How a calendar can help your child and family feel connected and organised.

Using Calendars!

Using a calendar can help you turn chaos into calm and transform daily life into a set of meaningful, shared experiences.

Does your family feel chaotic? Is your calendar so full that no one knows where they’re supposed to be? Are you juggling too many activities, leaving everyone asking, “What’s happening next?” A well-organized family calendar can be a powerful tool for creating structure, fostering connection, and building essential skills in your child.

Why Use a Calendar for Your Family?

Using a calendar doesn’t just help you keep track of events—it can positively impact your family in several ways.

Establishes Family Structure

Sets Clear Rules and Expectations: Calendars can create routines that everyone understands, reducing confusion and stress.
Creates Predictability: Children thrive with routine, and knowing what’s next helps them feel secure and prepared.

Builds a Sense of Belonging

Recognize and Celebrate Together: Marking milestones, holidays, and personal achievements fosters a sense of belonging.
Encourages Family Values: Supporting each other’s events and activities helps build unity and teamwork.
Supports Communication and Connection: Sharing and discussing plans as a family promotes bonding and mutual understanding.

Strengthens Key Skills in Your Child

Executive Function Skills: Tracking events and responsibilities enhances planning, organizing, and self-regulation.
Time Concepts and Vocabulary: Using terms like “yesterday,” “tomorrow,” “weekend,” and specific dates helps children understand time.
Narrative and Personal Retell: Regularly revisiting the calendar helps your child practice recounting past events and anticipating future ones.

Making Your Calendar Work for Your Family

Choosing the Right Calendar

When setting up a calendar for your family, consider the format that will best support your needs:

Location: Choose a place that’s visible to everyone. It could be on the wall, the fridge, or even a digital app.
Layout: Think about what works best—weekly or monthly, with space for each person’s activities if needed.
Level of Detail: Do you need visual cues like pictures, color-coding for family members, or detailed descriptions of activities?

Teaching Your Child to Use the Calendar

Helping your child understand and use a calendar builds their confidence and independence.

Introduce the Parts of a Calendar
- Days of the week
- Differentiating between school days and weekends
- Understanding today’s date, time concepts, and the cycle of days and nights
Model Language and Vocabulary
- Use calendar-related phrases daily, such as:
  - “Today is Wednesday.”
  - “Tomorrow is Saturday, so there’s no school.”
  - “We’re going camping next week.”
  - “The disco is tonight, so we can go to the park this morning.”
Encourage Using the Calendar for Planning
- Ask questions like, “How many days until…?” or “Do we have something on that day?” This teaches them to check for conflicts and plan around family activities.
- Allocate specific days for regular home routines like cleaning, washing, or taking out the trash. For example, Saturday morning is family cleaning time.

Use Visuals and Access Aids

Consider color-coding activities for each family member.
Use visual cues, like icons or stickers, to mark special events or tasks.

Extra Benefits of Using a Calendar

A calendar isn’t just a planning tool—it’s a way to build anticipation, foster excitement, and teach cause and effect. Children learn to look forward to events and understand that planning helps the whole family function more smoothly. By involving your child in using a calendar, you’re giving them tools to build life skills while supporting your family’s shared goals.