Are you looking for ways to organize family life? Whether you have a newborn, toddlers or older children your bullet journal can be an essential tool to track, recall and reminisce about this stage of life.

Hello, it’s Alex (@TheJournalCorner) from the Archer and Olive ambassador team. Today I’m going to share over 50 bullet journal ideas if you are a parent of young or school aged children. I am now a mum of 3, but started my bullet journal to manage life with a newborn and it is still an essential tool to organize us all.  I now use trackers, memory spreads, a variety of to do lists and pages relevant to school life.

Parent Bullet Journal Supplies

Today, I am sharing ideas for over 50 spreads, which you can make as elaborate as you wish but the essential supplies are:

• An Archer and Olive dot grid journal
• Pencil, ruler and eraser
• Black fineliner
• A selection of coloured pens I like the calliographs
• A few acrylograph paint pens
• Acrylic stamps may save time 

If you are looking to purchase anything from Archer and Olive, please use ‘Alex10’ to save 10%. This is an affiliate link, so thank you for supporting creators like me too.

50+ Bullet journal ideas for parents 

Examples of spreads for parents

I have chosen some of my favorite parenting spreads and explained how to create 2 of them (pass tracker and children’s quote page) in the video below.  

For 50 additional ideas, read on below:

1. Weight/height tracker

Even if there is no medical reason to track your child’s weight or height it is something that I have found useful.  Whether that’s for clothes shopping or comparison to siblings, a list alongside age or date keeps it simple.

2. Indoor activity ideas

The winter months or unwell children can mean you need to think of activity ideas to pass the days.  I find a list of favorites ready to go, can really help in case I am not feeling very inspired!

3. Outdoor activity ideas

If you have an outdoor space you may want to keep a list of activities that the children would enjoy when they complain of being bored or have exhausted all the usual games! Ideal for a sunny day.

4. School term dates

If you have school aged children a calendar of term dates is essential and one I always include in my bullet journal.  This will be invaluable when you quickly need to refer to dates for booking vacations or arranging childcare around work days.

5. Pocket money tracker

If you decide to give children pocket money, you may want to keep track of how much they receive at different ages in your bullet journal.  This will make it fairer for younger siblings. You can also keep a record of when it has been paid and what it is spent it on.

6. Chore charts

Potentially linked to pocket money could be a list of chores expected by age, type, time taken etc.  You could create a monthly rota between siblings too, dividing up the unwanted jobs to make it fairer.

7. Key items of clothing owned and size

You may find you are given or purchase clothes ahead of when they are actually needed. Perhaps you are keeping clothes for a future sibling? Before you put them away in a cupboard and forget about them, keep a list of sizes and a brief description.  This will help you to avoid re-buying similar clothes in the future, especially for more expensive items like coats and shoes!

8. Funny things my children say

Young children especially, are always coming out with some entertaining comments or phrases.  I would jot them down along with the date and look back fondly on these spreads now. Take a look at the video  above and printable in this blog to help create your own page for remembering these.

9. School uniform/sports kit owned including sizes

If your child needs a uniform for school, the cost can add up. Keep a track of items and sizes owned to avoid re-buying, but also in case they can be passed on to friends, siblings or sold second hand. Perfect for sports kit and equipment too. 

10. Local activity timetable

When my children were young it would be useful to have a timetable of regular free activities local to me, e.g. storytimes at the library. Then if you have had a good night sleep or just feel you need to get out of the house you can easily see what’s on.  This is also a great way to meet other local parents.

11. Places to visit

It may be your friends recommending a fun day out or you randomly remember somewhere that you haven’t been for years.  A spread with a list of places to visit can help inspire you when you are trying to entertain the kids at weekends or in the holidays. I usually find that everyone’s mood will be better after a day out.

12. Child friendly vacation locations

A vacation with the family often comes with a list of requirements you didn’t have before children.  You may read or hear about locations or hotels that offer a family friendly holiday.  It could be years later that you are actually booking a trip but at least you will have a starting point!

13. Passes owned for family days out 

Regular visits to your favorite locations may be better value if they offer an annual pass.  Once purchased, have you ever thought if it was worth the cost? A page to track the original cost, expiry date and space to record each visit can help to work this out. You can see me create one in the video above and take a look at the printable for this blog below.

14. School achievements 

Once your children are at school or competing in sports teams, you may want to start a record of their achievements.  Include smaller things they are proud of too. I often print photos as well, from sports days or of the children holding certificates they have won. You could add notable comments from parent-teacher meetings too.

15. First books they loved

Recently I was asked by a friend with a new baby for recommendations of first books. I struggled to remember the ones my eldest loved. The ones that she would request every night and we would enjoy together. A simple list, including authors, would be lovely to look back on.

16. Reading level tracker 

Here in the UK children read at different levels depending on ability. It can be useful to keep a note of this and how it changes alongside their favorite books. For example, at what age did your child read one of your favorite childhood books?

17. Footwear owned with sizes

Shoes and boots can be expensive. If you buy ahead in sales or are keeping shoes for younger siblings, keep a list of what you already own.  This way you won’t forget about them or rebuy if you put them away in the loft.

18. Discount codes for child friendly shops

Having children opens up a world of new stores for beautiful children’s clothes and accessories. Try to save some money by being organized with a list of any loyalty or discount codes plus coupons available.

19. Gift ideas tracker

Thinking of ideas for birthdays and Christmas gifts for children can start early. It’s always useful to keep a page dedicated to this so any inspiration is all in one place and you know where to look ahead of the big day.

20. Birthday/Christmas gifts purchased

I try to spread the cost of gift buying throughout the year, but risk forgetting what I have already purchased. I track items bought and also keep a record of the main gifts given for birthdays or Christmas as something nice to look back on.

21. Warranties for child equipment/ date of purchase 

Newborns especially come with an endless list of baby equipment. A lot of these will have guarantees, warranties and serial numbers which are essential if you have any issues with the products. Noting these down on a page on your bullet journal would make it a lot easier to refer back if you needed to get in touch with the manufacturer.

22. Car seat information

A car seat is one of the main pieces of essential equipment. These will have various height and weight restrictions and it is worth noting these down so you know when you will need to move your child up a seat stage.  You may also want to clarify the rules and regulations in your area.

23. Birth Information 

You would be surprised how quickly you might forget some details about the day they were born. As a mum of three I definitely mix up the weights at birth and other memorable hospital stories.  Why don’t you create a page to remember what happened the day they arrived?

24. Local child friendly walks

A walk with a toddler or buggy takes on a whole new meaning when you are a parent. Especially in the winter, I find a list of routes which are accessible and don’t get too muddy, very useful when I think I’ve run out of ideas of where to go.

25. Easy bike trails with the kids

Like walks, once children are up on 2 wheels, it’s easy to forget about local places to visit with skate parks and hardstanding paths that are perfect for riding their bikes. A page in your bullet journal listing these, will help you remember them for years to come.

26. Newborn feeding tracker

When you have a newborn you may wish to create a tracker for feeding.  This could be how long they fed and from which side or how many ounces they drunk etc.  It may help you to compare week to week any changes or progress your newborn is making. 

27. Vaccination record and notes

You will probably have an official record of any vaccinations. I did however find it useful to also add notes on how the children reacted to any vaccinations and any medication that I needed to give afterwards. That way for the subsequent vaccinations you know better what to expect.

28. Gifts received and thank you notes written

When children are older it is lovely if they can start to write thank you notes after they are given gifts. I don’t expect them to remember who gave them which gift so create a simple table to track this and when the thank you note has been written.

29. Birthday party planning spread

It won’t be long before there will be an endless array of birthday parties that your children attend. It would be worth noting any that are particularly successful ahead of having to organize your own child’s party. When researching my seven-year-olds party, I have kept a list of alternative ideas for future use.

30. What’s in the ‘present’ regifting box

All these parties require gifts. I have a box in which any duplicate gifts or gifts purchased when on sale, go into. A list of the items in this box would be a quick way to check if you need to purchase a new gift or have one you can already use.

31. Birthday dates of friends 

A list of your child’s friend’s birthdays will be useful in case of any potential for joint celebrations and gift preparation.

32. Weaning ideas

When introducing new foods to your baby, it is useful to keep a note of type and date.  This will help you in case of any reactions or changes you may notice to your baby’s routine.

33. Teacher name/class info/school contact details

Once your children are at school, it is likely you will need to get in touch with their teacher, know what class group they’re in for activities or contact the school about events. Creating one page with all this information each new school year is very useful.

34. School Logins and Password

Whether it is for school itself or external clubs and activities you will probably find a host of new usernames and passwords are needed. Keeping a record of these will be essential for quick access to important education information or team news.

35. Sleep and nap routines

As a parent, sleep and trying to improve it, can be all you think about. You are often looking for patterns in the hope something will work that you can repeat. In the past I have kept trackers for time slept at night, morning wake up times and nap time/length.

36. Meals we all enjoy

One of my biggest parenting challenges has actually been thinking of meals that we will all eat. If you have a picky eater you may want to keep a list of meals that the majority of the family enjoy or meals in which an item can be easily substituted if necessary. This will really help with meal planning which is another essential bullet journal spread as a parent.

37. Packing lists for vacations with the children

There are definitely more things to remember to pack if you’re going away with the children. Most of these will be relevant on every trip, so why not create one master packing list in your journal that you can use again and again.

38. Contact information for local childcare

Whether you are back at work or looking for a child free evening out, contact details of local childminders, babysitters and childcare providers along with the cost will be useful in your planning. You may want to create a spread to research different nursery settings if you are making longer term arrangements.

39. Emergency contact list

In case of an accident or other emergency it may help the situation if you can calmly find essential phone numbers. This could be for the doctor, dentist or any other medical specialist that may be needed.

40. Medical information - allergies/medication

If your children use any regular medication an essential bullet journal spread is a tracker to monitor the type, amount and how often this is needed or used. You’ll then have this information ready to hand in case of an emergency or a routine medical appointment.

41. Morning/Bedtime routines

Particularly useful if you have more than one child, is noting down an evening routine when you find one that works. It may include a lights out time for your older child, a homework schedule, reading time and hopefully sometime for yourself! I have also created one for getting out the door to school in the morning, especially when I had a newborn too.

42. Monthly memories

You may already incorporate space in your bullet journal or use a separate journal for memory keeping.  I found it was lovely to look back on what we have been up to month-to-month, if not daily, with days out, school achievements and our general mood at that time.

43. Milestones met

You don’t need any particular target for your child reaching certain milestones, but it is lovely to have a note of how old they were when they took their first steps for example.  In the past I have included: when they first slept through the night, age of weaning, first words, first smiles, learnt to ride a bike etc

44. List of recommended books and podcasts for parents

You may enjoy listening or reading parenting books and podcasts. Keep a list of those that you find valuable and would recommend to other new parents in the future.

45. Self-care ideas for parents

Essential to the whole parenting journey is how you feel and still trying to make time to do things you enjoy. I have created self-care bingo pages, self-care trackers and self-care schedules to try and incorporate it into my parenting. It is important to make time to relax, get outside and take a break from the children when possible. 

46. Club schedule and pick up times

When children are older you may find they have endless clubs and activities that require a lot of logistics. They may finish at different times to other siblings or the times change week to week. Having this all noted in one place will help you plan your days ensuring you can also be there to collect them on time.

47. Back to school supplies list

Usually the return to school involves the restock of similar items in their school bags each year. Why not keep master list of essentials in your bullet journal that you can check at the start of each new term

48. Sports team fixtures and results

If your children compete for sports teams, it will be important to have a list of upcoming fixtures and their locations.  This will help plan your week ahead but could also be used to record their results.

49. School trips and themed days

School themed dress up days are always met with a sense of dread. But if I know that an older sibling participated in the same event previously, then I am likely to have the outfit somewhere.  A record of school trips that they have been on is also nice to look back on.

50. Homework timetable

Most schools will provide a homework timetable with timings and deadlines. It may be useful to have a spread for this in your bullet journal so you can note any homework routines and deadlines into your weekly schedules.

51. Laundry instructions for delicate items

Do you know that label that was annoying your child so you cut it out? Maybe it had some helpful laundry instructions to look after the clothing. I note down the washing requirements for any more expensive items, such as coats and school uniform, in the hope that others may one day also do the washing!

52. Favorite bakes

Whether you are just starting to wean your child or baking along with them, a list of your favorite things to bake, perhaps with the recipe, will be nice to keep.

53. Favorite childhood movies to show the children

We love to have cozy movie afternoons on rainy days. As well as more recent films make a list of your own favorite childhood movies so you can enjoy these with your children as they grow up.

54. School holidays planner

Separate to my own monthly calendar, I often create a spread when the children have time off school. This allows me to plan a variety of activities for them and see when I need childcare for any work days. I also include a list of uniform to buy for the next term, activity ideas, places to visit and any homework that needs to be completed.

Printable list and pass tracker example 

Take a look at this printable, which includes a pass tracker layout and memory quote page, for you to easily include in your bullet journal. I have also added a check list of over 50 ideas for parents to use in their bullet journal which you can print for easy reference in the future.

I hope you find some of these ideas useful. For more journal inspiration come and say hello @TheJournalCorner. We always love to see your creations, so please tag @archerandolive and @archerandolive.community or use #aoshare on Instagram.

For more journaling inspiration take a look at these meal planning spread ideas or examples of packing lists.  You may want to encourage your children to journal with these ideas or create a memory journal with photos.