60 Fun and Helpful Calendar Ideas Every Parent Should Try

What if a simple calendar could make your mornings easier? Between school drop-offs and mealtime battles, it’s easy to feel like time is slipping through our fingers. But what if something as simple as a printed wall calendar could bring a bit more rhythm, fun, and connection to your day?

A good calendar can do more than just remind you of chores and events. It can become a tool for learning, bonding, planning, and even celebrating. Here are 60 real-life, parent-approved ways to use a printed calendar with your kids — from bedtime chats to birthday countdowns.

Parenting Centered Categories

Below is a quick look at the different parent-centered ways a printed calendar can support your child. A single calendar can reflect two or three of these categories at once — such as routines, emotional tracking, and learning goals. You don’t need to do it all. Start with what your child responds to best, and feel free to rotate focus each month or season. You can also generate a second calendar just for your child’s room, using our website’s easy tool - its just a few clicks.

More detailed practical examples follow in the next sections.

Ideas to Build Routines

A calendar isn't just a pretty piece of wall art. It's a daily anchor that helps kids understand what’s happening next — and gives them a sense of security.

Morning check-in: What’s on today?

Start the day by standing in front of the calendar together. Point to today’s date and say, “Today is Wednesday! Let’s see what’s happening.” Example: “You’ve got music class after lunch — should we pack your tambourine?”

Bedtime recap: What did we do today?

Before lights out, go back to the calendar and review the day. This helps kids process what they did and look forward to tomorrow. Example: “Today we went to Nana’s and baked cookies. Let’s draw a little cookie on today’s square!”

Review the week ahead on Sundays

Make this a mini Sunday ritual. Walk through the week and preview what's coming up. It gives kids a sense of control. Assign a different colour to each type of activity: green for school, blue for playdates, red for family events. 

Example: “Monday you have swimming (blue), Tuesday is pizza night (red), and Friday is your friend’s birthday party (yellow).” Your child knows that any square with a red dot means “family time,” like Sunday roast at Gran’s.

• Use as a chore chart: Assign one simple chore per child and mark the days they’re responsible. Example: “It’s your day to feed the fish! Let’s check the calendar — see your name next to the fish sticker?”
• Track “dry days” for potty training: Celebrate each accident-free day by placing a sticker or drawing a happy face. Example: “Well done! You stayed dry all day. Let’s put a dinosaur sticker on today’s box!”
• Plan screen time: Use the calendar to show when screen time is allowed — and how long. It helps reduce arguments and surprises. Example: “See the blue square? That means you can watch one episode of Bluey after dinner.”
• Add meal planning: Let your child see the week’s dinners by drawing their favourites - or let them do it. Example: On Wednesday, they draw a big slice of pizza. “Pizza night it is — you’re the chef’s helper!”

Celebrating Moments Big and Small 🎉

As you can see, a printed wall calendar isn’t just about dates — it’s about rhythm, connection, growth, and joy. Whether you’re counting down to birthdays, tracking first steps, or just trying to remember PE day, it becomes part of the family’s shared language.

• Countdown to birthdays: Crossing off days until their birthday builds excitement and helps young kids grasp the concept of time. Example: “Only 5 sleeps until you turn 4! Let’s cross off today and see how many squares are left!”
• Celebrate half-birthdays: It’s a sweet tradition that breaks up the year and makes kids feel extra special.zzz Example: “You’re 4 and a half today! Let’s mark it with a little crown sticker and bake cupcakes.”
• Count down to holidays: Use your calendar to mark how many days until Christmas, Halloween, or any celebration your family enjoys. Example: “Let’s put a sparkly sticker each day as we get closer to Halloween. Don’t forget — Friday we carve pumpkins!”
• Try an Advent-style activity countdown: In the days leading up to a holiday, plan one little surprise or fun task for each day. Example: “Today’s box says ‘Make hot chocolate with marshmallows’ — let’s do it after dinner!”
• Build excitement for family trips: Mark travel dates and include visual clues like a plane, suitcase, or map icon. Example: “We’re flying to see Auntie Ella in 10 days! Let’s draw an aeroplane on that date.”
• Create a Business Trip Schedule: If Dady is on a business trip, why not create a schedule for your kids? Kids will better understand where is Daddy, and what is he doing at the moment. Help them see his day by using stickers or drawings. Example: “See, it’s 10 o’clock, which means Daddy’s plane landed by now. Probably he is in the cab right now.”
• Mark ‘firsts’: Celebrate milestones like the first day of school, first sleepover, or first lost tooth. Example: “First swimming lesson today! Let’s draw a little wave and write how you felt afterward.”
• Track ‘firsts’ and small wins: Use the calendar to acknowledge and celebrate proud moments like learning to tie shoelaces or the first tooth lost. And don’t forget to add these little achievements to your memory book – you will thank for yourself 20 years later. Example: “You zipped your coat all by yourself! Let’s give today a gold star.”
• Track Back Special Moments: Calendars aren’t just for planning ahead — they’re memory-keepers too. Some parents like to jot down their child’s “firsts” right on the calendar: first step, first word, first pizza ever. Years later, these notes become little time capsules. Example: “Twenty years ago today, you stood up for the very first time.” or, “It’s been 7,305 days since you first said ‘Mum’.”
• Reward good behaviour: Reward kindness, helpfulness, or listening with stickers. Keep it visual and low-pressure. Example: “You helped your brother without being asked — that’s a sticker on today’s date!”
• Plan weekly good deed goals: Choose one act of kindness to do each week and mark it on the calendar. Example: “This week we’re donating toys we don’t use — let’s write it down and draw a heart.”
• Record when they lost a tooth: It’s exciting for kids — and a sweet keepsake for you later. Example: “Tooth #3 fell out! Let’s draw a little gap-toothed smile and write how much the tooth fairy left.”
• Note physical milestones: Track height, weight, or even new shoe sizes to show how they’re growing. Example: “You’re 110 cm tall now! Let’s write that on today’s date — you’re growing like a sunflower.”

Supporting Learning

Calendars are brilliant teaching tools — no worksheets needed.

• Use themed calendars: Choose a calendar theme that teaches something new each day — like a letter, animal, or number. If your kid loves dinos, why not make a September Dino Calendar? One fun dino fact for each day? Example: A July calendar with a different animal every day lets you say: “Today is the lion day! Let’s read a lion book after dinner.”
• Teach the days of the week: Use the calendar daily to help kids learn and recite the days in order. Example: At breakfast, say: “Yesterday was Monday, today is Tuesday, and tomorrow will be Wednesday.” You can even sing the days of the week to make it stick.
• Learn months and seasons: Point out the month at the top of the calendar and tie it into what’s happening around them. Example: “It’s December, so it’s winter now. That’s why it’s so chilly and we have frost on the windows.”
• Count the numbers together: Each day, count aloud as you find the date — a natural way to practise number order. Example: “Let’s find the number 14. Can you count from 1 to 14 with me?”
• Develop left-to-right reading habits: Calendars help young children understand reading flow and build pre-literacy skills. Example: “We read the days across the row, just like a story — from Monday to Sunday.”
• Explore past, present, and future: Time concepts can be tricky. Calendars help make them visual. Example: “That party happened last Saturday — see it here? Today is Wednesday. Your playdate is coming up on Friday!”
• Match days to letters: Reinforce early phonics with day names. Example: “T is for Tuesday. What else starts with T? Train! Turtle!”
• Write their name on their activity days: Adding their name to the calendar helps with name recognition and boosts confidence. Example: “Look! Thursday says ‘Olivia’s ballet class’ — can you spot your name?”
• Encourage early reading with simple words: Add basic words to activity days they know or can sound out. Example: “Let’s write ‘swim’ on Saturdays. That’s the day you go to the pool!”
• Practise spelling: Use a corner of the calendar or a free day to introduce a weekly word to learn. Example: “This week’s word is ‘sun.’ We’ll write it here and practise it all week.”
• Track the weather: Each morning, look outside and add a doodle: a sun, cloud, raindrop or snowflake. It helps kids notice seasons and patterns. Example: In March, you might say, “It’s raining again! Let’s put a cloud with raindrops — that’s four rainy days in a row.”

Creating Mindful Moments

A calendar can help little ones process big feelings.

• Track moods using emojis or stickers: Helping kids recognise and label emotions is a big step in emotional development. A calendar gives them a visual way to reflect on how they feel each day. Example: “How did today feel? Happy, grumpy, or tired? Let’s pick a face sticker for today.”

• Write down ‘one good thing’ from each day: Practising gratitude doesn’t have to be formal. Use a small space on the calendar to write or draw one happy moment from the day. Example: “Today’s good thing: We made pancakes together and they were extra fluffy!”
• Use a worry calendar: If your child often feels anxious, a calendar can help them externalise their worries and track how those feelings change. Example: “You were nervous about your spelling test, remember? Let’s write that down. And tomorrow we’ll write how it went.”
• Create a gratitude calendar: Choose a theme for the month (like “people I love” or “things that make me smile”) and fill in a small note each day. Example: “Today I’m thankful for: playing soccer with my cousin.”
• Mark ‘hard days’: It’s powerful to acknowledge tough days — not to dwell, but to show they pass. It can help kids learn resilience. Example: “That was the day you had your vaccination. It felt scary, but you did it. Let’s draw a little band-aid.”
• Add ‘kindness stars’ for caring behaviour: Whenever your child helps a sibling, shares, or is especially kind, mark it on the calendar with a gold star or a heart. Example: “You gave your friend your last sticker at school — that’s a kindness star on today’s square!”

Strengthening Family Connection

Calendars can pull the whole family together in lovely ways.

• Mark family movie nights: Pick one night a week or month for family movie night, and mark it clearly. Kids will look forward to it — and love helping choose the film. Example: “It’s Friday, which means popcorn and movie night! You picked Moana, so let’s draw a wave on today’s box.”
• Add weekend plans: Use the calendar to plan mini adventures: playgrounds, hikes, museum visits, even café mornings. It gives kids something to look forward to. Example: “Saturday we’re going to the forest! Let’s draw a tree and a little squirrel.”
• Track birthdays of relatives and friends: Write everyone's birthday on the calendar — not just immediate family — to build empathy and memory skills. Example: “It’s Uncle Sam’s birthday next Tuesday. Let’s make a Bday card the day before.”
• Include anniversaries and family traditions: Even if your kids are little, mark your wedding anniversary or the day you moved into your home. They’ll grow up seeing these moments matter. Example: “Mum and Dad’s anniversary is on Sunday — let’s draw two hearts and bake cookies together.”
• Note seasonal activities: Use the calendar to reflect the changing seasons: apple picking, jumping in leaves, decorating the tree, making daisy chains. Example: “It’s spring now! On Saturday we’ll go to the park and look for cherry blossoms.”
• Plan simple DIY projects: Want to reorganise the playroom or build a bird feeder? Pop it on the calendar and let the kids get involved. Example: “Sunday is our ‘Lego shelf’ day. Can you draw a little brick on the calendar?”
• Schedule cooking days with kids: Invite your little sous chefs to help in the kitchen — plan it in advance to build excitement. Example: “You’re the kitchen helper on Tuesday. Let’s draw a little chef’s hat!”
• Rotate game night choices: Let each child pick the game for game night and mark it down. This gives them ownership and something to look forward to. Example: “It’s your turn this week, so let’s write ‘Uno Night’ on Saturday!”
• Plan one-on-one time with each parent: Whether it’s a walk to the bakery or just reading together, make space for individual connection. Example: “Wednesday afternoon is just you and Mum. We’ll go get hot chocolate — let’s draw a little cup!”

Just for Fun & Creativity

Calendars don't have to be all about structure — let them be playful, too.

• Daily doodle space: Encourage your child to draw a tiny picture in each square — it could be how they’re feeling, what they saw, or something totally silly. Example: “You saw a ladybird today? Let’s draw one on today’s square!”

• ‘Question of the day’ prompts: Write a question in the calendar margin or note space — something thoughtful, silly, or imaginative. Example: “If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be? Let’s answer it at dinner.”

• Silly theme days: Brighten up the week with “Dress-Up Tuesday” or “Backwards Day.” Example: “Friday is Crazy Socks Day! Don’t forget to wear your mismatched ones and draw a sock on the calendar.”
• Schedule pet care: If you have pets, rotate simple tasks like feeding, brushing, or walking. It builds responsibility and consistency. Example: “Your turn to feed the cat is every Thursday — we’ll mark it with a little paw print.”
• Combine with a star chart: If you use a reward system, the calendar is a great place to keep it visible. Example: “You earned a star every day you brushed your teeth without being asked — let’s stick them right here!”
• Track garden tasks: If you’re growing anything (even a window herb box), use the calendar to note planting, watering, or harvesting days. Example: “The carrots were planted today — we’ll mark it and count how many days until we can pick them!”
• Record which books you’ve read together: Write down the title of a bedtime book each evening — it becomes a reading log and a memory. Example: “We finished Room on the Broom! Let’s write it down and draw a little wand.”
• Do a family reading challenge: Pick a number of books to read in a month, and cross them off as you go. Example: “Let’s try 10 books in May! Each time we finish one, we’ll draw a star on the calendar.”
• Craft countdowns: In the lead-up to a holiday or birthday, plan one small craft or DIY project a day. Example: “Today we’re making paper snowflakes! It’s marked right here for December 10th.”
• Sticker collecting fun: Let your child place a sticker on each day they complete a task, chore, or challenge. Example: “You made your bed? That’s a sticker day!”
• Let kids help decorate the calendar: At the start of each month, give your child ownership — let them colour, sticker, and draw things on their calendar. Example: “What picture do you want for the top of May? Flowers? Bees?”

• Add a word or phrase of the day: Whether you’re teaching a new language or just want to build vocabulary, jot down one new word daily. Example: “Today’s word is ‘gentle.’ What does it mean? Can you use it in a sentence?”
• Include printed photos of the month’s highlights: Glue a small photo into the empty box for any special day — it becomes a visual scrapbook. Example: “Here’s a photo from our picnic. Let’s stick it on the 16th!”
• Turn old calendars into memory books: At the end of the year, save the calendar. It becomes a keepsake full of notes, doodles, and your child’s year in review. Example: “Let’s keep this one in your memory box — look at all the stars you earned and drawings you made!”

Where (and How High) to Hang Your Calendar

For most families, the best places to hang a calendar is the kitchen or dining area is ideal — a natural hub for routines and conversation. But these are also popular:

• Hallways or entryways work well for quick glances before school or bedtime.
• Shared family spaces ensure the calendar becomes part of everyday life.

For younger children or learning-focused use

• Hang it in their bedroom or play area if you're using it for emotional tracking, routines, or reward systems.
• Try the fridge if you want flexibility with magnets or stickers.

💡 Tip: Keep one central family calendar in a shared space, and offer a personal version in your child’s space if they need extra structure — especially helpful for neurodiverse children.

Best Height for Children

Yes — the calendar should be at a height your child can interact with independently.

• For toddlers and preschoolers: middle of the calendar should be 36–42 inches (90–105 cm) from the ground.
• For early primary schoolers: 42–48 inches (105–120 cm).
• For shared use with adults: split the difference — kids can reach the bottom half, and you can still write at the top.

👀 Why it matters: Kids are more likely to engage when they can see, touch, and mark the calendar themselves.

Why Printed Calendars Still Matter

In a world of phone alerts and digital planners, a wall calendar is something kids can see, touch, and interact with. It’s a visual, tactile tool — and that matters. Plus, it creates space for conversations, routines, and rituals that bring families closer.

If you're using our calendar builder, remember: every calendar you create is custom and printable — perfect for this kind of use. Whether you fill it with birthdays, chores, fun facts, or family events, it becomes more than just a planner. It becomes a part of your home.

So what matters most to your family right now? Choose two focus areas, build your first calendar, and try it for a month. You might be surprised how much calmer — and more connected — things feel.