Visual support ideas
Visual support: Lunch box and lunch time
Lunch time is loud, smelly and short, with packaging that will not open and a hundred children doing different things. Many autistic and neurodivergent students come back from lunch having eaten nothing, not because of the food but because the room and the sequence were too much.
A lunch routine strip on the lunch box lid or the bench shows the steps in order: sit, open, eat, drink, bin, play. A second small set can show what is in the box today, so there are no surprises when the lid comes off. Both take a minute to make and remove a daily argument.
Sample cards
A typical set
- Sit Down
- Open Lunch Box
- Eat
- Rubbish in Bin
A sample made with HandsOnTop. Yours is written for your student.
The request is filled in. Choose how many cards, then click Generate.
30 free credits with an account — and one free try with none.
Tips for using it
- Stick a small version of the strip inside the lunch box lid.
- Make a card for each regular lunch item so the box can be previewed at home.
- Offer a quieter eating spot and put it on the first card if the hall is the problem.
Common questions
Can I make cards for the food itself?
Yes. Type the items, such as sandwich, apple, yoghurt, crackers, and the set is drawn for them. Families use these to show what is packed before the lid comes off.
What about a student who eats very little at school?
The strip takes the pressure off by making the sequence the goal rather than the amount. Talk to the family about what a good lunchtime looks like for this student.
Do the cards survive a lunch box?
Laminate them or print on card and cover with clear tape. The PDF is yours to reprint free whenever a card goes missing.