What age is this bedtime routine chart for?

The sheet comes in three versions — ages 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 — each with a different number of steps and a different level of independence, so pick the one that matches your child's age and current routine.

How is this different from a guide for kids who fight bedtime?

This chart only covers the order of steps in a calm evening — tidy up, bath, pajamas, reading, lights out. If bedtime is a nightly battle with stalling or pushback, that's a conflict to manage, not a checklist problem, so see our no-fight bedtime guide instead.

Should the steps always happen in the same order?

Yes — the predictability is the point. Keeping tidy-up, bath, pajamas, reading, and lights out in the same sequence every night means nobody has to negotiate what comes next, which is what actually calms the evening down.

Why does the 10-12 version include charging the phone outside the bedroom?

By that age most of the routine can run without supervision, and keeping the phone out of the bedroom overnight protects the one part — sleep — that a device in reach reliably interrupts, without it feeling like a punishment.

Can I use this alongside a morning routine chart?

Yes — pairing an evening chart with a morning one closes the loop, since several evening steps, like packing the school bag and laying out clothes, exist specifically to make the next morning shorter and calmer.

How long before kids stop needing the chart?

Most families see the order become automatic within a couple of weeks of consistent use; at that point the chart mostly shifts from being followed step by step to a quick check that nothing got skipped.

Bedtime Routine Chart for Kids

Activity Workshop · Printables

Bedtime Routine Chart for Kids

The bedtime routine chart is a vertical checklist you hang on the fridge or the bathroom door, listing the steps from after dinner to lights out in the order they actually happen in your home. When the order is agreed on ahead of time — tidy up, bath, pajamas, clothes ready, reading, lights out — nobody has to negotiate what comes next, every single night. The chart comes in three age versions, from simple, picture-friendly steps for younger kids to a later self-managed bedtime and a screen-free zone for older ones. Print it, check off each step, and let the evening run itself. This sheet covers the order of steps only — if bedtime itself is a nightly battle, see our no-fight bedtime guide for how to handle pushback and stalling.

About this sheet

Most evening friction isn't about any single step — it's about not knowing what's next. A chart on the wall answers that question before anyone has to ask it, so moving from playing to sleeping stops needing a decision every night.

The three versions track what actually changes with age. Younger kids get five short, concrete steps built around repetition. From age 7, packing the school bag and switching off screens join the list, since mornings start to depend on what got done the night before. From age 10, the chart hands over more ownership — kids charge their own phone outside the bedroom and go to bed at an agreed time rather than being sent.

Hang the sheet somewhere it's seen every evening — the fridge, the bathroom door, or right by the bed. It works best used the same way every night for a couple of weeks, until the order stops needing supervision.

This sheet is only about the order of steps. If bedtime itself turns into stalling, extra requests, or arguments no matter how clear the steps are, that's a different problem — our no-fight bedtime guide covers how to handle the conflict, not just the checklist.

What you get

Three age versions: 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12
A vertical checklist from after-dinner tidy-up to lights out
Checkbox columns to mark each step done
Age-appropriate extras: school bag and screens-off for 7-9, phone charging outside the bedroom and self-managed bedtime for 10-12
One-page PDF, ready to print and hang up

How to use it

Pick the right age column. Choose the 4-6, 7-9, or 10-12 version that matches your child, since the number and order of steps change with age.
Print and hang it up. Print the sheet and stick it on the fridge, the bathroom door, or the bedroom wall — somewhere it's seen every evening.
Walk through the same order nightly. Do the steps in the same sequence each night so the routine becomes automatic instead of a discussion.
Check off as you go. Have your child check off each step as it's finished — it builds a visible sense of progress toward lights out.

Download free

Pick an age, download the A4 PDF with answers, and print. No sign-up.

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Frequently asked questions

What age is this bedtime routine chart for?: The sheet comes in three versions — ages 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 — each with a different number of steps and a different level of independence, so pick the one that matches your child's age and current routine.
How is this different from a guide for kids who fight bedtime?: This chart only covers the order of steps in a calm evening — tidy up, bath, pajamas, reading, lights out. If bedtime is a nightly battle with stalling or pushback, that's a conflict to manage, not a checklist problem, so see our no-fight bedtime guide instead.
Should the steps always happen in the same order?: Yes — the predictability is the point. Keeping tidy-up, bath, pajamas, reading, and lights out in the same sequence every night means nobody has to negotiate what comes next, which is what actually calms the evening down.
Why does the 10-12 version include charging the phone outside the bedroom?: By that age most of the routine can run without supervision, and keeping the phone out of the bedroom overnight protects the one part — sleep — that a device in reach reliably interrupts, without it feeling like a punishment.
Can I use this alongside a morning routine chart?: Yes — pairing an evening chart with a morning one closes the loop, since several evening steps, like packing the school bag and laying out clothes, exist specifically to make the next morning shorter and calmer.
How long before kids stop needing the chart?: Most families see the order become automatic within a couple of weeks of consistent use; at that point the chart mostly shifts from being followed step by step to a quick check that nothing got skipped.