This Printable Bedtime Routine for Kids will Guide You Through the Hardest Part of the Day
Bedtime is a really hard part of the day. Right? You’re all at the end of your rope. Your kids have no restraint left. Listening ears have left the building. It happens exactly when your patience has reached zero. You’ve spent it all on getting out the door on time, dealing with work issues and pulling dinner together. By 7 pm, your reserves are on zero and you probably haven’t had any time to yourself yet.
That’s why bedtime needs to have a rhythm. You need a routine that you can literally do in your sleep. Otherwise, it will quickly devolve into chaos. When my older daughter was 3, we were at full-on chaos. I was at my wits end. Each night would end one of two ways. Choice 1: I yell, kid is sad but in bed. Choice 2: I’m nice, kid is happy but bedtime is 30 minutes late. These are terrible choices!
There had to be a better way. That’s when I made the bedtime chart. The concept is simple, and all you need is a printer, a place to laminate a page or two, scissors and velcro. This is a project so easy that I could do it – and that’s saying something!
This bedtime routine chart for kids is a simple and inexpensive DIY project!
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Step 1: Print the Pages
First, grab the printable pages you’ll need for this project! You’ll see two pages.
- A page with cards for eight common bedtime routine activities: put dirty clothes in hamper, bath, potty, pajamas, brush teeth, books, brush hair and lights out plus eight blank cards
- A “To-Do” and “Done” chart to keep track of the process each night
These can be printed in black and white or color. I’ve tested both and they look nice either way!
Step 2: Laminate
I secretly want my own laminator but in the absence of that, there are many places that will laminate for you. It usually costs just a few dollars per page. I recommend Staples or a similar office supply store.
Step 3: Cut out the cards
After the card pages have been laminated, cut the cards out along the grid lines. If you’re already at the supply store, they may be able to cut the cards for you using a paper cutter. This will give you a very straight edge. The supply room at my office also has a paper cutter that I have used for projects like this before. If you don’t have access to a paper cutter, scissors work just fine too!
Step 5: When in doubt, personalize
Your download includes eight blank cards. You can use these cards to personalize your own bedtime routine. If wishing the moon goodnight or singing a song is part of your family’s nighttime ritual, just make your own card for that step. You can use dry erase or permanent markers, and feel free to print the blank sheet as many times as you like if you need more cards! The chart will fit about eight cards, so just keep that in mind when you’re personalizing.
If you have multiple children, you can print and laminate charts for each kid or have them follow one master chart. I have my girls follow the same chart since they are close in age. But if you have kids with age gaps, you may want them to have different charts. I’ve made this as flexible as possible so you can choose how to use it.
Step 6: Velcro is Always the Answer
The Velcro should come in a long strip. Measure two pieces that run lengthwise from the left side to the right side of the chart. Choose one type of Velcro (fuzzy or scratchy) and apply it to both the “To Do” and “Done” rows.
Next, cut small rectangles out of the remaining Velcro (opposite type of what you put on the chart) and affix a strip to the back of each card.
Step 7: Use the Chart
You’re done! At the beginning of the bedtime routine, all of the cards start in the “To Do” row. When the step is done, your child (or you!) can move it to the “Done” row. It’s fun! I usually let my kids pick the order of the tasks with some rules. For example, they can choose whether to take a bath or brush their teeth first, but they must do both before reading books. A bit of freedom seems to keep them moving and forestall any major meltdowns.
Step 8: Keep Them Focused
Since little kids can’t read a clock and don’t always understand the passage of time, a visual timer is a really wonderful way to help them understand how much time they have until bedtime. You could also challenge them to see how fast they can finish the routine. Offer extra books if they finish the rest of the routine in a certain amount of time.
A Better Bedtime
Bedtime will always be one of the hardest parts of the day, I think. Everyone is, by definition, tired and it’s hard to be at your best when you’re worn out. This easy to follow bedtime routine for kids gives visual cues. It will keep things mostly on track. Here’s to a smooth bedtime – and some time to yourself after!
