Planning and Prioritisation

Your child can't work out what to do first or how to plan a task

Steps

  1. Use a simple 'first, then, finally' board for any multi-part task
  2. Help them identify the ONE most important thing to do first
  3. Break projects into small steps written on separate cards or sticky notes
  4. Use a visual planner or wall calendar they can see daily
  5. Review the plan together each morning or evening

What you need

First/then board, sticky notes, visual planner

Why it works

ADHD brains struggle with executive function — the ability to evaluate, sequence, and prioritise tasks. Everything feels equally important or equally unimportant, which leads to paralysis. A first-then-finally board makes the sequence visible and the decision external rather than internal.

Age guidance

Works from age 6 onwards. Keep the system simple — no more than 3 items per day. Younger children need you to set priorities; older children can learn to set their own.

Real-world example

A parent wrote three sticky notes each morning: the most important thing, the second, and 'if there's time.' Their child, who'd been frozen by a mental list of 10 things, started completing all three most days. The simplicity was what made it work.

Troubleshooting

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