Mute clock

About this visual support

The sound of a clock fills a room more than you would think. Many children, not least some children with autism, hear the ticking and the ringing more sharply than adults do, and a morning that starts with a sound you cannot shield yourself from sets the tone for the rest of the day. The body tenses before the child is even properly awake.

Being allowed to switch the sound off yourself changes the situation: the child moves from enduring the noise to being in charge of it. The pictures show the whole action, from hearing the clock to pressing the button to the silence afterwards, so the step feels clear and doable. A good tip is to practise the sequence when the clock is not ringing, in the middle of the day, so the movement sits in the hand when it matters in the morning.

In Routined you can put the picture of muting the clock right at the start of the morning chain, so your child knows the first step is always one they can take alone. You can try the app free for fourteen days.