Toddler programme
Using a daily visual planner
This guidance paper explains how you can use a daily visual planner to help you talk through your plans for the day with your child.
Help your child better understand their day!
Support your child’s understanding and language, prevent frustration and help them to feel more involved in their day with a few photos!
- Build up a bank of photos of familiar people and places:
- Using your phone/iPad/camera start taking photos of people your child sees regularly (family, friends, professionals) and places you go (nursery, supermarkets, parks, play areas, audiology)
- Display or store them in a familiar place:
- Print off the photos (laminating helps them last longer!) and keep them somewhere familiar. You can also store the photos on your phone/iPad.
- Take a few minutes at the beginning of each day to talk about what you are doing that day:
- Take the photos out and show your child what you are going to be doing during the day ahead.
- Putting the photos in the right order: “First we are taking Jack to school, and then we will go to the supermarket. We are having lunch at Nanny’s then we can go to the park to play!”
- Take the relevant photos with you and show them as you change from one activity to another.
- Your child will learn that you are telling them what to expect next in their day. and this might help them understand, for example, why you are putting their coat on, or where you are going in the car, or why they have to leave Nanny’s house. They may still get cross, but at least you know this is simply temper and not confusion!
In time you will use the photos differently! – As your child’s language develops you can tell them which photo(s) to get. Your child may use them to tell you what they want to do. Eventually you will be able to put them away as your child no longer needs them as you can just talk to them about the day ahead!
