Create structure in the chaos of your after school routine with this easy DIY color clock for kids. This surprisingly easy craft creates a customized routine clock for kids to help them visualize time more accurately, plan ahead and stay on their schedule! This kids color block schedule idea has been one of Kids Activities Blog’s most popular articles and shared hundreds of thousands of times across Facebook and Pinterest.
DIY After School Routine Clock with Color Blocks
This kids clock is color-coded so that kids can easily follow along and know what task they should be working on even if they aren’t fully able to read a clock. Having structure in the evenings after school helps develop an easier bedtime routine, which is essential for kids. Kids brains are working overtime, so make things as easy as possible for them!
Related: DIY Paper Plate Clock Craft for Kids Learning How to Tell Time
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How to Make a Kids Clock for After School Routine
Supplies Needed to Customize Kids Schedule Clock
- Wall Clock – or if you want 2, this wall clock set would work great
- Permanent markers (5 colors)
- Printed list of activities
How to make the schedule clock for Kids
Step 1
Remove the back off the clock so that you can access the face.
Step 2
Use the markers to color sections of time for the different activities.
Our After School Schedule is:
- 4-5 pm Homework Time
- 5-6 pm Play Time
- 6-7 pm Dinner Time
- 7-7:30 pm Bath Time
- 7:30-8:30 pm Bed Time
Step 3
Put the glass back on the clock.
Step 4
Print off your list of activities for after school routine and color around each section to correspond with the colored section on your schedule clock.
Make sure to hang your list of after school routine chart below the clock for easy access. I love how simple and quick this clock craft is.
Morning & Evening Schedule Clocks for Kids
Create another clock for the am. Hang them side by side so you have the am version and the pm version next to each other.
The morning kids schedule could include: wake up, breakfast, brush teeth, catch bus…etc!
What is your family’s after school routine?
Kids Schedule Clock
Create this simple kids schedule clock to visually display time block of your child's routine to make keeping everyone on track each day a breeze.
Materials
- Wall clock with plain face
- Permanent markers in multiple colors
- Your activity schedule
Instructions
- Remove the back of the wall clock so that you can access the face without obstacles.
- Use different color permanent markers to create time blocks and color sections for your after school schedule.
- Replace the glass and back of the clock.
- Create a clock schedule that is coordinated by color to the schedule clock and hang below.
RESOURCES TO GET ORGANIZED DURING THE BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON
- Get excited with these DIY crafts for kids for Back to school season.
- This routine clock idea for kids is just one fun way to keep home organizing on track.
- This Morning routine chart & Bedtime routine chart will help you to be on track.
- Plan for the school memory book before the school year starts.
- Ever wonder How to organize your life for school? Check this.
- You should know these Back to school tips.
- This family command center ideas are genius.
- Quick and healthy breakfast ideas that will make you love school mornings.
- Check these cool school snack ideas.
- Do you have the first day of school traditions? These are fun.
- Need a good homeschool schedule? This works great for distance and online learning too.
- Pack your lunch in style. Check these school lunch ideas for a balanced lunch.
- We have a handful of telling time games you need to check out!
- Download and print our free weekly Mom planner!
- Let’s make our DIY dry erase board, perfect for home schooling.
- Check out our solution for if your child takes forever to get ready in the morning!
How did your kids schedule clock turn out? Are there things you added that we missed? Please add your comments about the routine clock below…
Wonderful! Thank you so much 🙂 We homeschool but the idea of having a night time routine set out in this way is great. This might just work (and get them in bed on time). So excited to try it.
Great concept that can be adapted to suit each family’s routine and priorities.
This is fantastic! I have a similar timeline- in my head though 😉
I agree take the idea and adapt it to your own schedule you need to work to….,If the idea doesn’t work maybe it’s not it that needs to change but th pattern you have set up for your kids. So if the idea has put your need to look at were you need to bring more work life balance it has served that goal. I am not saying this is easy but it sure is valuable as from my experience showing you are in control and planning out time to include work and play brings you and your kids closer.
wow i loved the many great ideas and input people had on here thank u so much all of you for your wise and very well put opinions
This clock is totally unrealistic. When my kids were in public school, they had 2-3 hours of assigned homework every night. It’s one of the many reasons we decided to homeschool.
Hi Mike,
The schedule in our post is just an example. We hope that families will adapt the idea to fit their own needs. Thanks!
Love this idea for our kids who need to know “What’s next, Mom?’ The idea is great and should be organized to fit your own schedule and lifestyle. This will put an end to a lot of repetitive conversations. One warning, when you have kids who thrive on scheduled time make sure you let create a time for interruptions. Or maybe get a cloth, call it a flag, for extra activity days that won’t match the clock and of course put it over the clock in the appropriate time for your child’s ability or understanding. I’d like to hear how this works for those who try it:)
Oh my goodness this is great!! This would also be a good way to teach telling time, if you added pictures to the colors!
Speaking as an educator I agree and what about the children that are in before and after school childcare, I have seen some children in childcare from the time it opens (7:30am) then in school from 8:45am (8:45-9am they had supervised outdoor time) and then 9am-3:20pm in school, which by the way they get 2 breaks from and they are long breaks, and then are in childcare, some until 6pm and in childcare, we are not allowed to force children to do their homework, of course we offer them the time, but it’s up to the parents to tell them to take the time and the parents will ask us to remind the children that their parents would like to at least start their homework. I do agree that it should be reversed, but some families don’t have that option; it’s called LIFE, tough reality for a child, but this is what the weekends are for.
Please reverse homework and play time. Children are stuck in a classroom for at least 6 hours a day. What is the first thing anyone wants to do after school or work?? You want to relax! Please give your children a chance to unwind and relax after school. They will be more willing to sit down and concentrate if they’ve had a chance to relax. Thank you ?