How to Use Visual Expectations in the Backyard/Patio

We have seen Visual Expectations posted throughout the home to show children what we want them to do to be safe and helpful. Outside is no different!

Dad felt frustrated by the sports equipment left in the yard when it was time for him to mow the grass. The Power of Intention helped him reframe his thinking from seeking punishment to seeing a missing or unsupported skill, so he used the P.E.A.C.E. Process to bring the problem to a Family Meeting and find solutions. Shubert came up with the idea for a bin that stays outside and can hold everything. Dad made a Visual Expectation showing sports equipment and posted it on the bin so everyone would remember the bin’s purpose. With the helpful visual reminder to support them, the children are doing a much better job of remembering to put their equipment away after playing in the yard.

If toys left in the yard continue to be a problem, another helpful tool would be a Visual Routine for “Going Inside” that depicts the tasks children must complete before entering the house after playing outdoors. For the Bug Family, those tasks include: 1) Pick up the toys and put them in the bin, 2) Stomp the dirt off your shoes, and 3) Gather up the Safe Place materials and bring them inside.