Free Daily Routine Printables For Kids: 3 Steps That Work Like a Charm

You might be thinking…cool, I’m in. But HOW do I actually go about making one?

Here’s the easy system that works for us. Trust me, if it works for my squirrely kids, it will work for yours too.

Step 1. Decide on Weekly Chores

First, before we even get to the daily kids routine, we need to make sure each child has an assigned chore for each weekday.

So, grab a piece of paper or this free chore template chart and make your list of chores for each child. Here are the chore assignments for my 8 and 10-year-old kids.

Monday = Help clean up dinner

Tuesday = Pick up the living room

Wednesday = Unload the dishwasher

Thursday = Vacuum or sweep (usually it’s vacuuming the living room rug or sweeping under our breakfast chairs)

Friday = Clear kitchen counter and entryways

*See this list of kids chores for more ideas by age and go with what needs to be done on a regular basis in your home. Remember, you can always modify this later.

You can also make Friday a “mom or dad picks” day if you want to use a day to clean up unexpected messes. It adds a layer of involvement and decision-making on the parent’s part though.

Step 2. Use the Daily Routine Chart for Kids

Now, the fun part! We like to use a routine chart/checklist to do the heavy lifting for us and our daily routine for kids.

You can grab a free one here.

Or check out the complete pack with customizable templates and cheat sheets.

This simple checklist includes a spot for their daily chore (step 1) along with good kids habits and what they need to do to get ready for school in the mornings on their own.

Now, if you’re making your own daily kids routine, check out these examples:

Daily Routine for Toddlers:

First, here’s a great example of a kids routine for toddlers. I give a full day schedule here too, if you like to be more structured.

7:00 am: Get clothes on

7:30 am: Eat breakfast and put the bowl in the sink

8:00 am: Brush teeth and brush hair

8:30 am: Inside Play

9:30 am: Structured learning time (busy activities, coloring, etc.)

10:30 am: Outside play or outing (library, park, playdate, etc.)

11:30 am: Lunch

12:30 pm: Pick up toys and lunch

1:00 pm: Nap

3:00 pm: Play

4:00 pm: Tv time

5:30 pm: Dinner

7:45 pm: Bedtime stories for toddlers and other wind-down rituals

Of course, every routine looks different and depends on whether your child is in preschool or daycare, whether it’s during a school break, and what season of the year it is.

Example Daily Routine for Older Kids:

Older kids are usually in school, so you can separate kids’ daily routine into sections if you’d like. Here’s an example with good kids habits.

Morning

7:00 Change clothes

7:15 Make and eat breakfast. Put away dishes

7:30 Brush teeth and hair

7:45 Pack backpack (get ipads, snack, water), pack lunch if needed

8:00 Leave for school

Afternoon

3:50: Do chore (See step #1)

4:00: Empty lunch box

4:10 Do homework (or reading, spelling, sight words, regular timed study)

4:45 Charge Ipad

Night

8:00 Pajamas and brush teeth (devices off)

8:10 Reading in bed (or more homework time for teens)

9:00 Good night rituals (prayers, songs, hugs, etc.)

You Will Need to Adapt the Daily Kids Routine

Toddlers and teenagers will require some tweaking to get your routine just right. You also may find that some habits or chores are more important to you than others. Don’t be afraid to keep tweaking.

*We like having a “school day” routine and an “on breaks” routine. Shop multiple different templates and editable versions in the Routine Pack here>>

Step 3. Give a Reward

A reward is important because it gets kids to DO the daily routine. Every. Single. Time.

Kids don’t see the benefit of these habits and chores yet. So, they need something juicy to keep them going. What motivates your kids? Is it screen time? Money? Friend time?

Find amazing reward ideas for kids and teens. If you have an older child, it’s fun to decide together too.

Follow through on the three steps and then you’re ready to turn your kids into go-getters! Keep reading for the best tips and answers to your most pressing questions!

Tips for Your Daily Routine for Kids

Now, a routine is wonderful! But you’ll quickly find that what works with your family will vary (and change with time). So, be sure to read these tips!

Use Pictures for Smaller Kids

Young ones can’t read, but they still want to feel independent. So, if you have a child of kindergarten age or younger, make sure their routine tasks have pictures so they know what to do next.

Use this read aloud book to help too.

Let Older Kids Help Pick

Big kids are more invested if they can help you make the daily routine schedule. I’ve seen this in my own children. They want some control over how their day goes too, so it’s a great tool to keep them engaged and motivated.

Be Flexible

We’ve tried setting times on our daily kids routine, and we’ve also done it without times.

What I’ve found is that as much as I’d like to be “on a schedule,” it’s nearly impossible to be rigid with three kids. Something ALWAYS pops up, and then you’re just pulling out your hair because you are way off schedule. It’s a setup for frustration.

That’s why, if you have multiple kids, I recommend loose times, or just giving them the checklist and letting them do it at their own pace (over a set period of time).

Leave Open Space

Next, if your daily kids routine covers the entire day, make sure you have space for free time and creative time too. Those are just as important but can be easy to overlook.

Q & As About a Daily Routine for Kids

Here are 3 common questions about a daily children’s routine. They can help immensely with troubleshooting issues.

1. How do you know what reward works best? And how often should you reward?

When I started the daily routine for my own kids, I did it for an allowance so that I could also teach money management. What I found was that money didn’t motivate them at ALL. They didn’t care and I could never keep track.

What DID work was Saturday afternoon electronics time. If they get their routines done through the week, then they are able to do that – and we’ve kept this reward for years now. If we need the extra boost of a daily reward, then I tell them they have to be finished before they can play outside with friends.

Now, this is what works for my family, but it may not work for yours – everyone is different.

So, experiment.

How often you reward should also be determined by how motivated your kids are. If you need the extra push, start with daily rewards and then span out to one weekly reward later.

2. What if I’m struggling to follow through?

I get it. Life gets in the way. There are some weeks when their chores get left behind and my kids finish them on Saturday right before their screens. But that’s ok, because it’s still getting done.

So first, ease up on yourself. Remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be consistent.

And second, if you’re struggling to follow through, set phone reminders (so you don’t forget) and then set a good reward for yourself after a week of following through. (Rewards work for adults too!)

Most of the time, these small actions are all it takes to transform your momentum.

3. What happens when the kids push back?

Let’s face it: kids test you! They complain. They whine. They challenge.

My kids haven’t done this in a while (for our routine at least) because it’s so automatic to them.

But when they do, I tell them they don’t HAVE to complete their checklists at all. They always have the choice not to complete them. They just won’t get their reward if they choose not to.

This freedom to choose ends all our arguments. So, give it a shot in your home too. If they really want the reward, they’ll let it go.

Where Else Can You Use a System?

This is just one example of why systems are amazing for structuring the day-to-day tasks in your life. When you have kids, things get complicated. There are a million things to remember! So, simplify and alleviate that mental overload wherever you can!

Then, how else could a system benefit you? It’s time to do some brainstorming!

Perhaps you need your own adult system? Or more structure when it comes to your own routines? Or a family system for papers or weekly meal planning printable? The possibilities are endless!

To Consider With Your Routines For Children

The kids have learned so many useful life skills since we started this.

And as a parent, I’m also better able to focus on my own work and relax because my kids can take care of themselves. It’s a HUGE win-win for everyone!

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