For the millions of parents stuck at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, and becoming accidental homeschoolers along the way, having a daily schedule is an absolute life-saver.

I’m not big on schedules, usually, but having a daily routine has been a lifesaver for my sanity and for my daughter’s happiness. I’ll stop short of saying that having a daily schedule is miraculous, but for our family, having a schedule has eliminated a lot of headaches. Having a schedule makes the day go by smoothly because we all understand exactly what time it is, and what we should be doing at that time.

A daily schedule gives structure to the day and, perhaps more importantly, eliminates resistance on the part of kids to do school work, or chores, or anything else that they don’t find entertaining. Having a schedule written down makes it more official, and it eliminates arguments about what “time” it is. And scheduling a couple “electronics okay” times during the day also cuts out the constant requests for watching something or playing games on the tablet.

But a schedule needs to be well-balanced. It needs to mix blocks of school work with blocks of fun. I borrowed the basic structure of the schedule from a more experienced homeschooling mom, and adjusted it to my family’s needs. However, I kept the important daily rhythm of movement, learning, quiet time, chores and free time. I’ve also included two daily walks, but depending on your level of social-distancing that might not be possible. Feel free to adjust the schedule as needed with the blank template I’ve included in the free printable below.

Now to the important part. Having a daily schedule is good, but having a daily schedule printed as an interactive dial that kids can cut out, color and assemble is a hundred times better. Because who really wants a boring schedule made in a spreadsheet? Not me. That’s why I decided to have fun and turn our daily schedule into a Daily Schedule Dial. And because not everyone would want to follow my family’s schedule, I’ve included a blank dial so you can write in your own schedule.