School Schedule Changes: Picture Day, Assemblies, and Early Release
5 min read
Vizy Timer
Leaving the Playground without carrying anyone to the car.
The playground was a good idea for fifty minutes. Then it is time to leave, and you are the villain in a story that was going beautifully a moment ago.
Free 7-day trial · No email or credit card to start · Built by an autism dad and a licensed SLP
Why it works here
Why a visual timer helps with leaving the playground
Leaving a preferred place is one of the hardest transitions there is, because the child has to give up something good for something neutral. A timer started while your child is still happy converts the ending from a surprise imposed by a parent into an event they watched approach.
You will recognize this if
- Your child is fine right up until the words we are going now.
- You have started avoiding the park because of how it ends.
- Another parent has watched you carry your child to the car more than once.
The setup
How to set it up for leaving the playground
Takes about five minutes. Use it as written, or keep only the steps your family needs. A short setup that gets used beats a complete one that gets abandoned in week two.
- 1 Start the timer when you arrive, not when you want to leave
- 2 Show your child the timer once at the start so they know it exists
- 3 Pick a last activity together, one swing, one slide, one climb
- 4 Let the last activity happen after the timer ends, so ending has a reward inside it
- 5 Walk to the same exit every time you visit
- 6 Keep a known snack in the car so leaving leads somewhere good
The mistake most families make
Starting the timer only when you are already ready to go makes the timer the messenger of bad news. Started on arrival, it is just part of how the park works.
In the app
Built into the routine, not bolted onto it.
The Vizy Timer lives inside the same routine your child already follows, so leaving the playground is a step with a visible length rather than a separate tool somebody has to remember to open.
- Attach it to any step in any routine
- Works for pre-readers, gestalt language processors, and AAC users
- Same setup at home, at school, and in therapy
Set this up for your child.
Five minutes to build, and your child sees it every time leaving the playground comes around.
$6.99/month after the free trial · Cancel anytime · Also at app.vizyplan.com
Common questions
About leaving the playground
How much warning does my child need before leaving a fun place?
Most families find that a single visible countdown running from arrival works better than a series of verbal warnings at the end. The warnings tend to arrive when the child is least able to process language.
What if my child cannot read a clock?
A visual timer does not require reading. The point is that a shrinking shape communicates remaining time without numbers, which is what makes it usable for pre-readers and for children who read fine but cannot yet feel duration.
Should I let my child choose how long we stay?
Giving the choice at the beginning works well. Giving it at the end turns every departure into a negotiation, and the negotiation itself becomes the thing your child practices.
VizyPlan supports routines and communication at home and school. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose or treat any condition. Talk to your child's care team about clinical questions.
