# Now and Next: Visual Schedule — First/Then boards & choices

> Visual communication tool for sequencing activities, aiding development and communication. (iPhone/iPad app by Peter Stanley.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-and-next-visual-schedule/id1438617754 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Peter Stanley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1041000015)
- Category: Education, Utilities
- Price: $6.99
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.6 · 16 MB
- Languages: American English, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, European Spanish
- Released: 2018-10-13
- Data updated: 2026-09-29
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-and-next-visual-schedule/id1438617754/reviews.md

## What is Now and Next?

Show a child what is happening now, and what is happening next.

Now and Next takes the part of the day that is hardest to explain and makes it something a child can see. Put the current activity on one side of a card and the one that comes after it on the other, and “we're leaving the playground after this” stops being an argument and becomes a picture to point at. Teachers and therapists usually call it a first-then board. It is the same idea, and the app does both.

It was built by parents, and it is used at home, in preschool and elementary classrooms, and in therapy sessions: with autistic children, with children who have ADHD, with children whose speech and language is still developing, and with any young child whose day goes better when they can see it laid out.

NOW AND NEXT CARDS
Pick two activities and the card is made. Tap a picture to hear the activity read aloud. If your family or your classroom says something other than “Now” and “Next,” change the wording to the words you already use.

CHOICES, WITH TWO OR THREE PICTURES
Ask with pictures instead of words. A prompt card holds a question and two or three answers — milk or water, playground or backyard, which book at bedtime — so a child can answer by pointing.

TIME LINE
Put your cards in order and the Time Line runs the routine for you: a morning, the hour after school, a whole school day. Each card stays up for as long as you set, then moves on by itself, with an optional friendly sound as it changes.

60+ ACTIVITIES, AND ROOM FOR YOUR OWN
More than 60 illustrated activities come with the app, covering home and school from breakfast and brushing teeth to school, nap time and the dentist. Your own are just as easy to add: take a photo, choose one from your library, or create a picture with Image Playground on supported devices. Name them in your own words, and organize them into categories that match your day.

ACTIVITIES THAT SPEAK
Activities and prompts can be read aloud when they are tapped, in the voice you pick, so a card works for listening as well as looking.

IN YOUR LANGUAGE
The app follows your device language in English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch and Italian, including the names of the built-in activities. Anything you typed yourself stays exactly as you wrote it.

BACKUP AND RESTORE
Export everything you have built — activities, cards, prompt cards, categories and the Time Line — and restore it on another iPhone or iPad, or on a new device.

PRIVATE BY DESIGN
No account, no sign-in and no ads. Your photos, activities and cards are kept on your device; nothing about them is collected or shared. A backup goes only where you choose to send it.

ONE PURCHASE
Now and Next is bought once. There is no subscription and nothing else to unlock, it works on both iPhone and iPad, and Family Sharing lets up to six family members use it.

## Key features

- Visual activity sequencing
- Custom activity creation with own images
- Over 60 pre-loaded activities
- Timeline feature with automatic card progression
- Optional sound notifications for activity changes
- Supports early years and special education needs

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-and-next-visual-schedule/id1438617754/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Just what I was looking for

*2020-05-27*

A simple configurable now / next board. Well worth the small investment.

## Frequently asked questions about Now and Next

### What is the "First - Then" concept used in Now and Next?

The "First - Then" concept, also known as Now and Next cards, is a visual communication strategy. It involves presenting a current activity ('now') followed by a desired or upcoming activity ('next') to help individuals understand transitions and expectations.

### How does Now and Next help with speech and language development?

Now and Next uses colorful pictures to represent activities, which can be paired with verbal communication. This visual-auditory approach can encourage children to articulate activities and understand spoken language better, supporting speech and language development.

### Can I create my own activities in Now and Next?

Yes, you can create your own custom activities in Now and Next. The app allows you to use your own images to build a personalized vocabulary of activities, which can then be reused in schedules.

### What is the Timeline feature in Now and Next?

The Timeline feature in Now and Next allows you to arrange existing activity cards in a sequence. Cards automatically advance after a set, adjustable time, providing a structured visual representation of upcoming activities.

### Is Now and Next suitable for children with special education needs (SEND)?

Yes, Now and Next is designed to assist individuals with less developed language skills or difficulties with verbal communication. It provides a structured and convenient way to articulate and organize upcoming activities, which is beneficial for SEND support.

### What devices does Now and Next support?

Now and Next is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It is designed to run on Apple's mobile operating system.

### How often is Now and Next updated?

The latest version of Now and Next is 1.9, last updated on April 1, 2026. This indicates a recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support for the application.

### What is the price of Now and Next?

Now and Next is a paid application, with a price of $6.99. This is a one-time purchase for the app and its features.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.11 — 2026-09-26

Now and Next in your language

The app follows your device language in English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch and Italian, including the names of the built-in activities. Activities, cards and categories you created keep the words you typed.

Also in this update

• Backing up and restoring is more dependable, and a restore brings back your custom activities, categories and Time Line exactly as they were.
• Clearer headings and better contrast in Settings and when choosing a voice.
• Small fixes throughout.

### 1.10 — 2026-07-23

- Custom activities have been redesigned with a much friendlier interface. You can now scale and rotate images for the perfect framing.
- Category management has moved to the custom activity edit screen - you can now also hide empty categories in the settings menu
- On supported devices you can now use Image Playground within the app to create custom activities
- You can now edit any card, simply tap the pencil icon at the top left to get started.
- Every Activity card can now have unique text for Now/Next - simply tap the 'text' button the create/edit screen to set custom values.

### 1.9 — 2026-04-01

Colours have landed! When creating a card you can now choose from a selection of preset colours and gradients, or make your own! 

If you're using the voice feature to speak an activity or prompt you can now choose from a selection of voices from the settings screen.

Unfortunately we've had to drop iOS12 support, iOS15 is now required for new updates.

### 1.8.2 — 2025-09-10

The close button on Prompt cards was sitting too close to the prompt text on Plus and Max devices, it's now back where it should be on the right hand side.

### 1.8.1 — 2025-09-08

Quick fix to make dark edged prompt card images look a little nicer

## Apps similar to Now and Next

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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| [Magical Concepts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magical-concepts/id510069130) | — | $9.99 | Education |
| [Colourful Semantics Classic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colourful-semantics-classic/id6569246022) | — | $8.99 | Education |
| [SkillSteps: Autism Learning](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skillsteps-autism-learning/id6759471583) | — | Free | Education |
| [Inference Ace](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inference-ace/id875998338) | 4.5 (4) | $8.99 | Education |

## More apps by Peter Stanley

- [CMDR](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cmdr/id1050273483)
- [Now and Next Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-and-next-lite/id1628778289)
- [Stappy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stappy/id6444051014)

All apps by Peter Stanley: https://appshunter.io/developer/1041000015

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-29.*