5 Ways to Use a Simple Visual Schedule in Kindergarten

There are so many visual supports that can help a kindergarten classroom run more smoothly. However, there’s just something about a simple visual schedule that can transform classroom management for the whole class, but especially for individual students. In this post, I’m going to share five ways to use this tool to support the students in your classroom.

The Benefits of a Simple Visual Schedule

Visual schedules, whether you use them for your whole class or for individual students, are an essential part of the daily kindergarten routine. I’ve shared about my love for visual schedules on the blog before, but here’s a quick rundown of why a simple visual schedule can make such a difference in your classroom management:

• Alleviate Anxiety: Many young kindergarten students haven’t been in a classroom environment before. A visual schedule can alleviate a lot of the anxiety that comes with the unknown. 
• Support Transitions: Young students can have trouble moving from one activity to another. A picture schedule can help you warn your students about those upcoming transitions.
• Build Routine: Ultimately, a visual schedule can help you establish consistent, predictable routines in your classroom. Young students thrive on consistency, so it makes sense to use a tool that will help you communicate those routines to your students.
• Use Your Voice Less: A picture schedule can become a tool that helps you use less verbal redirection in your classroom. Plus, you will likely have fewer students asking when it’s time for recess. When they do inevitably ask, you can point to the schedule as a reminder that the answer will always be there.

5 Ways to Use a Visual Schedule to Support Individual Students

While a whole-class visual schedule is an incredibly helpful tool for classroom management, you might find that you have a student who could use additional structure. This support can look different for each student, so let’s look at five ways that you could use a visual schedule to support individual students.

1. Create Individual Student Schedules

The first way that you can support individual students with a visual schedule is to give them their own individual schedule for the day. I have written a blog post with instructions for how to set up an individual visual schedule for students who need them.

This is a great option for students who don’t seem to respond to the whole-class visual schedule. Sometimes there is a disconnect for the student, so it’s helpful for them to have their own schedule at their desk or in a folder that travels with them. 

2. Troubleshoot Tricky Routines

Sometimes there is a tricky routine during the day that could be broken down even further for an individual student using a visual schedule. For example, your whole-class picture schedule might have a card for PE class that represents a period of time. However, it could be helpful for a student to have a separate schedule for PE class that has pictures for each step of the routine.

I had a kiddo who fell apart at library every week because it threw him off to have a different teacher and a lack of structure. To support this student, we created a mini picture schedule just for the library routine. This way, the student could move the pictures after each step of library time to help him stay on track.

3. Provide Structure for Centers

If you have a student who has a lot of difficulty with independent work time, like centers, a simple visual schedule can be a huge help! You can line up the student’s station order for the day on the visual schedule, and they can move the pictures to the “done” column as they rotate to each center.

This might sound like a lot of additional prep work, but it really takes just a few moments. The prep time is well worth it because it can save you a LOT of time and redirection during centers time. It will be a much more effective learning routine for your entire classroom when all students are supported with the structure they need.

4. Navigate Non-Preferred Tasks

An individual visual schedule doesn’t have to show the entire day at once. In fact, a very simple “First, Then” visual schedule can support students who have difficulty participating in non-preferred tasks. A simple two-picture visual schedule can show students that a more preferred activity is coming up next, but they need to finish the non-preferred task first.

5. Redirect Behavior

For students who respond well to an individual schedule, visual cues for behavior redirection can also be very helpful. As part of a student’s visual schedule folder, you can add a couple of visuals for common instructions that you use to redirect that student’s behavior. These visuals could include cues like “stop”, “quiet”, or “hands to self”. These visuals can also go a long way in supporting individual students throughout the day, and they can be easily added to the folder or space that you use for the student’s schedule. You can also wear these cards on a lanyard for easy and portable access.

Create a Simple Visual Schedule

If you have a student who could benefit from an individual picture schedule, I’d love to help you save some prep time! I’ve put together a set of visual schedule tools that are ready to print, prep, and use! It includes picture schedule cards in two different sizes, along with corresponding picture schedule templates for each size.

These picture cards are also editable, so you can use wording that is consistent with your classroom routine. You’ll also find helpful visual behavior prompt cards to help redirect students that would benefit from a visual cue.

If you would like to take a closer look at everything included with this resource, you can find it in the Teaching Exceptional Kinders shop or in my TPT store.

Save These Picture Schedule Tips for Kindergarten

Be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite classroom management board on Pinterest. You’ll be able to quickly find these resources and tips when you’re ready to set up a simple visual schedule to support students in your classroom.