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Schedules that Work

Jun 17, 2006 Lynn Moore

Children and teens with special needs NEED schedules. . . even in the sweet days of summer. Here are some schedules that work.

What is next? What do you want me to do? When can I do what I want to do? Children and teens with special needs NEED schedules. . . even in the sweet days of summer. Here are some schedules that work. . . Personalize them with your own times and pictures. Change the activities to fit your family. What time is it now? Time for a stress-free summer to begin!

A Sample Schedule for Little Ones with Special Needs

Wake up
Breakfast
Brush teeth, make bed, get dressed
Errands / Outing
Outside Fun
Pick up outside Toys
TV / DVD time
Wash Hands
Eat lunch
Books or Quiet Music
Quiet time / nap time
Inside Fun (Try to avoid TV / DVD)
Pick up inside toys
Wash Hands, eat supper
Outside time
Pick up outside toys
Snack, brush teeth, read me a book
Time for bed

A Sample Schedule for a Tween with Special Needs

Wake up
Breakfast
Self care / make bed
Morning jobs
Morning free time
Lunch
Afternoon jobs
Afternoon free time or outing
Supper
After supper jobs
After supper free time
Snack
Read or quiet music
Bed

Don't forget the calendar!

Calendars are great for showing special activities that will be different from the norm. Use stickers to show birthdays, trips, visitors' coming, etc.

Note: Many autistic children use a very specific type of picture schedule. Such a schedule follows a specific progression. If your child uses a picture schedule in an autistic classroom, you will want to develop a home schedule that is similar. For more information you may want to borrow or purchase the following books:

Activity Schedules for Children With Autism: Teaching Independent Behavior, McClannahan and Krantz, ISBN: 093314993X
A Picture's Worth: PECS and Other Visual Communication Strategies in Autism, Bondy and Frost, ISBN: 0933149964
The TEACCH Approach to Autism Spectrum Disorders, Mesibov, Shea, and Schopler, ISBN: 0306486466

How can great summer schedule for a special needs build language skills?

My next article is

Building Language Skills with Schedules for Special Needs Kids.

Note: All children in this article are fictitious and represent general characteristics of the disability.

The copyright of the article Schedules that Work in Special Needs Parenting is owned by Lynn Moore. Permission to republish Schedules that Work in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.