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Free PECS Card Maker
Make your own picture exchange cards in a few minutes. Pick an image from the built-in symbol library or upload a photo of the real object, add a label, and download a print-ready sheet you can cut, laminate, and start using the same day. Everything is editable, so you can grow the set as your child learns new words. No sign-up to start building.
How to make PECS cards
- Choose a card size. Small cards suit a communication strip, standard cards work for most beginners, and large cards help children with motor or vision needs.
- Add a picture for each card. Search the symbol library for foods, toys, places, and feelings, or upload a clear photo of the actual item your child wants.
- Type a short, plain label such as “snack” or “break”. Keep the wording your family already uses so the card matches real life.
- Build the full set, then download the print-ready sheet and print it, ideally on cardstock.
- Cut the cards, laminate them or cover them with clear tape, and add hook-and-loop dots on the back so they stick to a board, binder, or strip.
PECS is a phase-based method, and the cards are only the starting materials. The method works when an adult models the exchange, hands the wanted item over right away, and treats every reach for a card as a real request. If you are weighing PECS against other options, the Spectrum Unlocked guide on AAC versus PECS versus sign language walks through when each one tends to fit, and AAC for beginners covers how to get started without feeling overwhelmed.
Free printable PECS card templates
Every card you build here is a free printable you can download as a sheet and reprint whenever one gets lost or chewed. Start with a small core set of the requests your child makes most, such as a favorite snack, a drink, a toy, and a break, then add more as those become reliable. Printing a few spares of each high-use card saves you from rebuilding the board after a busy week. If you also want to show your child the order of the day rather than support requests, build a routine with the Visual Schedule Creator and keep both sets in the same binder.
Feelings and potty communication cards
Cards are not only for snacks and toys. A small set of feelings cards gives a child a way to show happy, sad, mad, tired, or scared before those feelings boil over, and naming the feeling with them as they hand it over builds the connection over time. Potty cards belong in the set too, with options like toilet, wash hands, and all done, so your child can signal a need without words. If you are working on the bathroom routine, the Spectrum Unlocked autism potty training guide shows how picture cards fit alongside a steady routine.
Frequently asked questions
- What are PECS cards?
- PECS cards are small picture cards a child hands to another person to make a request or comment. PECS stands for Picture Exchange Communication System, a structured method developed by Andy Bondy and Lori Frost. Each card pairs a clear image with a printed word, so a child can point to or exchange the card for what they want when speaking is hard.
- What size should PECS cards be?
- Many families start with cards around 2 inches square because they are easy for small hands to pick up and hand over. Larger 3 inch cards help children with motor or vision differences, and smaller 1 inch cards fit neatly on a communication board or strip. This maker lets you choose small, standard, or large so you can match your child's grip and your binder.
- How do I make and laminate PECS cards at home?
- Build your set in the tool, then download the print-ready sheet and print it on cardstock if you have it. Cut along the lines, run each card through a laminator or cover it with clear packing tape, then add hook-and-loop dots on the back so cards stick to a board or strip. Laminating keeps the cards readable through spills, chewing, and daily handling.
- Where can I find free printable PECS cards?
- You can make free printable PECS cards right here. Choose images from the built-in symbol library or upload a photo of the real object, add a label, and print as many as you need. There is no sign-up to start building, and you can come back to edit or add cards as your child's vocabulary grows.
- Do PECS cards work, and at what age can my child start?
- PECS has a strong research base for helping children build functional communication, and many children begin between ages 2 and 5, though it can help older children and teens too. Cards work best as part of the wider PECS method, where an adult models the exchange and rewards every attempt. The printed cards are a starting point; pairing them with a steady communication partner is what builds the skill.
- Is this the same as a visual schedule?
- They are related but used differently. PECS cards are for two-way communication, where your child hands you a card to ask for something. A visual schedule lays cards out in order to show what happens next across the day. Many families use both, and you can build a routine with the Spectrum Unlocked Visual Schedule Creator.
PECS is a registered trademark of Pyramid Educational Consultants. This free tool is independent and not affiliated.