A schedule using pictures makes it easy for young children to follow a routine for nighttime activities such as brushing teeth, sitting on the potty and reading a story. Although most of the picture schedules online cost money, there are a few websites that offer free printable graphics and cards that can be used for a bedtime routine chart.
Free Printable Picture Schedules Section at Do2Learn
Do2Learn is a website with resources for parents and teachers. Do2learn’s focus is to help parents, teachers and children create visual educational products that help children learn life skills. Although Do2learn started out as a resource for children with special needs, parents with typical preschool children find the visual schedules handy as well so that pre-readers can “read” a sequence of events such as a routine chart for bedtime, homework or getting ready for school.
Do2Learn sells a “Make a Schedule” membership with full access to Do2learn’s full color picture schedule resources. Do2Learn also offers a “print for free” section where a limited number of the black and white Do2Learn graphics are provided. Parents and teachers can print pictures that represent steps in a bedtime routine such as “sit on toilet”, “put on pajamas”, “book”, “bed” and “sleep”
To access the print for free section at Do2Learn, users need to hold the mouse over the “Picture Cards” section, then the “Print Cards” box and select from the free print sections such as “Self Help”, “Activities” and “Home and School”. Next, parents and teachers can click and choose from approximately twenty-four black and white graphics in each section.
The Do2learn website also offers a “How to Use” section under the “Picture Cards” menu. The “How to Use” section gives an overview of creating picture schedules and explains how to create story strips to prepare children for new activities.
Blues Clues Bedtime Routine Chart Pictures
The Nick Jr. website offers Blue’s Bedtime Routine Cards, a free printable set of cards that can either be folded or cut out to assemble a nighttime schedule with pictures. The artwork visuals will be familiar to children who watch the show, Blues Clues. Preschool children will see the dog character named “Blue” sitting on the potty, reading a book, closing his eyes to go to sleep and other nighttime activities.
Bedtime Business is the title of Season 5, Episode 14 of the Blues Clues television show in which the adorable dog, Blue walks viewers through the steps of his bedtime routine. Parents may consider watching the Bedtime Business episode with their children to introduce or reinforce the concept of kids using their own bedtime routine chart featuring pictures of Blue.
Blues Clues and Dora the Explorer Tooth Brushing Checklist
Also on the “print for free” section of Nick Jr. website is a Blue’s Clues’ tooth brushing chart that is a week long visual printable for children to check off that they’ve brushed their teeth each morning and evening. The website also offers the same toot brushing chart with a “Dora the Explorer” theme.
Using picture schedules on a daily basis helps young children learn a routine for bedtime. A consistent bedtime routine helps kids know what to expect which fosters feelings of security and predictability. Parents can create a homemade bedtime routine chart quickly by accessing free printable resources that teach preschool children how to follow a visual schedule with pictures of nighttime activities.
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Kelly Pfeiffer - Kelly Pfeiffer teaches Positive Discipline workshops to parents and trains child care providers on various child development topics.
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