Taking a Shower: Visual Steps
A printable twelve-step shower and hygiene guide that makes the whole routine visible, from preparing the water to rinsing and drying.
This visual guide lays those tasks out one at a time: preparing comfortable water, getting wet, washing each part of the body, rinsing, turning off the water, and drying. The pictures give the routine somewhere visible to live instead of asking a child to remember every step at once.
We can point to a step, return to one that was missed, or move through the sequence in order. The aim is not to perform the poster perfectly. It is to make personal care feel more predictable, manageable, and independent.
I first made this because I thought it would help Isaac, but it turns out I would be the one to benefit from it. Taking a shower comes with a lot of anxiety for me, so it also takes a lot of preparation. Even as a mother to a toddler, I find ways to avoid showering because of—I honestly don’t even know what.
But this has made my showers a little easier. I don’t have to think about the whole process; I can just get in and follow the steps.
To a neurotypical person, that might sound a little weird. You might even think, “How is that possible? You’re an adult.” But honestly, this has made a difference for me.
Just give it a try. Print it, laminate it, and stick it to your shower wall. Then come back one week later and tell me whether it has—or hasn’t—made even a small dent in your routine.
How to use it
Print the guide and place it somewhere visible but dry near the shower. A child can check the pictures independently or use them with an adult who points out what comes next. You can also cover, adapt, or simplify any step that does not suit your family.
A note for parents and caregivers
This is a family visual aid, not medical advice. Children have different bathing, sensory, mobility, privacy, and supervision needs. Adjust the routine to suit the child, check the water temperature, and provide the level of adult support needed for safe bathing.