Bedtime Routine Chart for Kids – Easier Nights are Possible!

Take the stress out of your evenings with a kids bedtime routine chart! Keeping a consistent nighttime routine is a GREAT way to encourage independence in your child, and a daily routine chart is an excellent way to help kids start doing things on their own!

There have been times in my kids’ young lives when I honestly didn’t think my hubby and I would survive – those sleepless first months with newborns, alllll of the sleep regressions, and finally just fighting with them to stay in bed and go to sleep!

I don’t do well on minimal sleep – I’m grumpy and over-caffeinated, my right eye starts twitching…it’s a whole thing. So you can bet that as soon as I felt my kids were old enough to handle some independence, we got into a solid bedtime routine!

My husband and I are both self-employed, and I decided a long time ago that I juggle waaay too many tasks to duke it out with my kiddos at nighttime. I’ve always encouraged my kids to be self-starters, and helping them develop independent morning and bedtime routines seemed like a natural progression from “little kid” to “big kid” status.

If you’re tired of every evening turning into a scene from Battle Royale with your kids, it may be time to create your own bedtime routine chart. A bedtime routine chart is a simple, easy-to-understand method of encouraging young kids to begin doing things independently.

You shouldn’t have to walk behind your child every night to make sure they finish their evening tasks. A chart saves your sanity AND helps your kids remember what they need to do before the lights go out.

Here’s how to make your own kids evening routine chart to help your child’s independence grow:

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click a link and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full terms of use here.

Why Your Kids Need a Bedtime Routine

Bedtime routines may be challenging at first, but they benefit kids in so many ways! Here are several key reasons why a nighttime routine chart is a smart idea for your child:

• It helps kids relax and wind down for sleep. There was a phase of my girls’ lives where it was like they chugged a bottle of Mountain Dew right after dinner – it was impossible to get them to wind down. The repetitive nature of bedtime routines helps children relax and prepare their bodies for sleep. 

• Kids have improved sleep quality. According to one research study by Hale, Berger, LeBourgeois, and Brooks-Gunn, children who follow a regular bedtime routine fall asleep faster, go to sleep earlier, sleep longer, and wake up fewer times during the night than those who don’t. These benefits even last long into adulthood.

• It teaches children about self-care. In a society where self-care falls far behind “the hustle,” helping your child develop a regular bedtime routine teaches them to prioritize their health and well-being over other desires. Sure, it would be fun to stay up until 1 a.m. watching Bluey, but the results would be disastrous!

• It improves parent-child relationships. I think one of the most important reasons why kids need a solid and consistent bedtime routine is that it saves parents’ sanity! There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to wrangle an overtired toddler into their PJs at 9 p.m. after too much screen time when all you’ve wanted to do all day is relax with your hubby on the couch without any children in sight for an hour or two. A bedtime routine chart is as beneficial for the parents as it is for the kids!

• It helps your child’s mental, physical, and emotional health. Finally, a consistent nighttime routine has all kinds of benefits for your child’s health, including reduced stress, better emotional regulation, a stronger immune system, and more.

How to Develop Your Own Nighttime Routine Chart for Kids

Creating your own successful bedtime routine is all about finding what works for your specific child. Everyone’s kids are different, which is why this printable bedtime routine chart is so great!

You can personalize each nighttime routine chart, altering the tasks to fit different days of the week and times of the year. For example, you don’t need to “pack backpacks” in June or “Set the alarm” on a Saturday morning when they can sleep in.

If you’re looking for additional resources like this one, check out these Chore Charts for Kids!

Given that weekday bedtime routines are different from weekends and other times of the year, remember that you’ll need to be flexible. Here are some tips for creating the best nighttime routine chart for your child:

Brainstorm a list of tasks to add to your routine chart.

Think about your kids’ nighttime responsibilities, and write out a rough “schedule” of the typical routine that your child follows in the evening. Bedtime routine tasks could include:

• Quiet play
• Do homework
• Feed pets
• Watch a show
• Put on pajamas
• Put clothes in the hamper
• Brush and floss teeth
• Brush hair
• Take a bath
• Shower
• Put on pajamas
• Read a story
• Turn on alarm clock
• Go potty
• Pack backpack
• Take vitamins
• Set out clothes
• Clean up room
• Prayers
• Drink of water
• Hugs & Kisses
• Lights out!

Create your kids bedtime routine chart.

After you’ve come up with a list of nighttime routine tasks for kids, it’s time to create your chart! Here are a few ideas for how to make a bedtime routine chart: 

• Use a pre-made magnetic chart. If you want to take the DIY element out of your bedtime routine chart process, you can find magnetic morning charts like this on Amazon.
• Buy a large whiteboard. This is a super simple and effective solution to making your nighttime routine chart, and you can even use decorative washi tape to make gridlines. So cute!
• Use a chalkboard. Go old-school and draw gridlines for your chart using a yardstick. You can also use multi-colored chalk to mark off completed tasks. This option can get a little dusty, though!
• Use a printable bedtime routine chart. Want a simple, ready-made option you can download and use as many times as you like? Check out my printable chart at the end of this post!

Hang your kids routine chart in a highly visible place.   

We all tend to forget things if they’re not right in front of our faces, especially if it involves a new habit we’re trying to stick to. So, in order for your child’s new bedtime routine chart to be a smashing success, hang it in a dedicated place where they can easily see it.

Common family areas include the fridge, a wall in the kitchen, or the family command center – really just any place where kids can see the chart repeatedly each evening and be reminded of tasks they need to complete.

Make the chart a new habit.

I know that it’s one more task on your never-ending to do list, but the magic of the bedtime routine chart really can’t happen without your consistency. It really is all on the parents to help their kids build these healthy new habits at the beginning, especially if you have younger kids.

You will need to regularly remind your kids to look at their bedtime routine charts and mark off tasks as they finish them, especially in the first few weeks. These charts are also an exercise in learning independence and gradual release of responsibility. So, instead of telling your kids what they need to do next, ask them to look at their bedtime routine charts and find the answer.

It might be mentally exhausting (mostly for you!) for the first few weeks, but your kids should learn to become more self-directed and responsible as time goes on. And this is the goal – for children to develop healthy habits that will serve them into adulthood and beyond!    

How to Use My Kids Bedtime Routine Chart Printable

There is a little bit of leg work to assemble your DIY printable bedtime routine chart, but the results will be worth it! Here’s how to print, cut, and laminate the kids bedtime routine chart printable so you’ll be well on your way to more peaceful nights:

• Gather the necessary supplies. To put these handy bedtime routine charts for kids together, you will need:
  • Kids Chore and Routine Charts Printable Bundle – available in my SHOP here!
  • White card stock or heavier weight printer paper – I printed all of my charts and picture cards on 32 lb. printer paper, and the result was perfect!
  • Paper trimmer and/or scissors – I highly recommend a paper trimmer, because the printable PDF bundle includes a TON of different picture cards, and the trimmer makes it faster to perfectly cut out the cards.
  • Laminator – This is the laminator that I use and LOVE! I’ve used it for everything from these printable room by room chore cards to this freezer inventory sheet!
  • Laminating pouches – These are the pouches that I use and recommend. Look for a 5 mil thickness laminating pouch for best results.
  • Velcro circles – I recommend the 5/8″ circle size velcro brand circles that have a sticky back. They are much easier to use than the velcro strips that you have to cut yourself.

• Print out the base chart that you would like to use. The printable bundle comes with two different Evening Tasks charts, so you can choose to use the one with space for 8 different jobs or 12 jobs.

• Print the picture routine cards and cut them out along the black border. I strongly suggest a paper trimmer for this, because the printable PDF includes a TON of different picture cards so you can mix and match to customize your child’s routine. I printed my cards on 32 lb. printer paper.

• Laminate the kids routine chart. Just open a laminating pouch and place the printable chart inside. Then, run it through your laminating machine like this:

• Laminate the picture routine cards. To laminate the cards, open up a laminating pouch, and place the cards into the pouch, starting at the top. You’ll need to place the cards so that there is a border of at least 1/4″ to 1/2″ of space between the cards. That way, the pouch can get a nice good seal around each card as it goes through the laminator like this:

• Cut out the laminated picture routine cards. As you’re cutting the cards out, be sure that you don’t cut right next to the edge of the card, or the lamination seal may break. Instead, leave about 1/8″ to 1/4″ of space around each square card. I used my paper trimmer to cut out one card at a time, but you can also use a pair of scissors.

• Add the velcro circles to your kids bedtime chart and routine picture cards. Be sure that you place the softer fluffy side of the velcro circles on the actual chart, and the rougher spike-y side of the velcro on the back of the picture cards. That way, you can easily swap out the picture cards each day as needed.

Bedtime Routine Examples

If you’re the type of person who likes to see how times line up with the nighttime routine chart tasks, I’ve created a few sample bedtime routines to give you a better idea:

Sample Bedtime Routine #1

6:30 p.m. – Quiet play / Watch a show

7:00 p.m. – Bath time

7:30 p.m. – Put on pajamas / Take vitamin

7:45 p.m. – Brush and floss teeth / Go potty

8:00 p.m. – Read a story

8:15 p.m. – Lights out!

Sample Bedtime Routine #2

6:30 p.m. – Do homework

7:00 p.m. – Take a shower/bath

7:30 p.m. – Put on pajamas / Brush and floss teeth

7:45 p.m. – Pack backpack / Set out clothes

8:00 p.m. – Read quietly

8:30 p.m. – Light out!

Each printable bedtime routine chart has eight or twelve spaces for task cards, so you can customize them depending on the weekday/season.

Get the Printable Bedtime Routine Charts

Want a printable bedtime routine chart with picture cards that you can switch out depending on the day? This Nighttime Routine Chart is available HERE in a bundle with a Morning Routine Chart and a Chore Chart.

It comes with 120 chore and routine cards that you can use interchangeably on ALL the charts, and color AND black and white versions are included!

Other Printable Charts for Kids and Families

Want to track your child’s progress towards earning rewards? You can couple these printable kids’ reward charts with your nighttime routine chart to help your kids stay on track and work towards a larger reward!

Do you use reward tickets or a different “ticket” system as a reward for your kids? If so, these printable reward tickets for kids and ticket “price” chart could help you!

Want to get the whole family involved with family chores? Check out this post for Printable Family Chore Charts that you can type in and keep track of everyone’s chores in one place!

What are some of the tasks your kids do as part of their bedtime routine? Do they have a favorite book? Quiet games they like to play? Or do you have the nighttime game down already? Let me know in the comments below!

And happy nesting!