Now and Next Board: 7 Practical Home Examples
“Finish playing, then it's time for dinner.” You have explained what happens next, but your child is still unsure whether the game is ending now, in a few minutes or after another turn. For some children, a short Now and Next board makes the sequence visible even after the adult has stopped speaking.
This guide is for parents who already know the basic idea and want seven real-life Now and Next examples at home: leaving the house, finishing screens, homework, dressing, bedtime, waiting and unexpected changes. You can draw the cards yourself; there is no need to buy a special board to start.
What should a Now and Next board look like?
A simple paper divided into two labelled spaces works. Put NOW on the left and NEXT on the right. Use familiar objects, photographs, symbols or short written words based on how your child understands information. The board is a communication aid, not a reward chart or behavioural contract.
The Bedfordshire and Luton Children's Health NHS guide recommends introducing the board first with enjoyable activities for both NOW and NEXT, using short tasks, and then gradually including less-preferred activities if it remains helpful. This avoids presenting the board only at difficult moments.
How to introduce it in four small steps
- Choose something easy: “NOW: snack; NEXT: bubbles” is often a simpler first demonstration than stopping an absorbing video game.
- Show and say: point briefly at NOW, then NEXT, using a few consistent words. Give processing time.
- Mark the change: when the current activity finishes, remove or move its picture. Put NEXT in the NOW space and show the new NEXT picture if needed.
- Invite participation: let the child choose pictures, move a card or use a different communication format. If they dislike handling cards, an adult can do that part or skip it.
The example works only when the images genuinely mean something to the child. Check recognition before expecting the pictures to carry the routine.
Example 1: leaving the house
NOW: put shoes on → NEXT: walk to the car. Show these two pictures near the door, before the stressful last minute. When shoes are on, move the car picture into NOW. If a child is upset because the shoes feel uncomfortable, address the sensation instead of pointing at the board repeatedly.
If there are many missing steps—clothes, breakfast, teeth, bag—a multi-step timetable may be better. The Now and Next format should not conceal a list of six instructions inside one “NEXT” box.
Example 2: ending play or screen time
NOW: finish the agreed game round → NEXT: dinner. Show the board before play ends rather than introducing it after distress starts. Agree what “finish” means: the end of a level, episode or turn, when that is appropriate and manageable. This can be more understandable than a sudden adult interruption.
A board shows the order of activities; it does not measure time. If the end is expected in a known number of minutes and your child prefers to see that, a separate visual countdown may help. If timers increase stress, use the agreed event cue instead. Acknowledge disappointment without pretending every transition will become easy.
Example 3: starting homework
NOW: open workbook and answer question one → NEXT: short movement break. The first card should name a truly manageable action, not merely “do homework”. Sit beside your child if they need assistance getting started. A visual may reduce uncertainty about what comes next but cannot replace clear teaching or an appropriate workload.
As the first step becomes manageable, replace it with the next small action or end the sequence if the child no longer needs it. Avoid making the promised break conditional on perfect performance.
Example 4: getting dressed
NOW: put on a comfortable shirt → NEXT: have breakfast. A photo of the shirt your child actually wears may be easier to interpret than a drawing. The child can point to the next activity when dressing is complete.
For children who find dressing itself complex, use an appropriate separate dressing sequence or offer physical assistance rather than putting every garment on the two-step board. If clothing is uncomfortable, change the clothing. Read our autistic morning routine guide for sensory-aware alternatives.
Example 5: bath and bedtime
NOW: bath or wash → NEXT: pyjamas. Later, update it to “NOW: pyjamas → NEXT: story”, then “NOW: story → NEXT: bed”. Using the board step by step can make a longer routine accessible without displaying the entire evening at once.
Do not promise a specific story or bath activity if plans may change. If water, washing or pyjamas cause sensory discomfort, solve that separate concern rather than expecting a picture to make it tolerable.
Example 6: a waiting room or queue
NOW: wait here → NEXT: meet the dentist. An event-based board communicates where the wait leads, even when you cannot predict the exact duration. Ask whether a quieter waiting option is possible if crowds and noise are causing distress.
Never set an exact timer based on a guessed clinic delay. When the dentist calls, move NEXT into NOW. For more specific ideas, see our guide to waiting with less uncertainty.
Example 7: unexpected changes to the plan
NOW: stay home → NEXT: choose a home activity. Imagine swimming is cancelled. Replace the swimming picture as soon as you know, explain calmly what changed and allow a choice between two realistic activities if helpful. A board should tell the truth about what comes next, not falsely promise that plans will always be predictable.
Some children want a separate “change” symbol or extra information about when the original activity might return; others prefer no extra detail. Ask what they find reassuring rather than automatically expanding the chart.
Common mistakes—and what to try instead
Putting too many steps under NEXT
When NEXT contains “shoes, coat, bag, car and school”, it is no longer an immediate cue. Show the next action only, or choose a fuller visual timetable.
Using the board as an ultimatum
“Do this or you lose that” can turn a communication tool into a threat. Explain what happens next, make space for choice and avoid punishment for distress.
Assuming every child recognises generic icons
Photographs of real objects or words may be easier. Check what each picture communicates to the child before relying on it.
Never updating finished cards
If the board still shows yesterday's “NEXT”, it stops being reliable. Update it when transitions happen and remove irrelevant pictures.
Using it only when a child is already overwhelmed
Practise in calm situations so it is familiar. During distress, reduce demands and prioritise safety rather than insisting that your child attend to the board.
How do you know whether it is helping?
Look for signals meaningful to the child: do they understand the next event, voluntarily check the cue, ask more specific questions or participate in transitions with manageable support? Invite feedback. If the board creates tension, switch formats or simplify the information.
Some children will still need adult help even when the board is understood. That is not failure; the goal is useful communication, not eliminating support at all costs.
Now and Next, visual timetable or visual timer?
Use Now and Next when two immediate events answer the child's question. Use a multi-step timetable when they want an overview of several steps. Use a timer only if they want a reliable visual answer to “How long?” and seeing a countdown is comfortable. These tools address different problems.
A paper board is enough to test the approach. Families who prefer reusable picture cards can consider the Clarikind Visual Board; where both sequence and a countdown genuinely help, review the Transitions Made Clear System and its exact contents. Do not buy multiple tools without a specific use case.
Choose an everyday situation
Use the example closest to the real moment: leaving home · screen time · homework · dressing · bedtime · waiting · unexpected changes. Keep NOW and NEXT truthful and change the cards only when the plan genuinely changes.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can children use a Now and Next board?
There is no universal age. Use the communication format the child understands, whether objects, photos, simple pictures or written words, with appropriate adult support.
What should go in NEXT?
The immediately following event, not a long list or a vague promise. “Snack” is clearer than “be good”.
Does NEXT always have to be a reward?
No. NHS guidance suggests starting with enjoyable, familiar activities to build understanding. The board remains a communication support and should not be used to withhold comfort or coerce participation.
What if my child removes all the pictures?
Check whether they enjoy moving cards, dislike the chosen icons or want more control. Adapt the format; a paper list or verbal cue might be a better match.
What if plans change suddenly?
Update the picture and say clearly what is known. Avoid leaving an inaccurate card in place simply to preserve the appearance of routine.
UK resources and next reading
- Bedfordshire and Luton Children's Health NHS: Now and Next boards (reviewed May 2026).
- Whittington Health NHS: understanding what happens now and next.
- Just One Norfolk NHS: First and Then board guidance.
This guide provides general communication ideas, not an assessment or treatment. Adapt visuals to each child's needs, preferences and current environment.
