Visual tools are amazing for communicating and collaborating with kids. Studies show that visuals help children across a range of factors, including reading comprehension, student achievement, thinking and learning skills, and retention of information. XPLANE parents also have lots of anecdotal evidence that visual thinking is very effective in solving behavioral and social challenges at home.

1. | XPLANE 1OUR THINKING
25 IDEAS FOR VISUAL PARENTING
JUNE 2014
By Stephanie Gioia, Director of Consulting

2. | XPLANE 2OUR THINKING
25 IDEAS FOR VISUAL PARENTING
Visual tools are amazing for communicating and
collaborating with kids. Studies show that visuals help
children across a range of factors, including reading
comprehension, student achievement, thinking and learning
skills, and retention of information. XPLANE parents also
have lots of anecdotal evidence that visual thinking is very
effective in solving behavioral and social challenges at home.
We wanted to explore how people who excel at visual
thinking in the work environment bring that mindset to the
home front. On May 1 we explored this topic with the
community at our public Visual Thinking School. One of the
most fun exercises of the day was learning how we each use
visual thinking with our kids, and mapping those tools to
different developmental stages. Here are 25 ideas we
thought were pretty cool, arranged roughly by
appropriateness for the youngest up to the oldest kids.

3. | XPLANE 3OUR THINKING
25 IDEAS FOR VISUAL PARENTING
1. Sign language for pre-linguistic children
2. Photo array of friends and relatives frequently mentioned
but not frequently seen
3. Visual routine guides for morning and nighttme
4. Visual cues to show instead of tell. For example, if
“bribing” a child with a reward like playing with their
soccer ball, show them the ball instead of verbally
referencing it
5. Visual labels on bins and drawers
6. Card deck of common and special activities to
collaboratively puzzle together an agenda for the day or
week
7. Visual chore chart or, especially for younger children,
physical blocks that can be moved when the task is
complete
8. Neighborhood map that shows home, daycare,
restaurant, supermarket, etc.
9. Drawing fears and emotions. If angry, draw how it feels.
If afraid of the monster under the bed, draw what it looks
like.
10. Visual packing list, showing how many of each item is
needed
11. Visual diary of a family holiday, drawn each evening as
an opportunity for all to reflect on the day’s adventures
12. Whiteboard in the bedroom to encourage kids to explain
ideas visually

4. | XPLANE 4OUR THINKING
25 IDEAS FOR VISUAL PARENTING
13. When gathered for a holiday, make a holiday hat
containing cards on which each kid may draw an activity
they would like to do. Draw cards one at a time as
needed to keep the holidays flowing.
14. Idea boards, such as each family member drawing an
idea for vacation destination
15. Play visual games like Memory, Battleship, Pictionary,
Cranium, etc.
16. Family calendar with icons and sketches for activities
17. Family vision map to instill a sense of common purpose
18. Keep plenty of supplies around to encourage creative
expression
19. Draw vacation routes or destinations right on a map
20. Clear containers dividing money to teach savings habits
and visually see progress toward goals
21. Post-ups for challenging family discussions to make sure
all voices are heard
22. After a sports game or other activity, encourage
constructive feedback through a Plus/Delta poster
23. Visual proposals, such as a diagram of desired bedroom
changes, help teach older children to negotiate
successfully for their ideas
24. Future state drawing for a high school student
overwhelmed by college decision. Encourage her to
worked backward from where she would like to be in 10
years.
25. Break down college selection by attributes and criteria

5. | XPLANE 5OUR THINKING
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