Free Routine Chart Maker for Kids

How to make a routine chart in four steps

A routine chart is a picture schedule that shows your child what happens next, so you spend less time repeating yourself and your child feels more in charge of the day. This free routine chart maker builds one for you in about two minutes, and you can change anything before you print.

• Step 1, your child: add a name and an age, then pick a drawn avatar or use your child's photo. The photo stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
• Step 2, the routine: choose morning, after school, bedtime, weekend, a full day, chores or summer. Tasks that suit your child's age are filled in for you.
• Step 3, the tasks: tap pictures to add or remove tasks, drag them into order, edit the words and add a time if you like. Need something special? Add your own task and give it an icon.
• Step 4, the style: pick a theme, a layout (vertical list, card grid or horizontal strip), a colour and the paper size, A4 or US Letter.

What you get when you download

Every download is a ready-to-print PDF. Page one is the full-colour routine chart with your child's name in big letters. Page two is a colour-me-in version of the same chart in black and white, so your child can colour their own routine, which makes it feel like theirs and saves printer ink. You can also download a 1000 by 1500 picture of the chart to keep on your phone or share with a babysitter, grandparent or teacher.

• A colour routine chart with picture icons, numbers and a tick box for every task.
• A black-and-white colour-me-in copy of the same chart.
• An ink saver option that lightens the colours for faster, cheaper printing.
• A picture (PNG) of the chart for your phone.

Routine ideas for every age

Children cope best with a short list they can actually finish. These starting points are what the chart maker suggests, and you can swap any of them.

• Ages 2 to 3: keep it to five to seven big pictures. Wake up, use the toilet, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, shoes on. One picture, one action.
• Ages 4 to 5: add small jobs they can do alone, such as making the bed, packing the bag or feeding a pet, and a short story or tidy-up at bedtime.
• Ages 6 to 8: add homework, reading time and a chore. Words matter more now, so let your child edit the text and add times.
• Ages 9 to 12: use the chart as a checklist they own. Fewer pictures, more responsibility, and a weekend version that is different from school days.

Tips to make a routine chart actually work

The best chart is the one your child uses. A few habits make the difference.

• Involve your child. Let them pick the avatar, the colour and the order of tasks. Children follow plans they helped make.
• Start small. Five tasks that happen every day beat fifteen that nobody finishes. Add one task a week once the chart is a habit.
• Hang it at your child's eye level, near the place where the routine happens, such as the bedroom door for mornings or the bathroom for bedtime.
• Use the tick boxes with a washable marker, or laminate the page and use a dry-erase pen so the chart can be used all week.
• Praise effort out loud. A high five when the last box is ticked is worth more than any sticker.
• Keep the order the same every day. Predictable steps help young children feel safe and cooperate more easily.
• Review it together after two weeks. Remove what is too easy, add what is missing and print a fresh copy.

Why picture charts help young children

Young children cannot read a list yet, but they understand pictures. A picture schedule turns a spoken instruction into something they can see and point to, and it lets them check what comes next without asking you again. Many parents and teachers use visual schedules for exactly this reason: they reduce nagging, make transitions easier and give children a small sense of independence.

Because the chart shows the order of the day, it also works well for children who like to know what to expect, and for families who share routines between homes or caregivers. Print one copy for each place your child spends the morning or the evening.

Make it more fun with colour-me-in

Print the black-and-white page and let your child colour each task. It takes ten minutes, it practises fine motor skills, and a chart they coloured themselves is a chart they are proud to follow. Use crayons for the big shapes and a fine pen for the details, or print several copies and colour a new one each month.

Frequently asked questions

Is the routine chart maker really free?

Yes. Making the chart, the PDF, the colour-me-in page and the picture download are all free, and you do not need an account or an email address.

Do you store my child's name or photo?

No. The chart is built in your browser. The name, the photo and the tasks stay on your device and are only saved in your own browser so the chart is still there when you come back.

What ages is it for?

The suggestions cover ages 2 to 12. Toddlers get a few large pictures, older children get more tasks, words and times.

Can I add my own tasks?

Yes. Choose New task on the tasks step, type what your child needs to do and pick an icon from the set of more than 80 drawn pictures.

Can I print it on US Letter paper?

Yes. Choose A4 or US Letter on the style step and the chart is made to fit that paper.

How do I save ink?

Turn on the ink saver option for lighter colours, or print the black-and-white colour-me-in page, which uses very little ink.

How do I use the chart every day?

Print it, hang it at your child's eye level and let them tick each task with a washable marker. Laminating the page or sliding it into a plastic sleeve lets you reuse it with a dry-erase pen.

Can I use the charts in my classroom?

Yes. Teachers can make a class schedule, a centre rotation or a morning routine and print as many copies as they need for their own classroom.