First & Then vs First Then Board

Designed by an Occupational Therapist. First & Then is a very simple app that uses a board with photos to show that one activity must happen before the next can occur. A fantastic tool for visual learners! The idea behind a First & Then board is to encourage a child to complete an activity that they don’t particularly enjoy. The board motivates the child to engage in a less preferred activity, knowing that a preferred activity (or a reward) will follow. For example, the ‘first’ activity may be something such as handwriting, homework, eating vegetables, using the toilet or visiting the dentist. The ‘then’ activity may be playing outside, computer time or a chocolate treat. The App is extremely simple to use, the board is set up from one page, with clear prompts to help along the way. The app allows the user to quickly and simply insert photos from the device’s camera or photo library, meaning that ‘First & Then’ boards can be made on-the-go and with little fuss. Photos taken are saved within the App to use again and again. The app includes a coloured visual timer, that the user can choose to use, to show the child how long they need to spend on an activity. As well as a digital display, the time is also represented by a coloured pie chart. When the pie is green, the child needs to keep going. When the pie turns amber, the child needs to get ready to finish. The pie turns red when it is time to stop the activity. The app also includes a ‘Finished box’. The child can drag the photo into this box when the activity is completed. The App is complete with the option to use exciting tones to reward the child for completing the activity.

First Then Board is a visual schedule tool that helps children, and anyone who benefits from structure, understand what comes now and what comes next using their own photos or visual supports. Whether you're a parent, teacher, therapist, or caregiver, First Then Board provides a clear, calming way to communicate daily activities, transitions, and expectations without relying on words. With Premium, log each completed routine or note when more time was needed, then export a progress report to share with your care team. This began as a personal project to help my daughter with autism navigate daily routines, and it has grown into a tool designed to support other families facing the same challenges. FREE FEATURES • Free version supported by ads • Simple First and Then photo board • Add up to 5 middle steps for multi-step routines • Use photos from your camera or photo library • Add text labels under each image • Pinch to zoom and reposition photos • Drag to swap panels • Switch between vertical and side-by-side layouts • Reset boards quickly • English and Spanish • Step-by-step tutorial • Contact support from the menu PREMIUM FEATURES • Ad-free experience • Unsplash photo search • Activity timer with automatic celebration • Screen lock • Dark and light mode • Task completion overlays • Custom panel titles and header colors • Quick Boards to save and reuse routines • Scheduled routine reminders • Child profiles with separate photos, saved boards and history • Optional per-child PIN protection • Record completed activities and activities that needed more time • Reload boards from history • Export history to CSV • 90-day completion history • Saved photo library, favorites and search Premium is available through a yearly subscription or a lifetime purchase. Prices and any eligible offers are shown before purchase. Redeem App Store offer codes from the menu. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/