Ready to create a Picture Schedule for your own preschool or kindergarten classroom? It’s how children keep up with where they are in the order of daily events and how they recognize the passage of time. The movable piece is a critical part of the preschool visual schedule. Next, I add a colorful clothespin so students can move the clip from activity to activity as our day progresses. Then, I hang my visual schedule vertically from top to bottom to show the schedule for the day. You could always just place the cards in a pocket chart if that works better for your classroom! Once each of my template pages is laid out like I like it, I stick the schedule cards to the template with double-sided tape and then laminate the entire template page. Then, I begin arranging them in order to represent the progression of our school day. Even though I print them all and look through them carefully, I try to narrow them down to just 10-12 to actually use.Īfter I’ve decided which cards will work best for our daily schedule activities, I cut those apart and place them in a pile. Next, I print out the picture activity cards so I can choose which ones I want to include in our classroom visual schedule. This is what I’ll use to attach my individual pictures to as I move along. First, I print out the basic template background. I use a template to create my preschool visual schedule. I’ve found that using helpful clip art images is quicker and easier for me, and I’ve been able to create a visual schedule I can use year after year without having to reinvent the wheel every new school year. However, it may take you a few weeks to create your schedule as you take pictures, print them, and build your visual schedule. You can use actual photographs of your students completing the activities which is always fun and engaging for students. Narrow your pictures down to the top 10-12 that truly represent a typical day in your classroom. A schedule could easily include 50 different images if you TRULY took the time to represent that happens in a day.
When you create your preschool visual schedule, you need to be selective with which activities you include. Visual schedules are especially great for Autistic students and for students with separation anxiety. Having a visual schedule to refer to throughout the day can help young children feel less anxious about school and can provide comfort.
And wondering when mom or dad will arrive can be a very stressful thing. The school day can seem quite long for little learners. 3 Visual schedules soothe anxious children. There’s also less wasted instructional time, because you can quickly move from one activity to another with minimal disruption. When there’s no confusion moving from one activity to another, there’s less time for off task behavior. 2 Visual schedules ensure smoother transitions.Ī visual schedule enables students to predict what comes next and to feel prepared. A preschool visual schedule will help your students understand and follow the routines for your classroom, which in turn will help the entire day flow better. They help them know what to expect and when to expect it. Predictable routines help students feel safe and secure. Want to learn more? Keep reading! 3 Key Benefits of Picture Schedules in the Classroom 1 Visual schedules help establish routines. There are actually several benefits of using a preschool visual schedule in your classroom. But little learners need visual cues to understand their day. They can’t read yet, so picture clues are essential! As teachers we often post a written schedule with times on it to refer to as the day progresses. Preschoolers are definitely visual learners. Find out how–and why you should even want to use one! Preschool Visual Schedules Inside: It’s easy to create and use a preschool visual schedule for your classroom.