Kids Morning and Evening Routine Checklist

Who this is for

Two short lists a child can tick: what happens before leaving the house and what happens before bed. The items are the ordinary ones — dressed, teeth, bag, reading book, lights out — with no times against them and blank lines for the things your house does that ours does not.

Parents tired of saying the same eight things every morning, children old enough to tick a box themselves, and childminders or grandparents running somebody else's routine for a few days.

What this helps you track

• What has to happen before the door, in an order the child can follow
• What has to happen before bed, the same way
• Which steps get done without being asked, and which never do
• Your own steps, added on the blank lines in your own words

How to use it

1. Write the child's name and the week or day at the top; one sheet per child works better than one shared.
2. Read through both lists together and cross out anything that does not apply. Add your own on the blank lines — the medicine, the pet, the instrument.
3. Put the sheet where the routine happens: the morning list by the door, the evening list in the bedroom.
4. Let the child do the ticking. On screen, ticks save in the browser and can be cleared for the next day.
5. Change the list as the child grows rather than keeping one that no longer fits.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Are there times on it?

No. What time a child gets up, leaves or goes to bed is your household's business and differs by age, school and season. The sheet is an order of things, not a timetable; write times in the margin if you want them.

Can I add my own items?

Yes — that is what the blank lines are for, and the browser version lets you add items to either list. Most families end up with a list that is half printed and half theirs.

Does it work with a reward chart?

It can. This sheet is for getting through the day; the reward and star chart is a week of ticks against whatever your family has agreed. Some households use both, many use one.

Is it suitable for a child who cannot read yet?

The items are short and can be read out, and a child who cannot read can still tick a box. Draw a small picture beside each line if that helps.