Kettle Tools
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How to use your picture schedule
Choose one routine that has a clear beginning and ending. A visual schedule is a sequence of pictures and labels that you can refer to together. Start with a familiar part of the day rather than trying to describe every activity from waking up to bedtime. Ask the child which pictures make sense to them: an adult’s favourite symbol may mean something quite different to a younger reader.
Load one of the six starter templates: morning, bedtime, school day, getting dressed, handwashing, or toileting. These are editable examples, not instructions that every household should follow. Replace steps that do not match your routine. You can add up to twelve steps, remove any step, and move a step using its up and down buttons. Dragging also works. Keep the order realistic so the sheet matches what happens next.
Give each step a short action label, such as “Put on shoes”. Choose a Mulberry symbol with the searchable picker or add a photo of the actual object or place. Photographs can be useful when two doors or bags look similar. Use a clear close view without unrelated items in the background. Optional times are plain text, so you can write “after lunch” instead of promising an exact clock time.
Printing and laminating your schedule
Select Letter or A4 before opening Print / Save PDF. In the browser dialog, use the matching paper, actual size or 100 percent scaling, and disable browser headers and footers. Print a draft on ordinary paper first. Check that every label can be read from the place where the schedule will hang. A horizontal strip may fit a desk; a vertical strip can fit beside a doorway. A grid uses space more compactly, while cut-apart cards make it easier to rearrange a routine.
Cut lines mark individual cards. Leave enough room around the printed edges when laminating to keep the seal closed. Round sharp corners where appropriate and place hook and loop dots consistently. The finished checkbox column lets someone mark progress with a suitable erasable pen on a laminated sheet. You can also move cut-apart cards into a separate finished pocket that you supply. Keep the printed symbol credit with the sheet when sharing it.
What you need to make it durable
- Thermal laminator
- Laminating pouches
- Velcro coins (hook & loop dots)
- Visual timer
- Magnetic sheets
Adjusting and fading prompts
Introduce the schedule when there is time to explain it. Point to the current picture, say its label, and refer to the next step at the natural transition. Give the child time to look before repeating a prompt. As the routine becomes familiar, consider pointing less often or letting the child check the next card themselves. There is no required timetable for reducing support; some people prefer to keep a schedule available even for well-known routines.
If a twelve-step list feels busy, show only the next three steps and keep the rest out of view. If the child wants more information, add a time or a more specific label. Make changes together where possible. For an unexpected change, replace or relabel the affected card before the transition and explain the new plan. Avoid silently leaving an activity on the board after it has been cancelled.
Common picture schedule mistakes
A frequent problem is making the sequence too detailed for the situation. Handwashing might need several pictures during practice but only one picture in a morning routine. Another problem is choosing abstract symbols without explaining them. Check understanding by talking about the picture in context, rather than assuming a printed symbol is automatically understood. Avoid using the schedule as a record of mistakes or a demand to complete activities regardless of fatigue, discomfort, or changing circumstances.
Review the sheet with the people who use it in different places. School staff may use different words for the same activity. Agree on labels and where finished cards go, then keep a spare copy for replacements. This maker is a support tool, not therapy. Work with the child’s teacher, BCBA or OT when deciding how a schedule fits an existing support plan. It does not make medical, diagnostic, or outcome promises.
Privacy and saving
Photos stay on your device and are drawn locally on canvas. Board settings, labels, and symbol choices are saved in this browser’s localStorage. Photos are not saved and must be re-added after a reload. A share link includes non-photo board settings in its URL hash; anyone with the link can read those labels, so avoid private information. Download a PNG or print a copy before closing if you need a lasting picture of a photo-based schedule.