When it comes to starting school again for a new year, I like to establish routine systems for my children in the morning and afternoon. The advantage of doing this is making getting ready habitual so the children can take in all the wonderful things they will learn at school, plus it helps with the harmony of the family.
Picture prompts work well, and sometimes we need to swap around the routine with what works for the children. I asked Liss to design cards that can be used in various ways. My children don’t do all these items, I included a list of possible tasks to mix and match in case anyone would find it useful too. Click here to purchase the printable: Routine Cards Printable. 
Routine Cards
Below are the tasks I included in the printable.
Morning
- Wake up
- Eat Breakfast
- Dishes Away
- Brush Teeth
- Wash Face
- Get Dressed
- PJs away
- Do Hair
- Make Bed
- Make Lunch
- Shoes & Socks On
- Free Time
- Pack Bag: hat, homework, drink, lunch box
- Time to Go
- Blank Card
Afternoon
- Hello!
- Bag away
- Lunch Box Out
- Play Clothes
- Snack
- Homework
- Free Time
- Set the Table
- Dishes Away
- Help Someone
- Bath time
- Dinner
- Tidy Room
- Brush Teeth
- PJs
- Read
- Goodnight!
- Blank Cards
Magnets
Create magnets for the fridge. This makes it easy to switch things around. My younger kids only need image prompts to follow each day for about a month before it becomes routine, and my nephew prefers to put cards into a small container once each task is done. You can find small baskets from Officeworks, or I found this one to keep my spare cards in from Howards Storage World.
Materials
- Photo Paper or light card
- Magnetic tape
(note: as another option, you can get magnetic paper from Officeworks to print directly on.
- Print template out of light card or photo paper
- Put a section of magnetic tape on the back of the cards
- Place on the fridge
Amanda from Simple Home Cook printed these (including using the spares) for her kids.
I did this too, and put them on the side of the fridge.
Mini Ring Book
Make a mini book for kids to flick through.
Materials
- Photo Paper or light card
- Key ring
- Clear Contact or laminator
- Single hole punch
- Glue
- Print the cards, and glue the strip backing on each card to be used.
- Contact or laminate the cards.
- Punch a hole in each card corner.
- Thread on to a ring and you have a mini flip book.
Poster
Stick the card prompts on to a piece of paper or poster and hang on the fridge or in the bedroom.
Materials
- Photo Paper or light card
- Glue
More
Morning and Evening Routine Cards Printable
Over the years, I’ve tried many different routine cards and different organisational charts, but I never found something that really fit with our family and worked long term. I always felt the charts created more work for me (to monitor and remember to use it etc.).
If you have a child with working memory and executive function struggles, establishing a routine is really helpful, so I initia…
29 Comments
stephanie@stephsjoy
January 18, 2016 at 1:03 pmOh I love this! Have a boy starting school in 10 days and was just thinking how to craft a schedule he could use. Thanks!
Starting School & Useful Things - stephs joy
January 19, 2016 at 6:10 am[…] routine planner by Kelly. I’m getting this one sorted […]
Belinda
January 25, 2016 at 6:27 amKelly, these are awesome – you take a simple concept and make it fun and practical!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Leslie
January 25, 2016 at 3:39 pmExcellent! Thank you so much for sharing. These are great to help me get my two boys organised for school.
Kirsty
January 26, 2016 at 10:37 amThanks so much for sharing! My first starts school this week, so I was searching how best to get organised… this looks to be it!
Kate - An Everyday Story
January 26, 2016 at 2:09 pmKelly, I’ve been looking for something just like this. There’s heaps around but they are so daggy. These ones are lovely.
Thank you.
Susan
January 27, 2016 at 11:02 amThanks it’s great my daughter not at school yet but this is brilliant help for me to start early n get a fun routine going.
Leslie
February 1, 2016 at 9:08 pmThank you so much! This helps my three boys with organising their days! Muchly appreciated!
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
February 2, 2016 at 9:51 amI’m so glad they have been useful for you too!
Starting Montessori Children’s House Part 2 | Everyday Begins New
February 1, 2016 at 10:46 pm[…] These routine cards are a printable from Be A Fun Mum […]
What do you usually do? | awmtefl
April 3, 2016 at 6:19 am[…] routines cards pdf. How to use Routine Cards / More routines […]
Pressed Blog
June 28, 2016 at 11:22 pmThis Routine Makes Fun
[…] a boy starting school in 10 days and was just thinking how to craft a schedule […]
Firefighters Mama
July 27, 2016 at 12:16 amTerrific schedule cards, thank you so much! Please share which application you used to make the fun coloured cards.
Stacy
August 30, 2016 at 4:11 amThanks for these! So sweet and simple. Love.
Simple Ideas to Make School Mornings Run Smoothly | Keep Calm Get Organised
September 21, 2016 at 8:14 pm[…] kids respond really well to visual reminders. When my son first started school I used these routine cards on the fridge from Be A Fun Mum (you need to check out her blog, she’s […]
Marina
September 23, 2016 at 7:28 pmHello,
They look awesome on my screen but when I try to print them the letters are all squeezed together and it is impossible to read them. The images do not seem to be changed.
Would you know what is the problem?
I tried printing in two different printers and I am using A4 paper.
Thanks
Marina
Routine cards - Escuela Infantil Lilliput Valencia
December 14, 2016 at 12:09 am[…] Puedes echar un vistazo a todas ellas aquí. […]
Things I’ve learnt from my first year as a school mum – Blue Tree Life
December 17, 2016 at 7:29 pm[…] and afternoon routine. At the start of the year I downloaded, printed, cut and laminated these amazing cards from Be a Fun Mum. The children them worked together to create a timeline on our fridge, one for […]
Sara
February 10, 2017 at 2:29 pmHi,
When I am printing these cards and wanting to make them smaller to take up less space on our fridge I am printing 2 sheets per A4 page and the document is printing streaks all through it. I called my printer and IT guys but they said its in the document. It will print 1 page A4 fine but I can not make it any bigger or smaller to suit my needs and would really love them!
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
February 13, 2017 at 8:59 amHi Sara. I’ll email you the file. I’ve had thousands of people download this with no issues so I don’t think the problem is with the document. However, I’m happy to email it to you directly to see how you go with it.
Claire
March 19, 2017 at 5:30 amThese are fantastic – I love the designs, they will work great for my child who is slightly older (nearly 8).
I’ve noticed that the file is called RoutineCards2, is there a RoutineCards1 – another set you’ve made?
Thanks!
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
March 20, 2017 at 8:46 pmHa. No. I just had to make a revision on them, so I named the file 2 🙂
Melanie
July 31, 2017 at 12:13 amThank you so much! I love these cards. They are great for my older kids 8 and 10. Routine cards eliminate the nagging of telling them what to do they have a chart to follow. Yea. I like how these cards are bright and colorful and you have added extra so we can add our own tasks to them. The idea of putting them on the fridge is great or maybe their closet door. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it!! This is truly a blessing and a help to our family.
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
July 31, 2017 at 2:17 pmGlad to hear it, Melanie! And you’re welcome.
Emma Blackwood
June 19, 2018 at 8:24 amHi Kelly, I just love your Routine Cards!. I am updating my star chart and wondered if there was a rectangle/landscape version of these to put in the lines on the chart?
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
June 19, 2018 at 3:57 pmHi Emma, I’m glad you like them. They are the only version I have.
Episode 5: Part 1 – Morning Times + Daily Rhythms
December 14, 2018 at 2:14 pm[…] so it can grow with my kids – or switch it over to the kid’s room that needs it most. Daily Routine Cards Memory Box System Kyrie’s Crazy-Big Memory Work […]
Shanneen
January 7, 2019 at 4:11 pmThank you for providing this free printable. You just saved me heaps of time! : )
Elena
June 14, 2020 at 11:08 pmChore Charts is really work.
I have three children under the age of 5. The eldest child I raised with printable cards. But they are constantly lost. Now I use the Manini app for three children. These are the same printable cards but in the phone. They are not lost and are always at hand, even on a walk. In the app, you can mark the completion of tasks and children like it very much. They actually ask for tasks themselves to make a mark the task. I felt much better. And I’m not nervous and it’s easy for children to become independent.