Visuals are already part of everyday life for most of us – we just don’t usually think of them as “visual supports”. Calendars, shopping lists and Post-it notes all help us remember, organise and prepare.
In the same way, using visual supports with your child – and later helping them learn to create and use their own – can be a really valuable life skill. Visuals can be introduced at any age, but they work best when they are adapted carefully to suit your child’s individual needs.
Before you start, it helps to think about two simple things:
- How the visuals will be shown
- What you want the visuals to help your child with
What can visual supports beused for?
Visual supports can help in three main areas.
Communication
- Requesting wants and needs
- Expressing feelings
- Making choices
Preperation
- Timetables and daily plans
- Transitions between activities
- Preparing for new places or experiences
Independence
- Routines
- Step-by-step instructions
- Checklists
- Making choices
For visuals to be successful, your child first needs to understand what the visual represents. The key is to use the visual in the real situation, again and again.
For example, you might show a bath visual just before bath time to help your child prepare. You then show the same visual again when it is time to get into the bath, reinforcing what it means. Using the same visual every day – rather than only sometimes – helps build understanding much more quickly.
Keeping visuals consistent across different environments, such as home and school, can also make a big difference.
Choosing the right level of detail
Not all children understand visuals in the same way.
Some children need visuals to be very literal and closely linked to real objects or experiences. Others are able to understand more symbolic or abstract pictures.
This is often described as a level of abstractness. The more closely the visual looks like the real thing, the easier it usually is to understand.
A practical example –brushing teeth
Below is a simple way to think about different types of visuals, using brushing teeth as an example. The levels move from very concrete and literal to more abstract.
Level 1 – physical objects and real photos
These are the most direct and easiest to understand.
- Show a real toothbrush to prepare for brushing teeth
- Show a connected object (for example, a pencil to represent school time)
- Use small toys or miniatures, such as a toy car to represent travelling
- Use photos or short videos of the real object or place – for example, a photo of your child’s bed to represent going to sleep
Use a timer to show how long an activity will last or when it will finish
Level 2 – symbolic images
These still look recognisable, but are not the exact object your child uses.
- Stock photos of real places or objects (for example, a generic playground image to represent going to the park)
- Clipart, drawings or cartoons
- Simple line drawings or symbols, such as stick figures or a music note to represent listening to music
Level 3 – abstract visuals
These rely much more on learned meaning.
- Written words
- Abstract symbols or shapes
- Colour coding
Some children will move gradually through these levels over time, while others may continue to rely mainly on more concrete visuals – and that is absolutely fine.
How visuals are used at the SNAP Centre
Families can also request visuals of the Centre itself to help prepare their child before attending for the first time.
If you would like advice about choosing or introducing visuals for your child, you can contact the Family Team at SNAP Charity on 01277 211300 or email familyteam@snapcharity.org
A gentle tip for getting started
If you are unsure which type of visual will work best, start with the most literal option you can. Once your child clearly understands what that visual means, you can slowly introduce more symbolic or abstract versions if it feels helpful.
Used consistently and in real-life situations, visual supports can make routines calmer, transitions smoother and everyday communication easier – both for children and for busy parents trying to juggle everything at once.
SNAP Charity partners with parents to provide compassion, guidance and hope for the whole family. Working across Essex, Thurrock and Southend, SNAP supports families who have a child or young person, aged 0-25, with any additional need or disability. There is a variety of services and resources and no formal diagnosis or professional referral is necessary to access SNAP services.
Find out more and support SNAP at snapcharity.org
Helpline: 01277 211300
Instagram: @snap_charity
