Create a Daily Schedule for Kids With These Free Printables

Schedules and routines are helpful for most children. Schedules can be reassuring for children during difficult times, which we found out in 2020 when so many kids ended up doing school from home. Managing our children’s days is hard but having a plan helps. I created these daily schedules for kids out of necessity. I hope you find these printables helpful!

Why you need this kids daily schedule template

Schedules are especially helpful for children as they grow and develop. They can help younger children to better understand the concept of time, which is usually difficult. Using a daily schedule will help your child to know what to expect, which eventually leads to better cooperation and calmer days.

When we face difficult times or big life changes, a daily schedule can be comforting for children, giving them a sense of normalcy. For parents, schedules and routines can give a sense of stability and peace when life is not quite normal.

Last year, we found stuck at home, schools being done virtually, activities canceled, and stores were closed. This change in routine and was hard not only for the children but also for parents. Juggling virtual school, home, children, and jobs was difficult. Having a daily schedule for the kids (and myself) to follow was just what we needed.

Do Your Kids Need a Schedule?

By providing a visual chart outlining the day, you and your children can create routines and a structure to get through challenging times.

Having this sense of normalcy can help reduce anxiety in both children and adults and will ensure that important assignments and tasks don’t get overlooked. Additionally, if you have more than one child, it will help you to keep their individual schedules, assignments, and needs organized.

As a work-at-home mom with 2 kids now out of school, I completely understand the need for a daily schedule. I also understand you might not know quite where to start. But I’m here to help.

I want to share with you my FREE Daily Schedule and Schedule Chart printables for kids. These can be printed and customized right from home and can help to create a more organized and productive environment for everyone.

You will receive several different templates in the file, so you can be sure you will find the right one for your family.

I also understand that every family will have different needs and schedules so I have created a number of options to choose from. I will share a little about each so that you can choose the one (or ones) that suit your needs the best.

Free Printable Morning Routine Charts

Every day starts with our kids getting out of bed so it makes sense to begin with my Morning Routine Chart. This is a simple chart that is easily customizable for each child. Depending on their age, you can create individualized tasks that each needs to complete. For example:

Make bed
Get dressed
Brush teeth
Feed dog/cat/fish
Do Your Morning Chores
Etc.

Younger children may have very basic tasks while older children and teens might have chores or other tasks that need to be completed as well.

One way you might use this chart is to print it and fill it out. Review the tasks with your children to be sure they understand the expectations. Then, you can frame it and place it where it can be easily viewed. Framing it protects the chart from curious little fingers and messes so you don’t have to keep reprinting it. Plus, it acts as a constant reminder of the expectations without you having to continuously repeat them. I would suggest displaying it in the area where the majority of the tasks listed will be completed (ex: bedroom, bathroom).

FREE PRINTABLES – DAILY SCHEDULES FOR KIDS

I created these schedules with busy families in mind. There are so many ways to use them and you even get 3 styles to choose from!

Set 1 includes 9 templates, in 3 different styles, without the days of the week. These spaces are left blank for your children’s names.

Set 2 also includes 9 templates, in 3 styles, but are labeled Monday – Friday.

You will receive links to both sets.

Set 1: Daily Schedule with Space to Personalize

As I stated before, every family will have their own unique needs regarding their daily schedule. I wanted to create functional yet flexible templates that anyone could use. Whether you have 1 child or 5, these schedules are easily customized.

Remember, kids aren’t the only ones who can benefit from a structured day. Many of us are working from home and need to keep ourselves on task as well. Taking time to get organized now can save a lot of time and stress down the road.

Set 2: Monday – Friday Daily Schedules

If seeing your week laid out in front of you keeps you on track, a Monday-Friday Daily Schedule might be your perfect solution. This layout allows for planning ahead for events, meetings, or even meals. This is also a great solution for students who have a project or assignment that might require multiple steps throughout the week for completion.

For Example: Monday-Take Notes, Tuesday-Create Outline, Wednesday-Collect Resources, Thursday-First Draft, Friday-Revise/ Final draft.

Each Set Includes:

1 Hour Daily Schedule Template

Here are my 1 Hour Block Schedule Templates. As the name implies, this schedule breaks down your daily routine into 1-hour increments or blocks. This is helpful for tasks that take an hour or more to complete or when you want to schedule many tasks throughout the day.

1/2 Hour Daily Schedule Templates

If tasks might take less than an hour, or you prefer a more structured day, this schedule is based on 30-minute increments and is much more time-specific.

Daily Kids Schedule Template

For kids that have an online school curriculum, you might find that the Daily Block Schedule is the most effective. This method is great for allotting certain time frames, such as 8 am-2 pm, for general tasks like “school work”. You can also narrow it down by class, for example, 8 am-9 am “Math”, 9 am-10 am “Science”, etc.

What Schedule Should I Use?

Not sure which schedule will work best? Print them all and try them out. See which feels the most intuitive and natural to you and your kids. You might find that each of you prefers a different method to stay on track, and that’s ok.

The key is to find something that works consistently. Productivity is the end goal, right? Allow flexibility while you each find your rhythm.

Keep in mind, no matter which schedule type you prefer, always be sure to include breaks like lunch or free time so that children don’t feel overwhelmed and have opportunities for movement and time to decompress.

Remember, kids are feeling stress and isolation during this difficult time too. They are likely missing the interaction with their peers and might be upset about events or celebrations that they are missing. Allow them, and yourself, grace and patience while adapting to this new way of doing things.

Tips for Using a Daily Schedule for Kids:

You may prefer to use one daily schedule per child. This is particularly important with children in different grades or who learn and work at a different pace.
If you have a larger family you may want to use the customizable template to have all children on one page.
Use a timer. This is helpful for keeping everyone on task. If you have more than one child, provide each with their own timer or set multiple timers on your phone or other devices that can serve the purpose.
Keep the schedules simple and easy to read. If there is a lot of detail that is needed for a task, use a notebook, planner, or list to write additional information.
Keep your kid’s daily schedule or chart visible. A loose sheet of paper on a desk or workspace could easily be lost or overlooked. Place your schedule in a frame, on a clipboard, or perhaps a corkboard. Anywhere where it is easily referenced and won’t get misplaced.
Consider color-coding tasks. This can be helpful to differentiate tasks, visually, on your schedule. You can use highlighters or even colored pens.

Items You’ll Need

✻ A GOOD PRINTER I recently purchased the HP ENVY 6055 printer and I love it. The print quality is excellent and I signed up for HP Instant Ink and get automatic ink delivery. I signed up for the 50 pages/month plan and pay just $2.99/mo. Color, black and white, and photos all cost the same and are included in your printing. Ink, shipping, and recycling are included. If you purchase an HP Printer you can sign up and get 1 FREE MONTH FREE INK – clicking here.

✻ QUALITY PRINTER PAPER – I may be a paper snob but I love good quality paper. My favorite paper for printables is this one. It is super bright white, smooth, and a nice thickness so you don’t get too much bleed through. If you want a more premium paper I highly suggest trying this super-premium presentation paper. It’s lovely!

✻ LAMINATOR – I’ve had this laminator for over 10 years and it’s as good as new. It is super affordable too!

✻ I like these INEXPENSIVE LAMINATING SHEETS.

✻ PAPER CUTTER – I love this paper trimmer because it’s thin and doesn’t take up too much room. It’s also safer if you have little hands around.

✻ ADHESIVE TAPE – This Tombow adhesive applicator puts down tiny dots that have a great grip. You don’t need to use too much which makes it an affordable choice.

GET YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE PRINTABLES BELOW

You should receive your link(s) via e-mail within the hour. If, after an hour, you have not received your link, please contact me and I’ll help you figure out what happened.