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Ready for school – pictograms for getting out the door

Six cards from packed bag to the jacket hung up at school. For the mornings that stall between breakfast and the front door. Print the sheet for free.

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Created by Pictofy · Updated

6 cards, one step at a time

Noah does the same every morning: bag, jacket, shoes, off, arrive, hang up the jacket. The cards only end once he is in the classroom.

  1. Pictogram of Noah packing his school bag – step 1 of getting ready for school
    Pack the school bag
  2. Pictogram of Noah putting on his jacket – step 2 of getting ready for school
    Put on jacket
  3. Pictogram of Noah putting on his shoes – step 3 of getting ready for school
    Put on shoes
  4. Pictogram of Noah walking to school with his bag on his back – step 4 of getting ready for school
    Go to school
  5. Pictogram of Noah arriving at school – step 5 of getting ready for school
    Arrive at school
  6. Pictogram of Noah hanging his jacket on a hook – step 6 of getting ready for school
    Hang up the jacket
Card with Noah
Personal card · example

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Choose the character's features or use a photo, then preview three sample cards free on screen. The picture is an example; you create your own character.

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Print the cards

All 6 cards on one A4 sheet with names underneath, ready to cut out. To swap a card or change a label, open the sheet in the editor first.

  1. Print on A4 at 100% and cut out the cards.
  2. Put the first three cards by the front door, the last three in the bag or at school.
  3. Pack the bag the night before, so the first card is already done in the morning.

Try the method on this page · 2 steps at a time

See how the cards work on a Now & Next board

When the full sequence feels like too much at once, show just two cards: what we are doing Now and what comes Next. Click Done with Now to test the transition.

1 · NOW

Pack the school bag

2 · NEXT

Put on jacket

Waiting calmly until Now is finished

Example using the free cards. Choose the activities that fit your day.

When the transition from home to school stalls

Many children manage breakfast and getting dressed well, yet freeze by the front door because the shift from home to school feels overwhelming. Showing both departure and the first familiar step at school makes the transition concrete.

Pack the school bag together the evening before so the first card is already complete in the morning, leaving only coat, shoes and departure.

Split the strip between your hallway and the school cloakroom

All six cards do not need to hang in one place. Keep the first cards by your front door at home and place Arrive at school and Hang up the jacket by the child's peg at school.

Printing two copies of the sheet helps home and school use the exact same visual steps and wording every morning.

Match the labels to how you travel to school

Open Edit the cards before printing to change Go to school to Cycle to school, Walk to school or School bus so the wording matches your morning.

Free sheet or your own character?

Free A4 sheet with Noah

Free

  • Use the existing example cards.
  • Edit labels, cards and order before printing.
  • Print free without an account.
Edit the Noah cards free

Starter Pack with your own character

One-off purchase

  • Choose two personal pictogram packs.
  • Build the character yourself or use a photo. Photos are optional.
  • Digital cards for printing and screens. No subscription.
See the Starter Pack and local price →

How we process photos and characters

Questions about the material

Why do the cards end at school and not at the door?

Because the transition is not over when the door closes. A child who knows what happens on arrival leaves the house more easily.

Do the cards suit children with ADHD?

Yes. Few concrete steps with a clear end point are exactly what helps when attention jumps around.

Can the school use the same cards?

Yes. Print two sheets: one for home and one for the cloakroom at school, so the steps are the same in both places.

Background sources for the guidance. Pictofy created the cards and examples; these sources do not endorse the materials.

More free routines

Also read: pictograms for children with ADHD · weekly schedule with pictograms