Waiting Visual
A visual that shows waiting has an end — with a timer, a first-then cue, and a plan for what to do while waiting.
- Category · Daily Life & Independence
- Visual Support
- Ages · Early childhood · Elementary
- Home · School · Community
Waiting is hard when your child cannot see the end of it. A waiting visual makes the wait visible: what is happening, how long it lasts, and what comes after.
Who it may help
- Children who struggle with lines, waiting rooms, and “just a minute.”
- Children who need to know what comes next before they can wait calmly.
- Any family that wants fewer arguments while waiting.
How to use it
- Show the visual and name the wait: “We wait in line, then we pay.”
- Use a timer your child can see — a sand timer or a countdown on a phone.
- Add one small thing to do while waiting: a book, a fidget, a song.
- Always follow through on the “then.” The wait is easier next time when the promise holds.
The blank version lets you fill in your own wait and reward. The Toolkit Plus version adds your child’s photo and a set of favorite wait-time activities.
Versions include picture plus word, picture-only, a blank version to make your own, and a personalized Toolkit Plus version.