# How to use a Now and Next board at home > A Now and Next board is a simple visual support with two spaces: a picture of what is happening now and a picture of what comes next. Some nurseries and schools call it a First and Then board. It shows your child what will happen, so they don't have to guess or remember. You can make one at home with card, photos and Velcro. - Canonical page: https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/now-and-next-boards - Publisher: Rocks Make Pebbles (https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk) - Topic: Routines and visual supports - Applies to: UK - Last updated: 28 September 2026. Checked against sources: 28 September 2026 - Professional review: Not yet reviewed (waiting for review by a speech and language therapist) - Drafted with the help of AI tools and checked against the sources listed below. Editorial policy: https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/editorial-policy ## Key points - Show two pictures only: what is happening now and what comes next. - Use photos of your child's own things if symbols are hard to understand. - Show the next picture before the change, and use the same few words each time. - Put nice things on the board too, and never use it as a threat. - Keep it in the same place, and use the same pictures as nursery or school. ## What is a Now and Next board? A [Now and Next board](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#now-and-next-board) is a strip of card with two spaces. One shows what your child is doing now. The other shows what comes next. Some nurseries and schools call it a First and Then board, and it works the same way. It is one of the simplest [visual supports](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#visual-supports). An NHS speech and language therapy leaflet from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough describes Now and Next boards as a way to help children with transitions and with understanding what happens next, and says the pictures can be objects, pictures, symbols or a mix ([Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/download/using-picture-symbols-to-support-a-childs-understanding-of-whats-happening-next.pdf?ver=19134&doc=docm93jijm4n10367.pdf)). Two pictures keep things simple. Your child only has to hold on to one idea: after this, that. A picture also stays put after your words have gone, so your child can look again whenever they need to. NICE's guideline for autistic children and young people lists "providing visual supports, for example, words, pictures or symbols that are meaningful for the child or young person" as one way to adapt the places where they are supported and cared for ([NICE CG170](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg170/chapter/Recommendations)). ## When can a Now and Next board help? Use it at the moments when your child has to stop one thing and start another, and before something new. A good place to start is the moment that is hardest every day. | Moment | Now | Next | |---|---|---| | Leaving the park | Park | Car | | Turning off the tablet | Tablet | Snack | | Getting dressed | Clothes | Breakfast | | Bath time | Bath | Story | | Nursery drop-off | Nursery | A photo of who picks up | | A visit somewhere new | Doctor | Park | Use it for good moments too: "Now lunch. Next swings." Then the board doesn't only appear before things your child dislikes. ## How do I make a Now and Next board? You need card, photos or symbols, Velcro dots, an envelope or small box, and sticky-back plastic or a laminator if you have one. 1. **Make the board.** Use a strip of stiff card. Draw a line down the middle, and write "Now" on the left and "Next" on the right. Use "First" and "Then" instead if that is what nursery uses. Or print the [free Now and Next board](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/printables/now-and-next-board). 2. **Choose the kind of picture.** Use what your child understands: real objects, photos, symbols or written words. Photos of your child's own things are often easiest to start with. Research with minimally speaking autistic children suggests colour photos can help children connect a picture with the real thing ([Hartley and Allen 2015](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24916452/)). 3. **Take the photos.** Photograph a handful of everyday things, such as their cup, the bath, the car seat, their coat, the nursery door and their bed, plus a few favourite things. 4. **Add the word.** Write the word under each picture, so every adult says the same thing. 5. **Make them last.** Cover the board and pictures with sticky-back plastic, or laminate them. 6. **Add Velcro.** Put a Velcro dot on each space on the board, and the matching half on the back of each picture. 7. **Make a "finished" place.** Tape an envelope or small box to the side of the board, labelled "finished". Pictures go in here when an activity ends. 8. **Store the spares.** Keep the other pictures in a pouch, or on a strip of Velcro on the back of the board. Make a second, smaller board for your bag, the car or a grandparent's house. > **Good to know:** If your child is at an early stage of communication, you can use real objects instead of pictures, such as a sponge for bath time or car keys for going out. Scotland's Autism Toolbox suggests objects for children who may not yet understand symbols ([Autism Toolbox](https://www.autismtoolbox.co.uk/supporting-learners-and-families/effective-partnerships-and-communication/visual-supports/)). ## How do I use a Now and Next board every day? Show the board before the change, say very little, and do what the board says. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough leaflet suggests keeping the board up to date through the day, showing and naming each picture before the activity, doing that activity straight after showing it, taking pictures off when an activity finishes, and moving "next" across to "now" ([Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/download/using-picture-symbols-to-support-a-childs-understanding-of-whats-happening-next.pdf?ver=19134&doc=docm93jijm4n10367.pdf)). 1. **Set it up.** Put the current activity under "Now" and the next one under "Next". 2. **Show it before the change.** Get down to your child's level, point to each picture in turn, and say the same short words each time. 3. **Wait.** Give your child a moment to take it in. The National Autistic Society advises allowing "time for processing" ([National Autistic Society](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/about-autism/preference-for-order-predictability-or-routine)). 4. **Show it again at the change.** Point to the "now" picture and say "finished". 5. **Do the finished routine.** Your child takes the "now" picture off and posts it in the finished box. If they don't want to, do it together, or do it yourself while they watch. 6. **Move next across.** Move the "next" picture into the "now" space, then add a new "next". 7. **Keep your word.** Only put up what will really happen. If plans change, change the board and show your child. | When | What to say | |---|---| | Showing the board | "Now park. Next car." | | Near the end | "Park nearly finished. Next car." | | At the change | "Park finished. Now car." | | Adding the next step | "Now car. Next home." | > **Try this:** Keep your words short and the same every time, in a calm voice. "Now shoes. Next park" is easier to follow than "Come on, shoes on, or we won't have time for the park." ## How do I make it work for my child, not against them? A Now and Next board works best when it feels helpful to your child, not like a list of orders. - **Use it for good things too.** If it only appears before bath time or leaving the park, it becomes a sign that something unwelcome is coming. - **Never use it as a threat.** The NHS leaflet says: "It is important not to think of 'first-then'/ 'now-next' visuals as a behaviour support to encourage compliance with an adult chosen task" ([Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/download/using-picture-symbols-to-support-a-childs-understanding-of-whats-happening-next.pdf?ver=19134&doc=docm93jijm4n10367.pdf)). So avoid "Now shoes, next no tablet", and never take pictures away as a punishment. - **Keep it in the same place.** Put it at your child's eye level, where the change usually happens, such as by the front door or on the bathroom wall. - **Keep it the same at nursery if you can.** The [NHS leaflet](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/download/using-picture-symbols-to-support-a-childs-understanding-of-whats-happening-next.pdf?ver=19134&doc=docm93jijm4n10367.pdf) also asks that all the adults working with a child know about their board and how to use it. Share your photos, or ask for copies of the nursery's symbols. - **Offer a choice for "next".** Hold up two pictures: "Next: swings or slide?" In a small study of three students with high support needs, being given choices reduced serious distressed behaviour ([Dyer, Dunlap and Winterling 1990](https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1990.23-515)). - **Listen to "no".** If your child pushes the board away or points to "no", that is a message. Respond to it, even if the plan can't change. ## What if my child throws it, ignores it or gets upset? Most problems have a simple cause. Change one thing at a time, and give each change a few days. ### My child throws the board or pulls the pictures off Throwing a board is often a way of saying "no" or "I don't want that". That is communication, not naughtiness. - Check what usually goes on "next". If it is often something your child dislikes, add more things they enjoy. - Make taking the picture off part of the routine, so your child has a job to do. - Fix the board to the wall or fridge, and give your child a separate "no" or "break" card to use instead. - If the board has become a sign of bad news, put it away for a few days. Bring it back with only enjoyable things for a while. ### My child ignores it - Try an easier kind of picture: real objects, or photos of their own things. - Take the board to your child, at their eye level, rather than pointing from across the room. - Show it at the moment of change, rather than leaving it up all day and hoping they notice. - Use fewer words. - Check the board has been reliable. If what it showed often didn't happen, rebuild trust with simple, sure things. ### My child gets upset when they see the "next" picture Being upset can mean your child has understood what is coming and doesn't like it. The board is getting its message across; the next step is to make the change itself easier. - Show the next picture earlier, so your child has time to get used to the idea. - Give something worth moving to, such as a favourite toy to carry or something nice straight after. The National Autistic Society suggests "using a favourite toy or character to be part of the transition" ([National Autistic Society](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/behaviour/meltdowns/all-audiences)). - Offer a way back later: pause the programme, take a photo of the Lego model or put the toy on a "later" shelf. - Add a finishing ritual, such as "one more go, then finished". - If one activity always causes upset, look at the activity itself. It may be noisy, uncomfortable or too long. See [transitions and changes](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/transitions-and-change) for more on the moments that stay hard, and [meltdown, tantrum or shutdown](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/meltdowns-tantrums-and-shutdowns) if upset turns into overwhelm. ## What does the research say about Now and Next boards? We did not find any studies that test Now and Next boards on their own with young autistic children. The support for them comes from wider research on visual supports, and from UK professional guidance. - A large US review, by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP), classed visual supports as an evidence-based practice for autistic children and young people, based on 65 studies ([NCAEP 2020](https://ncaep.fpg.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/EBP-Report-2020.pdf)). - A review of 31 studies of picture schedules concluded they can be considered evidence-based, "especially when used in combination with systematic instructional procedures". In plain terms, they worked best when adults taught children how to use them, step by step ([Knight, Sartini and Spriggs 2015](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2201-z)). - [NICE](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg170/chapter/Recommendations) lists visual supports as an adjustment for autistic children, and the [NHS leaflet](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/download/using-picture-symbols-to-support-a-childs-understanding-of-whats-happening-next.pdf?ver=19134&doc=docm93jijm4n10367.pdf) quoted above shows speech and language therapists recommending Now and Next boards to parents. - They don't make every change easy. In a small study of two autistic children, picture schedules on their own did not reduce distressed behaviour when the children had to move from a liked activity to a less-liked one ([Waters, Lerman and Hovanetz 2009](https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2009.42-309)). A 2026 review of 19 small experiments found that warnings on their own often did not reduce distress at transitions ([Kim et al. 2026](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13053881/)). > **Evidence check:** Most research on visual supports is small studies that follow one or a few children closely. So a Now and Next board is a sensible, low-cost thing to try, not a guarantee. Watch how your child responds and adjust. ## When is my child ready for a visual timetable? When your child uses the two-picture board easily and starts looking for what comes after "next", try adding a third picture: "Now breakfast. Next shoes. Then car." Build up slowly to a short strip for one part of the day, such as the morning. This gradual build-up is common practice rather than something research has tested, so go at your child's pace. The [free visual timetable printable](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/printables/visual-timetable) and the guide to [visual timetables](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/visual-timetables) show how. You can keep using the Now and Next board for hard moments, even once your child has a timetable. ## Where can I get more help? Ask for advice if you are not sure which pictures suit your child, or if the board still isn't helping after a few weeks of steady use. - **A [speech and language therapist](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#speech-and-language-therapist)** can advise on the right kind of picture and how to use it. Your GP, [health visitor](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#health-visitor) or nursery [SENCO](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#senco) can tell you how referrals work where you live. - **Your child's nursery or school** can use the same board and pictures, so your child sees the same thing everywhere. - **The [National Autistic Society](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#nas) and [Contact](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#contact)** offer information and advice for parents. For the bigger picture, including choice boards and picture sequences, see [visual supports at home](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/visual-supports). ## Where our app, Pebble, fits Pebble's My day screen shows Now and Next side by side, with a timer for an activity and a warning before the end that always shows the picture of what comes next. It can also print a matching picture strip. A home-made card board works just as well; what matters is using it the same way every day. Pebble by Rocks Make Pebbles is our free app for autistic children, used together with a grown-up. This guide is written to be useful without it. More: https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/pebble ## Questions parents ask ### What age is a Now and Next board for? There is no set age. Research on visual supports covers children from infancy to early adulthood, and a Now and Next board can help at any age if pictures make the day easier to follow. What changes is the kind of picture: real objects or photos often suit younger children and those at an early stage of communication, while older children may prefer symbols or written words. ### Is a Now and Next board the same as a First and Then board? Yes. Both show two steps: what is happening now, or first, and what comes next, or then. Some nurseries and schools use one name and some use the other. Use the same words as your child's nursery or school, so your child hears the same thing everywhere. ### What should I put on a Now and Next board? Anything your child does in a day: meals, getting dressed, the car, nursery, the park, the bath, bed, tablet time, a snack or time with you. Put things your child enjoys on it as well as things they find harder. Only show things that will really happen next, so your child learns that the board can be trusted. ### Why is my child's Now and Next board not working? Common reasons are pictures your child doesn't understand yet, showing the board only before things they dislike, showing it too late, or saying too much. Try photos of your child's own things, show the next picture before the change, put nice things on the board too and use the same few words each time. A new routine takes practice, so give each change a few days. ### Should I use a Now and Next board to get my child to do things? No. A Now and Next board is there to show your child what is happening, not to make them do as they are told. An NHS speech and language therapy leaflet warns against thinking of Now and Next visuals as a way to get a child to go along with a task an adult has chosen. Never use the board as a threat, such as 'now shoes, next no tablet', or take pictures away as a punishment. ### Where can I get a free Now and Next board printable? This site has a free Now and Next board printable with two spaces and a finished box. You can also draw one on a strip of card. Add photos of your child's own things, or ask your child's nursery or school for copies of the symbols they use, so the pictures at home and school match. ### When should we move from Now and Next to a visual timetable? When your child uses the two-picture board easily and starts looking for what comes after next, try adding a third picture. Then build up slowly to a short strip for part of the day, such as the morning. There is no deadline. You can keep using a Now and Next board for hard moments even after your child has a timetable. ## Sources 1. [Using picture symbols to support a child's understanding of what's happening next (Now and Next boards)](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/download/using-picture-symbols-to-support-a-childs-understanding-of-whats-happening-next.pdf?ver=19134&doc=docm93jijm4n10367.pdf), Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, children's speech and language therapy 2. [Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and management (CG170), recommendations](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg170/chapter/Recommendations), NICE, June 2021 3. [Iconicity influences how effectively minimally verbal children with autism and ability-matched typically developing children use pictures as symbols in a search task (Hartley and Allen)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24916452/), Autism (via PubMed), 2015 4. [Visual supports](https://www.autismtoolbox.co.uk/supporting-learners-and-families/effective-partnerships-and-communication/visual-supports/), Autism Toolbox (Scotland) 5. [Preference for order, predictability or routine](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/about-autism/preference-for-order-predictability-or-routine), National Autistic Society 6. [Effects of choice making on the serious problem behaviors of students with severe handicaps (Dyer, Dunlap and Winterling)](https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1990.23-515), Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1990 7. [Meltdowns](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/behaviour/meltdowns/all-audiences), National Autistic Society, 14 August 2020 8. [Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism (NCAEP report, Steinbrenner et al.)](https://ncaep.fpg.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/EBP-Report-2020.pdf), National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice, University of North Carolina, 2020 9. [Evaluating visual activity schedules as evidence-based practice for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (Knight, Sartini and Spriggs)](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2201-z), Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2015 10. [Separate and combined effects of visual schedules and extinction plus differential reinforcement on problem behavior occasioned by transitions (Waters, Lerman and Hovanetz)](https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2009.42-309), Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2009 11. [Interventions for transition-related challenging behavior in individuals with disabilities: a targeted research synthesis and meta-analysis (Kim et al.)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13053881/), Behavior Modification (via PubMed Central), 2026 --- General information for families in the UK, not medical, legal or financial advice. If you are worried about your child's health, contact your GP or call NHS 111 (in Northern Ireland, your GP out of hours service). In an emergency, call 999.