Kids routines
Bedtime routine chart for kids: simple steps and a sample evening
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In this guide (8 parts)
A bedtime routine chart shows your child the steps from dinner to lights out, in the same order every night. A short, predictable list means fewer “one more thing” negotiations. Keep it to 5 to 7 steps, with pictures for younger kids.
It is part of our kids routines guide. This page shares practical tips for routines; for questions about your child’s sleep, talk to your pediatrician.
Common bedtime routine steps
- Tidy toys (5 minutes)
- Bath or wash up
- Pajamas
- Brush teeth, toilet
- Get ready for tomorrow (clothes and bag out)
- Book or quiet time
- Lights out
Pick the ones that fit your family and put them in a fixed order.
Bedtime routine chart by age
| Age | Steps | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 | Bath, pajamas, book | 3 real photos |
| 4 to 5 | Tidy, bath, pajamas, teeth, toilet, book | 5 to 6 pictures |
| 6 to 8 | Tidy, wash, pajamas, teeth, clothes for tomorrow, read | Pictures plus words, tick boxes |
| 9 to 12 | Shower, bag packed, devices charging outside the room, read | Written list with times |
Sample evening (lights out at 8:00)
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 7:00 | Tidy toys |
| 7:10 | Bath or wash up |
| 7:30 | Pajamas, teeth, toilet |
| 7:40 | Clothes and backpack ready for tomorrow |
| 7:45 | Book or quiet time |
| 8:00 | Lights out |
Start the routine at the same time each night. Change the times to match your child’s actual bedtime.
How to set bedtime
- Start from wake-up time. If school means up at 6:45, that’s fixed.
- Count back the sleep your child needs. Your pediatrician can tell you what’s typical for their age.
- Start the routine 30 to 60 minutes before lights out, depending on how many steps it has.
- Keep it close on weekends if you can, so Monday isn’t a shock.
Toddler version (2 to 3 steps)
| Step | Picture |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bath |
| 2 | Pajamas |
| 3 | Book |
Real photos of your child’s own bath, pajamas, and book work well at this age. See how to make a visual schedule for more on picture steps.
Bedtime charts for kids with ADHD
Evenings can be the hardest stretch for kids with ADHD: tired, wound up, and a long list of small steps. Practical adaptations (home tips, not medical or sleep advice):
- Visual cues at each spot. Teeth card on the bathroom mirror, pajamas card on the bed. Our kids visual routine cards include bedtime picture cards you can print and place.
- Short steps. “Get ready for bed” is too big; “pajamas”, “teeth”, “toilet” are three wins.
- Immediate rewards. The book or a song comes right after the last step, every night, as the built-in payoff.
- A visible timer for the slow steps, like the bath.
- Warn before the routine starts: “5 minutes, then tidy time.”
- Screens end before the first step.
More whole-day ideas: ADHD routine for kids. For concerns about sleep, talk to your child’s doctor.
When bedtime keeps stretching
| What happens | Try this |
|---|---|
| “One more” requests | Put water, toilet and a second hug on the chart, so they’re already done |
| Dawdling in the bath | Fixed bath length with a timer they can see |
| Arguing about order | The chart decides, not you: “What does the chart say?” |
| Screens run late | Screens end before the first step, not during |
| Tomorrow-morning chaos | Add one “get ready for tomorrow” step (see the morning routine chart) |
| Siblings at different times | Shared steps together, then the younger one goes first |
Making the chart
- One page, steps top to bottom.
- Pictures for pre-readers, words plus pictures for early readers.
- A way to mark done: tick box, sticker, or flip card.
- Place it where the routine starts, like the bathroom door.
- Review after a week. Drop steps that never happen.
Pick five steps tonight and tape them to the bathroom door. The tidy-toys step goes faster as a game: put three toy zones on the task wheel and let your child spin for the first one.
FAQ
What is a good visual schedule for a 2-year-old?
Two or three photos for one routine, for example bath, pajamas, book. Real photos of your child's own things are easiest to recognize. Use the same order every night.
Is 9pm too late for a 3 year old bedtime?
It depends on when your child wakes up, whether they nap, and how much sleep they need. Your pediatrician can tell you what fits your child. Whatever the time, a predictable routine leading up to it helps the evening run smoother.
What should bedtime be for each age?
It depends on your child's wake-up time and how much sleep they need, which your pediatrician can advise on. A practical approach: start from the time they must wake up, count back the sleep they need, then start the routine 30 to 60 minutes before that.
How do I write my daily routine?
List what happens from waking to sleeping, group it into blocks (morning, school or day, afternoon, evening), and pick the routines with the most friction. Turn those into short step charts, and leave the rest flexible.