Choice Boards

Visual Supports: Choice Boards and Menus

A choice board or menu is one of the simplest forms of visual communication supports to begin using. They can come in all sorts of sizes and formats, depending on the kind and number of choices.

You could keep a choice board right on your refrigerator door for snack time. It can tell your child the various food or drink choices available to him. This helps your child learn how to communicate by requests using picture symbols and is a good way to provide immediate reinforcement. When starting out it is best to limit the choices to just a few items at any given time. Later, as your child has learned to use the pictures, he may have a whole book of choices.

Also, always try to reinforce your child when he uses the visual supports. For example, granting his request for an extra bath when he brings you the symbol will help him understand that he can communicate with the visual supports.