Break time play
Break time looks free, but much is decided by others: the bell rings, play is already going and the other kids decide where there is room. The pictures below give a child a few steady anchors when the surroundings set the pace.
♂Sitting during break
A boy sits on a bench next to a ball, with a crossed-out mark showing that play is paused.
About this visual support
What makes break time hard is not the freedom itself but how little of it rests with the child. The bell decides when it starts and ends, play is already running when you step out, and whether there is room in an ongoing ball game is up to others. For a child who needs some predictability, an unpredictable break can become the hardest part of the day.
Visual support cannot steer the other children, but it can offer a plan of one own to lean on. A picture of sitting down for a moment, one of watching what is going on, one of asking to join, makes the invisible steps visible. The child does not have to invent everything on the spot but has already seen the order calmly before the break.
One concrete tip: include a picture of a calm activity that always works, such as walking a lap or sitting on a chosen bench. That gives a guaranteed plan B when play is full, and break time stops being a race to get in. With Routined you can make a small break card the child recognises from practising at home.