers are already recognizing routine, they know what to do when they wake up, eat each meal, nap, and play. Communicating this plan with them at the beginning of their day helps keep them in the know and helps ease their stress because they know what to expect. A great way to start a visual schedule for a toddler is to use simple drawings to communicate the plan. Include the transitions that may feel significant for your little one. For example, a visual schedule for a toddler might include drawings of mealtimes, snacks, outings, potty breaks and playtime. It is helpful to break up the visual schedule into morning and afternoon so that they do not become overwhelmed by too much information.

Preschooler

Preschool-age children are ready to see the daily visual schedule. Use drawings and words to label different parts of the day. That means you can include the transition times and big events of each day. For example, you can include meal time, outside time, quiet time, play dates, activities, and screen time.

Do you have a new transition coming up soon? Maybe next week is Spring Break or they have a new babysitter coming over the weekend. Whatever the new transition may be, your child can benefit from being prepared a few days before that new transition. This gives them time to ask questions and process new information.

Long-Term Benefits

As your child gets older, it’s a great time to start giving your child some ownership of the visual schedule. Your child might help you pick a spot for the visual schedule in your home and they are in charge of filling out some of the routines. This can be a great time to transition into incorporating your child into a family calendar and helping them use a planner for school.

There are many long-term benefits of a visual schedule. Over time, it is a tool that can support your child's ability to:

Plan ahead and meet goals
Display self-control
Follow multiple-step directions even when interrupted
Stay focused despite distractions

A visual schedule is an easy tool that you can incorporate into your child’s daily routine at any age. Whether you are a parent of a young toddler or a child who is in their third year of preschool, we are here to support you through this stage of your child’s development. We love personalizing resources and plans for families that show long-lasting results. If you are unsure how to get started or would like us to help you strategize what works best for your child, reach out to us here for a free consultation.