How to use a First/Then board

A First / Then board shows exactly two things: what is happening now and what happens next. That is the whole idea, and it is why the board is useful in moments when a full schedule is too much to take in. This guide covers choosing the two activities, making the board and using it the same way each time.

What a First / Then board shows

Two labelled areas side by side — FIRST and THEN — each holding one card. Under FIRST is the activity happening now; under THEN is the activity that follows. Early-childhood practitioners use the board to help with a transition from one activity to another, to break a routine into smaller pieces, and to show that a less appealing step is followed by something the child enjoys.¹

Example: “First wake up, then use the bathroom” — the first two steps of the autism builder’s Getting Ready schedule, on the board with the shared task cards.

Why only two activities

A long list asks a child to hold the whole sequence in mind; two cards ask only “this, then that”. Keeping it to two makes the board quick to read, quick to update and hard to misunderstand. If you find yourself wanting a third card, you probably want the Now / Next / Later board or a short schedule instead.

Choose one clear First and one clear Then

First is the activity you need to happen now — usually the one that is hard to start or finish. Then is what genuinely comes next. When the next thing is something the child looks forward to, putting it under THEN tends to make the first activity easier to get through; practitioners specifically suggest placing a preferred activity on the “then” side.¹ Then should be a real next step, not an invented prize.

Use concrete, understandable labels

“Brush teeth”, “Shoes on”, “Story”, “Outside”. The child should recognise each card without explanation. Avoid labels that describe a state (“calm”, “ready”) rather than an action or place.

Pictures, words, or both

Most children do well with a picture and a word on each card; very young children or non-readers may only need the picture. Use the same card for the same activity every time so it becomes instantly familiar — the cards from the Task Cards format are the same size as the board’s pockets, so one printed set covers both.

Show the board before you begin

Set the two cards, show the board, and say the pair once, plainly: “First teeth, then story.” Then let the board do the reminding. If the child asks what is next, point to THEN rather than re-explaining.

Update it when the pair changes

When First is done, acknowledge it — a simple “Teeth done; story time” is enough¹ — and move on to Then. If the day continues with another pair, swap the cards before the next activity starts, not in the middle of it. Many families keep a small stack of cards beside the board for exactly this.

Keep it predictable — it is not a punishment

The board works because Then reliably follows First. Use it the same way each time, and let Then happen when First is finished. Taking Then away as a consequence, or changing it after the child has started, teaches the child that the board cannot be trusted, which is the opposite of the point.

Common mistakes

• Too much language. Long explanations bury the two words that matter. Say the pair once.
• Vague labels. “Be good, then fun” cannot be shown or finished.
• Changing Then unexpectedly. If plans change, say so before First begins and change the card.
• Too many steps. A First / Then board with four things on it is a schedule with the wrong heading.
• Treating it as a threat. “If you don’t… then no…” is not what the board shows. It shows what comes next.

A real-world example

Bedtime, once pajamas are on: the card under FIRST is “Brush teeth”, the card under THEN is “Read a book”. The board sits on the bathroom counter. When teeth are done, the adult says “Teeth done — book time,” and the two of them go and read. The next night the cards are the same, which is the point. Both cards come straight from the bedtime routine’s task cards, so there is nothing extra to make.

Where to start

• Custom visual schedule — the quickest way to make a First / Then board for any two activities.
• The morning, bedtime and chore builders, the autism visual schedule and the classroom schedule all include the First / Then format in their kits.
• How to make a visual schedule for kids — when two activities are not enough.