Many kids with Sensory Processing Disorder have difficulty with their organizational skills, as well as struggle with transitions… as you probably have experienced in your own family lives.
My son Drew is pretty textbook when it comes to this and we have found Visual Schedules to be a Godsend for him. There were times when he would whine and cry and fight every step I wanted him to take. Once we started the schedule he would look, see what was to come and walk through each step. It was miraculous! When we don’t do the schedule for a while, we definitely feel it in the house. We are right back to a lot of whining, complaining and meltdowns. (They don’t go away completely, of course, but are reduced drastically.)
I couldn’t just sit on this awesome tool and not share it with anyone who might not have heard about it!
They are pretty easy to make. It just takes some time, but is SO worth it! Trust me! And you only have to do it once! 
Supplies:
- PECS cards (the pictures) – google PECS cards, find the ones you like and print them out on cardstock. (there are places to where you pay, but I found all of mine for free)
- Laminate sheets (craft stores, Target, etc.)
- Velcro (craft stores)
- Manila folders
- Scissors
Steps:
- Print the PECS cards you want on the cardstock paper. If you want a visual schedule for the back-to-school morning (highly recommended), print out those corresponding pictures. What is so awesome about this is it is tailored to your child. If your child usually fights about breakfast, print out pictures of specific foods so there is no confusion of what he/she will be eating. If your child doesn’t care about that, just print out a general “breakfast” pictures. Focus in on where your child struggles.
- Cut out the PECS cards with your handy scissors.
- Laminate each PECS card and cut them out. Pro Tip: Leave about 1/8-1/4 inch of laminate around each square – don’t cut too close! (I made that mistake the first time. Oops!)
- Time for your manila folder. Put two strips of the fussy side of the velcro along the front of the folder. (See Picture)
- Cut small squares of the hard side of the velcro and attach them to your laminated PECS cards.
- Arrange your cards and create your schedule!
Extra bonus: The nice thing about this method is you can put the PECS cards you’re not using on this particular day inside the folder. It is handy and keeps them from getting lost!
If you try it out, let me know how it goes for your family! Or have you tried a visual schedule already? How has it worked for you?
Good Luck!
Comments
Jennifer
I picked up the Pics for PECS CD a little while back (I think it cost me 65 CDN$). We have a week long chart that shows what’s happening, when he sees Grammie, what days are school days, if there’s parties coming up, if Daddy will be late, if we’re going to the library. We also made up a “What to Eat?” chart for picking options for meals. I put up what I’m willing to give him and he picks form the pictures. We also have a hand washing reminder chart and a toilet process chart on the walls in the bathroom.
Josie
I’ve been thinking of doing a weekly chart for my older son, but haven’t done it yet. I need to get on it! I like the “What to Eat” idea and might just have to try that out!
Jo
they are fantastic, love your folder idea, that is genius!
We’ve been using visual schedules here for about 6 months, they are amazing, really brought my girls language on as well! As well as the velcroed ones like you have I have ones we use a lot laminated and attached to a stretchy keyring. Handy for when out and about too.
Thank you! *toddles off to rummage for manila folders*
Josie
Yay! I hope it works out for you. Love the keyring idea… so handy! Anything that makes our lives easier is awesome!
Meghann Baynon
JD no longer uses his, however I used the same method only I used a thick poster board (like the type used for projects/presentations) and it held up very well : ) I decorated with with smile faces and under each task I put a large smile sticker so that when the task was complete the smile was there. The picture schedule was a godsend for a period of time! Google images were so helpful too! Was able to find a picture for EVERYTHING that way : )
Josie
I’m glad to hear it worked for you, too. I like the smile sticker idea. It reminds me of my little guy and how he tells me, “Mommy! Be Proud!!” I’m sure he would love that a visual reminder of being proud, too.
Karen F
So glad you wrote this, we are just getting ready to put a PECS schedule together for our daughter. Looking at websites I was getting a bit overwhelmed with all the pictures out there.
Josie
It can definitely be overwhelming! I think the trick is to focus in on one time – or one issues and just look for those. Like “using the potty” or “morning” That helped *me* from being overwhelmed putting it all together! Good luck!
dawn
Thank you for sharing this… perfect timing, too! We’ve used visual charts in the past and with two (both with Asperger’s and SPD) kiddies in elementary school this year, I’ve been looking for an improved version – this is it!!! Now I’m off to gather the supplies to put your genius plan in place here beginning tomorrow morning!
Genia
Excellent idea !! Thanks for sharing I will try this
Courtney
Visual schedules are awesome! Just a reminder that PECS is a specific communication system that is taught through different levels in a very specific manner. The picture cards are just that, picture cards. The use of picture cards is not necessarily PECS but are extremely helpful in providing the prior warning so many of our kiddos need to transition well throughout their day.
Josie
Yes, thank you for pointing that out!
Kathy Bell
We started sensory schedules as well. I bought stickids and it’s awesome. Well worth the price.
Jennifer
We started using a visual schedule when our son got out of a school last June. What a lifesaver it has been over the summer! We just bought a very large magnetic white board, some magnetic paper sheets you can use in your printer, and found clipart off of the internet. We bought some small magnetic metal baskets to hold all of the magnetic circles we created. It has worked great.
Kiley
You can use BoardMaker on a free 30 trial and print your heart away, or use in word and insert pictures from clip art….great tools!
martianne
I know a site I used some free pics from a while back is http://www.dotolearn.com/ Maybe others would like to check it out.
We tend to make visual schedules and cues for different parts of our days here, but do it less formally than PECS. I have:
a 5T’s for bedtime chart the kids and I made together http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2011/03/routines-and-rhytms-5-ts-for-bedtime.html
a Morning Lotto chart http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2011/03/routine-and-rhythms-our-new-morning.html
a handwashing chart http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2011/08/handwashing-chart.html
a potty chart, etc that we still use. And, we are revamping our daily rhythm fridge cards/chart idea soon http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2010/01/routines-and-rhytms-wake-up-time-and.html
My children enjoy helping me create the charts and, then, they feel invested, which encourages them to stay on track even better with the charts.
I know this is different than it would be with non-verbal kids, but it is what works for mine. I shared the kinks in case anyone wants to browse for samples.
Josie
Such excellent links and info guys. I hope all of it in one place can help someone else down the road!
Hope you all have a great long weekend 
ShesAlwaysWrite
This is great! I’ve been trying to figure out how to work out the picture schedule thing, because I know we need to try it. This is perfect, can’t wait to try it.
shannon
You can also use clear contact paper instead of using lament sheets. Roll of clear contact paper is about three bucks. Sandwich pictures between two pieces of contact paper and you have laminated PEC style pictures.