Visual Schedule
Build a picture schedule for the day, highlight Now and Next on the board, and print cut-out schedule cards or a checklist.
Today’s schedule
Press Next as each part of the day ends: finished items turn gray with a check mark. Tap any card to make it the current item.
Schedule items
Saved schedules
Save up to 5 schedules, such as Monday and Friday. They stay in this browser on this device.
Starter templates
A template replaces the items in the schedule you’re editing (Undo brings them back). The times are examples, so change them to match your day.
Print this schedule
Six cards per page with dashed cut lines, each with the picture and name (and the start time when Show start times is on).
The whole schedule on one page, with a box to check off each item.
Free Visual Schedule Maker for the Classroom
A visual schedule shows the parts of the school day as pictures, so students can see what is happening now and what comes next. Build yours from 37 classroom pictures such as Arrival, Reading, Math, Recess, Lunch, Specials and Dismissal, give each item a name and an optional start time, and drag the items into order. Start from the Kindergarten day, Elementary day or Half day template, show it as a List, a Strip or a Now & Next view, and press Next as each activity ends. Finished items turn gray with a check mark. You can also print the schedule as cut-out picture cards or a one-page checklist.
How to make a visual schedule
Build the day. Load a starter template or press Add item. Tap the picture to choose one of 37 icons, type a name, and add a start time if you like. Drag the grip or use the up and down arrows to change the order. A schedule holds up to 16 items.
Show it on the board. Pick List, Strip or Now & Next under Display, then open Classroom Presentation Mode. Press Next (or Space or the right arrow key) as each part of the day ends, Back (or the left arrow key) to undo a step, and Esc to exit.
Print it. Choose US Letter or A4, then press Picture cards (PDF) for six cut-out cards per page, or One-page list (PDF) for the whole schedule with a box to check off each item.
Ways to use the Visual Schedule in class
Keep the day on the board
Open Classroom Presentation Mode in the morning and leave the schedule up. The screen stays awake where the browser allows it, and pressing Next as each activity ends turns finished items gray with a check mark, so students can see how much of the day is left.
Preview changes to the routine
On an assembly, field trip or test day, add an item with the Assembly, Field trip or Test picture and walk through the schedule during morning meeting, so students know about the change before it happens.
A Now and Next view for one student or a small group
Switch Display to Now & Next for two big cards: what is happening now and what comes next. It works well on a tablet at a table, and tapping the Next card makes it the current item.
Cards for a pocket chart
Print Picture cards (PDF), cut along the dashed lines and put the cards in a pocket chart or on a velcro strip. Make one schedule per weekday with New schedule, so specials days get their own set of cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the schedule move on by itself?
Yes, if your items have start times. Turn on Follow the clock and each item becomes Now when its start time arrives on the device’s clock. You can still press Next or Back in between, and the schedule moves again at the next start time.
Can I save different schedules for different days?
Yes. Press New schedule to save up to five schedules, such as Monday and Friday or an early release day, and give each one a name. They stay in this browser on this device, and the current item is remembered until the end of the day.
Do the printed cards have pictures?
Yes. The picture cards and the one-page list use the same icons as the screen, each on a colored tile, with the item name in large print. Start times print when Show start times is on.
What happens if I reorder items during the day?
The current item stays highlighted. Items above it show as done and items below it are still to come, so you can drag a later activity earlier without losing your place.
Does the progress reset the next day?
Yes. The current item is saved with the date, so when you open the schedule on a new day it starts again at the first item. Press Start over to go back to the top at any time.
Is there a sound when the schedule moves on?
A soft two-note chime plays when the schedule moves forward, after you have clicked or tapped the tool once. Turn it off with the Chime on Next switch or the speaker button under the schedule.
Teaching guides
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