Help at home

About this visual support

Helping at home is a double challenge for many children. On one hand the immediate reward is missing, the chore feels boring and the result is barely noticeable; on the other, the request is often too vague. Asking a child to help says nothing about what, where or how, and that vagueness makes it easy to say no or not know where to start.

Visual support solves both by making the help concrete. A picture of a specific task, taking out the rubbish or setting the table, shows exactly what to do and when it is finished. The child does not have to interpret a vague request and can instead carry out something clear, which also makes it easier to feel proud afterwards.

A tip: give one single bounded task at a time with a picture, rather than asking for help in general. A clear job is easier to say yes to. In the Routined app you can add a few recurring helping chores the child recognises, so contributing at home becomes a natural part of everyday life.