What you can make
This free visual schedule maker is for parents, teachers and carers who want to show a day, or part of it, in pictures. You can make:
- A daily schedule strip, top to bottom, to hang on a door or wall
- A horizontal row, left to right, for a desk, a table or a school locker
- Cut-out cards you can laminate and put on velcro, so steps can be moved or taken off when they are done
- A routine chart for the morning, after school or bedtime
The pictograms are Mulberry Symbols: around 3,000 clear, consistent drawings covering daily activities, places, food, feelings and more.
How it works
- Search for pictograms. Type a word, such as "breakfast", "shoes" or "park". You can search in English and in the other languages the pictograms are named in.
- Click to add. Each pictogram you click is added to the end of the schedule.
- Change the order. Rearrange the steps until the order matches your day.
- Add times or your own text (optional). Write a time next to a step, or replace the name with the word your family uses, such as "Grandma's" instead of "visit".
- Choose layout and size. Pick a vertical strip, a horizontal row or cards, and choose how large the pictures should be.
- Show or hide details. Turn the names, times and a tick box on or off. A tick box lets the person check off each step with a whiteboard marker on a laminated sheet.
- Print or save as PDF. Click print and use your browser's print dialog. To keep a digital copy, choose "Save as PDF" as the printer.
Your schedule is saved in your browser on this device. You do not need an account.
Ready-made starters
Not sure where to begin? Choose one of the starters and adapt it:
- Morning routine: toilet, get dressed, breakfast, brush teeth, shoes and coat, out the door
- School day: the main steps of a day at school
- Bedtime: from screens off to lights out
Remove, add and reorder steps as you like.
Tips for printing and using your schedule
- Print on thick paper or card, or laminate the sheet. A laminated schedule survives sticky fingers and lasts much longer.
- Use velcro dots on cut-out cards and on a strip of card, so steps can be moved, swapped or taken off.
- Add a "done" pocket or envelope at the end, where finished cards go.
- Hang it at eye height for the person who uses it, in the place where the activities happen. For a child, crouch down and check what they see.
- Make one strip per part of the day. A morning strip in the bedroom and an after-school strip in the kitchen are easier to follow than one long day on a single sheet.
- Keep the same picture for the same activity, at home, at school and at a grandparent's house.
New to visual schedules? Read how to make a visual schedule or browse all our guides.
The same schedule on a watch
A printed schedule stays on the wall. If the person needs their schedule with them, at school, on the way or at the pool, GentleTime shows the day on an Apple Watch or Wear OS watch: a picture of what is happening now, a countdown, what comes next and a gentle vibration at each change. The person can also follow it on their own phone or tablet. Carers plan the day from the web app or the phone app. You can try it free for 14 days, no credit card needed.
Frequently asked questions
Is the visual schedule maker really free?
Yes. The maker is free to use, with no account and no sign-up. You can make and print as many schedules as you like.
Which pictograms are used, and do I need to credit them?
The maker uses Mulberry Symbols, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That means you may share and adapt them, including at school or in your work, as long as you credit the source: Mulberry Symbols, © Steve Lee. If you share adapted versions of the symbols, you share them under the same license.
Can I use it at school or in my practice?
Yes. Teachers, support staff, therapists and care workers can use the maker and the printed schedules in their work. Just keep the credit to Mulberry Symbols.
Can I save my schedule?
Your schedule is saved automatically in your browser on the device you used. To keep a copy you can open anywhere, choose "Save as PDF" in the print dialog. If you clear your browser data or use another device, the saved schedule will not be there.
Can I use my schedule on a phone or a watch?
The maker is made for printing. You can save the PDF on a phone, but it will not move along with the day. For a live schedule on a watch, phone or tablet, with a countdown and a vibration at each change, use GentleTime.
Can I add my own photos?
The free maker uses the pictogram library, with your own text if you want. In GentleTime you can also use your own pictures, such as a photo of the person's school or their favorite toy.