How to Create a Children's Home Schedule

Lack of structure can cause your house to dissolve into chaos. A home schedule allows your family to develop predictable routines to keep everyone more focused and organized. A home schedule should allow time for work and school activities, plenty of sleep, family meals and all of the other things your family has to or wants to do. Creating a home schedule for your children is a simple task, though following it can be more challenging.

Instructions

    • 1
      Create a schedule by listing work and school times first.

      Pencil in work and school schedules.The starting and ending times for these activities affect your home schedule and are likely to be more rigid than anything. Allow time for traveling to and from each location.

    • 2
      Schedule in extracurricular practices and events.

      List the dates and times for extracurricular activities requiring weekly practices or events. Limit the number of activities your family is involved in to 1 or 2 per person per week. Coordinating the times simplifies your family schedule. Also, list any other regularly occurring obligations, such as church, classes or volunteering. Then, mark off times for the extracurricular activities on your schedule. Once you block these times off your schedule, you'll know what amount of time you'll have at home.

    • 3
      Set a reasonable bedtime.

      Set a bedtime that corresponds to the time your children have to wake up each morning and allows sufficient hours of sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the hours of sleep your child needs depend upon his age. Infants under the age of 1 require up to 15 hours of sleep. Toddlers and preschoolers need 12 or 13 hours. Elementary school students should get 9 to 11 hours. Adolescents require 8 or 9 hours.

    • 4
      Meal times are a major component of your schedule.

      Add meals and snacks to your schedule. Set a predictable time for major meals first and then schedule snacks in between. Consider incorporating family meals at the kitchen table. According to Kids Health, eating meals together allows you to model good behavior and healthy eating habits. Meals are also a good time to converse with your children about the day's events.

    • 5
      Allow plenty of time each morning for hygiene.

      Schedule time for dressing and personal hygiene. If your children take a bath each day, mark time for this on your schedule. If they shower less frequently, try to settle on a specific routine. Mornings are especially hectic times if your family has members heading out for work or school. Be sure your schedule incorporates plenty of time for each person to get ready and loaded in the car on time. If your family is consistently running late, add a 15-minute buffer zone to your morning to allow for any last-minute errands.

    • 6
      Scheduled homework time can reduce conflict.

      Block off times for chores, homework and other important activities. Your children are less likely to resist doing chores and homework if they know when they'll be expected to complete them. Consider including time for something fun after your children have completed their chores and homework. Be sure your schedule allows time for other items important to your family, such as reading or special bedtime activities. Some families limit their children's exposure to television, computers or video games to specified times. If this applies to you, add these to your schedule.

    • 7
      Your family will eventually adjust to the schedule.

      Hang the schedule in a visible place in your home once you've completed it. This allows each family member to stay on track. Review and revise the schedule as needed. Eventually, the schedule will become an ingrained routine.