How to illustrate the concept of week/weekend for a 3yo (social story).

[adaptiveness]

I am making a little book for my nephew, who will be going to pre-school full time from January. He is under assessment for autism, so it is something a bit like a social story.

I want an illustration that explains: you will go to pre-school Mon-Fri. You will stay home Sat-Sun. Something with pictures, as obviously too young to read.

I think the text would be something like: "I will go to school every weekday. On weekends I will play with my family". Any suggestions for something very simple I could draw, but would still mean something to a 3 year old?

I really want to get across the concept that most of his days will be spent at pre-school.

Seven boxes labelled Monday to Sunday. In the Monday to Friday boxes add a picture to represent pre-school. Saturday and Sunday boxes to represent "at home". But maybe not as literal as "stay at home" as weekends would presumably also mean visits to the park, shopping, seeing family/friends.

What sort of pictures though? Just pictures of school and home buildings would probably look very same-y.

Also, I'm aware that any pictures might be taken quite literally. As you say, weekends don't mean staying at home always.

Could you use actual photographs of the real school building and home? From what I can remember for very young children, I think photos are better than images used to represent something.

The home pictures could be of recognisable things inside his own house, e.g. playing with specific toys in his own sitting room with the the correct sofa and furniture in the background. Parents could be in the picture too.

For school days there could be a picture of leaving the house carrying bag/lunch box and arriving and, then another of arriving at the school (copy a photo of the right building so the setup looks recognisable) and waving goodbye to mum/dad.

Not sure what happened in the second paragraph but you get the idea!

Use actual photos of the preschool and his home.

Maybe a picture of him outside the preschool Monday-Friday then a picture of his house/him with his parents at the weekend?

Really good idea to use an actual picture of the preschool. It might look samey but that's generally the idea when helping to establish routines.

We have a picture of a building with lots of children around it and a house for home x
7 columns and he removed the picture at the end of the day x

Thanks everyone!

You could use a different colour (of page or text) for the weekend to highlight that it is different. You could use a picture of him with his parents to represent the weekend rather than the house, and also a smaller picture of his preschool with a cross through it (I don’t go to nursery on Saturday. I don’t go to nursery on Sunday. I spend time with my family.)

I don't actually have a picture of preschool to use. I don't think it lends itself to that sort of photo anyway. Its more a room on the site of a school.

Maybe a picture of children for the week and family for the weekend?

Does he have a bag he always brings to preschool? You could use a photo of that. Or a photo of his key worker off the website if there is one. Then a family photo for weekends.

Ask the preschool to send you a photo? Or ask to take one, without other children in it, when you collect?

Maybe a picture of something recognisably at the preschool, like a certain toy they have there (if you know it) or his peg, or a backpack that he takes there.

Then home could be a picture of his house or bedroom or a toy that is at home or his family.

Might be worth looking up the website called ELSA Support - they are also on facebook - they may have something helpful on there...

I think I'm going to go with seven small pictures.

Sat and Sun would be a simple photo of family, that should cover all the bases for different weekend activities.

Then Mon-Fri I'll use a photo off the preschool website, which has a picture of their circle time (you can see the distinctive carpet and tops of children's heads, so it should be a recognizable landmark and a gentle reminder to expect other children).

Just two photos repeated, to give the idea that the Mon-Fri routine will be pretty predictable.

Thanks for helping me think it through!

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