Free printable · PreK to Grade 5
Free wait card and not now card
Waiting is hard. A wait card shows a student that something is coming, just not yet, and a not now card shows that it can happen later. This free set has both, with a line for what comes next, and a page of small wait cards to cut out.
Download free PDFNo email needed. Print as many as you need.
Make your own in seconds
Ask for a wait card with a timer, a first-then board, or cards for your student's words, and SCAFLI makes them.
Try asking for:
- “wait card”
SCAFLI is in early access. The free PDF above needs no sign-up.
What it is
A visual support for waiting, with a place to write what comes next so the wait has an end.
How to use it
- Show the card calmly and say wait, then say what comes next.
- Start with very short waits and always follow through.
- Make the waits longer as the student gets used to it.
Three quick tips
- Praise waiting: you waited, now it's your turn.
- Say what the student can do while waiting.
- Use the same card and words every time.
Questions
- How long should a wait be?
- Start very short, a few seconds, and stretch it over time.
- What is the Not now card for?
- For something that can happen later, not soon. Write when on the line.
- Can I use it at home?
- Yes. It works anywhere waiting is hard.
A starting point for your own professional judgment. Use initials only on any page about a student.