Printable chart
Bedtime routine checklist
The steps from pyjamas to lights out, in order, with a circle for every step on every night of the week and a line for the lights-out time.
Bedtime checklist
| Tonight | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidy up toys | |||||||
| Bath or wash | |||||||
| Pyjamas on | |||||||
| Brush teeth | |||||||
| Choose a book | |||||||
| Story together | |||||||
| Lights out |
The preview is scaled to fit your screen and prints at full size on one page. In the print dialog choose your printer or Save as PDF, and set scale to 100%. Nothing you type leaves this browser.
How to use this chart
- Make the routine the same every night, including the order. A sequence that is always the same is easier to follow without being told, and the chart becomes the thing that says what comes next.
- Start the routine at a fixed time, not at the moment you notice it is late. Write the lights-out time on the chart so the plan is visible, then count back the minutes the steps take.
- Keep screens and other activities out of the list unless they are really part of your evening. The chart is stronger if every line is something the child can do and finish.
- Hang it by the bed or in the bathroom where the evening steps happen. The circles are for the child to fill in, one by one, as each step is done.
- The last line of the chart is a place to write one good thing from the day, by the child or with a parent. Leave it blank if the evening is rushed; the chart still works.
Questions
How long should a bedtime routine be?
As long as the steps take on a normal evening. Five to seven short steps is typical, but the right list is the one you actually get through.
Can I add reading time?
Yes. Add Read a book or Story together as a line. Anything you type as a step is printed as a row.
Why circles and not boxes?
The bedtime chart uses circles so it looks different from the daytime charts on the same wall. You can change the symbol on the other charts, which have the choice.
Can I print it for the whole week plus a weekend?
The default is all seven nights. Switch to Monday to Friday if you only want school nights.
Related charts
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Days down the side, times of day across the top and a star space in every square.