Prev Next
a young girl filling in a chore chart that's hanging on a refrigerator

DIY Chore Chart, Family Calendar and Magnetic Pen!

By Brenda Ponnay

The lazy days of summer are coming to an end and it’s time to get back to school and put some structure in our days. If you are like me that means earlier bedtimes, regular dinner times, chore charts and centralized schedules. Chop! Chop! Just kidding. Too much structure can be stressful but a little structure and routine can go a long way, especially for kids who need to be at their best for school.

a chore chart and a family calendar printable laying on a table

We have all kinds of reminder apps and electronic calendars and lists on our phones these days but sometimes good old fashioned 2.0 printables are just better. Especially when you are trying to turn your phone off more and spend more time present with your family and less time staring at your phone. So we made you some super simple printables.

Weekly Chore Chart Printable

First up is our Weekly Chore Chart. Click here to print.


Weekly family chore chart printable stuck on a refrigerator next to two family photos

In our house we calculate allowance off chores completed, and when a chore is skipped we dock a dollar. It’s proven to be very effective to establish regular healthy habits. Nothing like a little cold hard cash to incentivize. But you probably have different systems in place at your house so please use those for your needs. Also, incentives don’t need to be cash, they can be privileges earned.  For example, points earned can be “cashed in” for experiences or special privileges like screen time.

Monthly Family Calendar Printable

Secondly we have our Calendar Grid. Click here to print.

This is a super simple sheet that you can customize yourself. Write in the dates and important notes for the whole family, post it on the fridge and they will see it every time they open the door to grab the milk!


A family calendar filled in with activities

Our third tip is keeping a magnetic pen nearby. This is key because wandering around the house to look for a writing utensil can often distract and the next thing you know you get caught up doing something else and you forgot to write down that important date.

To create a magnetic pen simply glue (hot glue works great) a super strong magnet (we use these ones) to the side of a pen. It couldn’t be simpler! Stick your pen to the refrigerator and forget about it.  (Be vigilant with these tiny magnets if you have little kids or pets at home.)

A young girl holding a pen that has a magnet attached to it

Hope these organizational printables help your back-to-school days go more smoothly!

More Back-to-School Ideas from Alpha Mom:

  1. Back-to-School Countdown Poster Printable
  2. New School Year Calendar Stickers Printable for Back-to-School
  3. Back-to-School Labels and Stickers for Organization
About the Author

Brenda Ponnay

Brenda Ponnay is an author and illustrator who loves to craft and make big messes when she’s not working on her books. Whether it’s painting, baking, drawing, making castles out of card...

Brenda Ponnay is an author and illustrator who loves to craft and make big messes when she’s not working on her books. Whether it’s painting, baking, drawing, making castles out of cardboard boxes or just doing the laundry with flair, Brenda Ponnay has learned that what really makes her happy is being creative every single day.

You can read about all her crazy adventures on her personal blog: Secret Agent Josephine.

icon icon