Free beginner core board
A simple 12-cell core board for a child just starting with a communication board. It holds the highest-frequency words, like I want, help, more, and stop, in fixed spots so your child can learn where each one lives.
- 12 words
- Free printable PDF
- Editable in browser
I want
More
Help
Stop
Eat
Drink
Play
All done
Yes
No
Happy
SadA core board puts the words a child uses most in fixed positions, so the location of each word becomes part of how your child finds it. This beginner board keeps the layout small, 12 cells, so a new communicator is not overwhelmed by choice.
The words here cover the basics of asking and refusing across a whole day: requesting (I want, more), getting help, stopping or finishing an activity, and answering yes or no. Two feelings, happy and sad, give your child a first way to comment on how they feel.
Print it, point to a word as you say it, and let your child point back. The board works best when the adults around the child model on it constantly, the way you would talk around a baby long before the first word arrives.
When to use this board
Start here when your child is new to a communication board and a full grid feels like too much. Twelve words is enough to ask, refuse, and comment without crowding the page.
How to customize this board
- Swap any word for one your child reaches for more, like a favorite food or toy.
- Keep each word in the same spot every time you reprint, so the position stays a cue.
- Print a spare for every room your child spends time in.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a core board?
- A core board is a single page of high-frequency words in fixed positions that a child points to in order to communicate. Unlike picture cards a child hands over, a core board stays put, so the location of each word becomes a cue your child learns over time.
- How many words should a beginner board have?
- Start small. Twelve words is enough to request, refuse, and comment without overwhelming a new communicator, and you can move up to a 20 or 30 cell board once the first set is reliable.
- What words go on a beginner core board?
- The highest-frequency core words a child needs across the whole day: I want, more, help, stop, eat, drink, play, all done, yes, no, and a couple of feelings like happy and sad. These work in almost any situation, which is what makes them core.
- Do I point to the words or does my child?
- Both. You model by pointing to a word as you say it, every day, and your child learns to point back. Modeling is the single most important thing an adult does with a core board.
- Is this board free to print?
- Yes. You can edit and download the board for free with no sign-up. Print it on paper or cardstock, laminate it so it survives daily handling, and reprint whenever one gets worn.
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