After School Routine Chart Maker for Kids (Free Checklist)

Customize your chart below 👇

1Who's this chart for?

Child's name

2How old is your child?

This picks starting steps. Change anything below.

3Your steps

Drag to change the order. Tap a picture to swap it.

More ideas

4Pick a look

NumbersCheckboxes to tick✂️ Print a cutting line and save ink on the margins.

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Ready-made after school routine charts to print

Start from one of these, then change anything you like.

How to make an after school checklist

Start with a name and an age. The age loads a starting list: a calm landing for 2 to 3, plenty of play for 4 to 5, snack, homework and play for 6 to 8, and a homework-first list for 9 and up.
Fit it to your afternoons. Swap "Play outside" for soccer practice, add "Feed the dog", move homework before or after the snack. Every step and every picture can change.
Print one page. Choose checklist rows or the game board, then download the PDF on A4 or Letter. Up to 12 steps fit on the page, and it costs nothing.

A printed after school checklist settles the same questions every day ("Can I play now?" "Do I have to do homework?") before anyone asks them. The chart answers, so you don't have to.

A homework routine that starts with a snack

Most kids come through the door hungry, tired and full of the day. An afternoon routine works best when it respects that: food first, a short break, then homework, then the free time they've been waiting for.

Snack before homework. A hungry child and a math worksheet is a losing match. Ten minutes and an apple change the whole afternoon.
Same spot, same time. A homework routine sticks when it happens at the same table at about the same time each day, so "Homework time" on the chart means something specific.
Small pieces for small kids. For a 6-year-old, "Read for 10 minutes" is a clearer step than "Homework". Older kids can handle one homework block.
Fun after the work. Put screen time or the park at the bottom of the chart. "First homework, then screens" is easier to keep when it's printed than when it's argued.

After school routine ideas by age

These are the starting steps the maker suggests. Change any of them in the steps list above, or pick from the ideas under it.

Ages 2 to 3: Home time, wash your hands, have a snack, play outside, tidy up your toys and quiet time.
Ages 4 to 5: Shoes off, wash your hands, have a snack, play outside, drawing time, tidy up your toys and help set the table.
Ages 6 to 8: Have a snack, wash your hands, homework time, play outside, read a book, tidy up your toys, quiet time and help set the table.
Ages 9 and up: Unpack your backpack, have a snack, homework first, read for 20 minutes, get moving, practice your instrument, help with dinner and screen time.

If chores are the sticking point, the chore chart maker spreads them over the week, and our guide to screen time rewards for kids covers the "screens after homework" deal. The afternoon sits between two other routines: make a morning routine chart and a bedtime routine chart to match.

Frequently asked questions

What should an after school routine include?

Usually a few fixed points: unpack the backpack, a snack, homework, some play or movement, and a small job like tidying up or helping with dinner. Younger kids need more play and fewer tasks. Keep it to what happens on most school days, and make a second chart for days with practice or clubs.

Should kids do homework right after school?

It depends on the child. Many kids need a snack and a short break first, and do better homework after it. Others want it out of the way before they relax. Try one order for a week or two, then switch if it isn't working. Reordering the steps here takes a few seconds.

How do I make an after school checklist for a young child?

Keep it to five or six steps with a big picture for each, and start with something concrete like shoes off or washing hands. Pick ages 2 to 3 or 4 to 5 in the maker for a starting list, then print the checklist rows so your child can tick each box.

Where does screen time go in an after school routine?

Most families put it at the end, after homework and any jobs are done. Printing it as the last step makes the deal visible: when the boxes above it are ticked, screens are on. It turns a daily negotiation into a checklist.Learn more: Read about screen time rewards →

What about afternoons with practice or clubs?

Make a second chart for those days. Change the steps, download the PDF again, and hang both side by side. Your latest chart stays saved in this browser so you can switch back.

Is it free, and does it print on Letter paper?

Yes to both. Making and printing the chart is free, with no sign-up and no watermark, and you can choose A4 or US Letter before you download the PDF.