How to Use Now and Next at Home With an Autistic Child
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Sometimes a full visual timetable is more information than a child needs.
In a difficult transition, two pieces of information may be enough: what is happening now, and what happens next.
That is the idea behind a Now and Next board.
What does Now and Next mean?
The board has two visible positions:
NOW: the current task or activity
NEXT: the activity that follows
For example:
NOW: Put shoes on
NEXT: Go to the park
1. Use it at a real sticking point
Start where transitions already cause repeated prompting: stopping play, getting ready to leave, beginning homework, brushing teeth or moving towards bedtime.
2. Keep the wording concrete
Use an action the child can recognise. “Get organised” is vague. “Put maths book on desk” is clearer.
3. Pair words with pictures when useful
The visual should reduce processing, not add decoration. Choose a simple image or symbol that clearly represents the activity.
4. Do not overload the Next side
Next means one next thing, not the rest of the afternoon. If more steps are needed later, update the board when the current step is complete.
5. Use it to prepare, not threaten
“Now shoes, next car” communicates sequence. “If you do not put your shoes on, there is no park” changes the tool into a consequence. Keep the visual focused on predictability.
6. Update it when plans change
Real life changes. If the next activity is cancelled or delayed, replace it and explain the new sequence as clearly as possible.
7. Fade support when the child no longer needs it
If a transition becomes easy, the board may no longer be necessary for that moment. Use support where it adds clarity rather than keeping every visual forever.
Useful Clarikind tools
The Clarikind Transitions Made Clear System combines a visual board, visible timing and transition supports in one setup, so families can make both the sequence and the ending easier to see.
UK guidance
UK autism guidance regularly recommends visual information and advance preparation to help make transitions more predictable. The principle is simple: make the immediate sequence easier to understand before asking for more independence.
This is general practical information. Adapt visual supports to the child and seek individual professional advice when needed.