Lately, my sweet little angel toddler has been showing his “monster” side. For example, Without a clear routine, bedtime turns into a battle, and following even the simplest schedule feels impossible. Add in sleep regression and a growth spurt that wakes him up in the middle of the night for food…. I think that is the reality of the parenting.
As a professional, I know how important structure is for young children. Routines provide security and predictability, which help little ones feel calm and in control. And when children feel secure, parents also feel less stressed and more energized to keep the day moving smoothly.
One tool I’ve always recommended to families is the visual schedule, and not just for children with autism or developmental differences. Visual supports can benefit all children.
That’s why I wanted to introduce a First–Then Board at home for my toddler. But, like many parents, I quickly ran into a practical problem—I don’t have a color printer. And honestly, as a tired (and sometimes lazy!) mommy, I really don’t want to drive across town just to print out pictures.
So I thought, maybe a black-and-white version will work. And yes, it does—visuals don’t have to be fancy to be effective. But I also started wondering: Wouldn’t it be even better if I could make this more personalized?
That’s when I started exploring electronic solutions, imagine showing your child a First–Then Board right on your phone or iPad. Instead of relying on generic clipart, you could use real pictures of your child brushing their teeth, eating breakfast, or playing with blocks. With just a few taps, you can swap out images, adjust routines on the fly, and carry the visual schedule with you wherever you go. It’s flexible, portable, and personalized.
I did some searching on the App Store and found a few apps, but most of them either charged a fee or didn’t quite fit my needs.
And then—lightbulb moment 💡! I saw someone online using Claude to create some tools totally tailored to her needs. That sparked an idea: maybe AI could solve my problem, too.
Why not create my own AI-powered First–Then Board, one that works for my child, my routines, and my lifestyle? Something flexible, low-cost, and personalized enough to actually use every day.
Here it is: First-Then Board Creator was born. That’s how the First–Then Board Creator was born. Below is the interface of the tool.
You can check out an example output here! The First–Then Board Creator gives you two layout options (vertical or horizontal) so you can choose whichever works best for your child. You can also add text under each picture to label the task, making it even easier for your child to understand and follow along.
I love this tool so much and really want to make it available for other families who could benefit from it. It took me a little while to figure out how to host it online, but I finally got it up and running—so now anyone can give it a try!
If you’d like to make your own, you can access the First–Then Board Creator here:
https://hwyang893-star.github.io/First-Then-Board/
I’d love to hear about your experiences using the First–Then Board Creator! FYI! I’m not a professional coder, but if you run into any issues or errors, please let me know—I’ll do my best to troubleshoot. And of course, I’d also love to hear your success stories. How did the tool help you and your child?
Hsiu-Wen Yang 