Skip to boards

Free Printable Communication Boards

Simple paper boards to download, print, and keep close for when a screen will not do.

Free paper communication boards for home, school, and days out. No account or app needed. Choose a board below, open the PDF to see every page, or download a copy to keep.

These boards are in Irish, printed from the Irish boards in SpeakPad.

Core Word Board

25 useful words on one page, including I, want, more, go, stop, help, yes, and no. Combine words to ask, comment, refuse, and share ideas.

PDF · 1 page · A4 · Landscape · 190 kB

First Words Board

A starting board for brand-new communicators: a small, motivating set of words and people, with room to grow into.

PDF · 5 pages · A4 · Portrait · 256 kB

People and Family Board

Mom, dad, brothers, sisters, grandparents, friends, and teachers, with the words to say something about them.

PDF · 1 page · A4 · Portrait · 198 kB

Feelings Board

Words for feelings, plus pages for coping strategies, body sensations, and difficult situations. Includes ways to ask for help, a break, or quiet.

PDF · 5 pages · A4 · Landscape · 270 kB

Mealtime Board

Eat, drink, more, all done, and a few favorite foods. Made to laminate and keep by the table or in the lunch bag.

PDF · 5 pages · A4 · Landscape · 250 kB

Daily Routines Board

Getting dressed, bath time, brushing teeth, and bed. Picture support for the moments that repeat every single day.

PDF · 6 pages · A4 · Landscape · 258 kB

First/Then Board and Visual Schedule

A First/Then board, a five-step schedule, and 24 picture cards to cut out, including toilet, shoes, park, and all done, plus 6 blank cards. Each card fits every box, ready for Velcro dots.

PDF · 4 pages · A4 · Landscape · 208 kB

Play and Activities Board

My turn, your turn, again, and stop, alongside the toys and games most worth asking for.

PDF · 6 pages · A4 · Landscape · 275 kB

Use A4 paper and the portrait or landscape orientation shown on each card. For US Letter, choose Fit to page. Print every page in a set, check that the words and pictures are easy to see and point to, then keep the pages together. Laminate if useful.

An arrow and number lead to another page in the same PDF. Click the cell on screen, or turn to that page in the printed set. Keep the full set together and return to page 1 for the main board.

Use it together

A mother and her young child at a kitchen table, the child pointing to a picture on a printed SpeakPad board.

Point to a picture as you say the word during everyday activities. Give the person time to respond in their own way; they do not have to copy you. Keep a core board nearby when using topic pages so words such as help, stop, and no stay available.

Make your own board in the app

These are starting points. To match someone’s own words, photos, and layout, print their board from SpeakPad. Open Caregiver Mode, tap More, then Print Board. You can choose the orientation, include linked boards, and use larger text or black and white.

These PDFs use SpeakPad symbols. © SpeakPad. The boards are free to download and print.

Common questions

Are these boards free?
Yes. No account or app is needed. Choose Open PDF to view the full set in your browser, or Download PDF to save a copy. Open the PDF to print it.
Do these boards work without the SpeakPad app?
Yes. Each board is a standalone paper communication tool. Print it, laminate it, and use it anywhere, no device needed.
What paper size should I use?
The boards are formatted for A4. For US Letter, choose Scale to Fit Page in your printer settings and the layout adjusts automatically.
Can any child use these boards?
These are starting points, not a single layout that suits everyone. Choose words, pictures, cell sizes, and an access method that work for the person. A speech-language professional can help adapt a board to their needs.

The boards your child builds, in their pocket

SpeakPad is a free, private, offline AAC app for iPhone and iPad. Build a board once, then print it, share it, or speak with it.

Download SpeakPad