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Preparing Planners for Kids, Teens, and Adults

Planners can be so important. They can be the difference in remembering or forgetting important events. Have some fun preparing planners for kids, teens, and adults.

Image with text reading "Preparing Planners for Kids, Teens, and Adults" and "www.homewithgraceandjoy.com." Showcases a 2025 planner alongside stickers and decorative paper supplies, all artfully arranged to inspire your planning journey.

It is never too early for kids to learn the organization skill of using a planner. Even if birthdays and upcoming fun events are the only thing on the calendar, planners can be very beneficial for all.

A History With Planners

Let me make to-do lists every morning, and I will be a happy camper! There is something so satisfying about getting it all written down on paper first thing in the morning that makes you feel like you can get it all accomplished! My husband teases me that I make lists of my lists – he isn’t wrong!

These are some of my earliest planners. This 1985 planner is a jewel! It includes all of the addresses and plans that we needed as we planned our wedding 40 years ago!

For 29 years I was in education, so a planner was a must! Trying to balance home life, kids, and school was hard enough to manage without having some sort of system and planning process. 

I know you are probably wondering why in the world I still have these old planners. I am wondering the same thing! Some of them are kind of like a journal though.

I started out purchasing an academic planner, which was perfect for that time of my life. The kids were young and didn’t have many activities, As they grew and we all had busy schedules, due dates, homework assignments, and deadlines, I found that I needed a more in depth planner. I ended up making my own planner with the exact things I needed.

Fun Planning With Kids and Teens

Time management skills and staying organized are valuable life skills for young people to learn at an early age. Having a visual reminder (whether that be an electronic calendar or a physical planner), can help them stay on top of school assignments and extracurricular activities. Their responsibility in this area can also help you stay informed and aware of upcoming events.

Photo by Pexels – Cottonbro

Now that most students have some sort of phone, online calendars could work for them as well. After working with high school students for several years, I saw online calendars work with some students but not with others. I was amazed that in today’s time, several students preferred a paper planner.

Know Each Kid’s Personality

Not all planners work for all people. Personal preferences, abilities, and needs all play a part in choosing the right planner. This was how it played out in my family:

Our 1st grade granddaughter, Evelyn, liked the planner but was mostly into the “pink” stickers I purchased for her to decorate it. We added a few birthdays, talked about how to use it, added stickers, and then she was off to something different.😂 I didn’t even manage to get a picture!

Our oldest granddaughter, Chloe, is in 9th grade and already has a planner and system that works well for her. She is one who has everything in a specific place and wants it to stay put! (On a side note, I was taking pictures of her planner while she was not there, and I moved one little figurine on her desk. I am waiting to hear from her!)

Needless to say, I bought her the same planner that she had last year. By the time I was able to meet with her, she already had her planner filled out completely for the year – a girl after my own heart! She is a farm girl who loves animals, so I found animal stickers for her to have with her planner.

Our middle granddaughter, Cadlyn, had only been using a wall calendar and wanted to try a paper planner. I let her choose the planner, and then I ordered basketball and volleyball stickers for her. (She is the athlete of the family.)

I actually got to sit down with her, and we each decorated our personal planner while we chatted. As it turns out, we both love and collect quotes, so the stickers with the quotes were fun to read and share.

Planning Resources for Kids and Teens

A person is meticulously preparing planners, organizing colorful stickers and small cards on a wooden table. Several piles and plastic bags hold various stickers, while an open notebook lies nearby. Hands are seen arranging the items, suggesting a creative or planning activity.

If you are looking to purchase a planner for kids or teens, take their personalities into consideration to find the best planners for them. Whether they are in elementary, middle, or high school, planners can help them keep up with their school assignments and become a more successful student.

Making My Own Planner

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I found that the best planners for me were the ones I made myself, tailored to the things I wanted. When I was still working at the high school, I needed a daily calendar with time increments of 15 minutes. At that time, my planner was very detailed. This year I made my daily schedule to show every hour.

A pink leather folder sits serenely on a wooden table, ready for preparing planners. It's beautifully complemented by a white fringed cloth and vibrant green foliage decoration.

These are just ideas for you, but this is what I included in my physical planner to fit my needs this year:

Supplies:

Pages:

A pink leather binder lies open on a table, perfectly preparing planners for success. Inside is a 2025 Daily Success Log with the inspiring quote "Today Is Another Chance to Get Better." A pink pocket folder reads "Home With Grace and Joy," surrounded by greenery and candles in the background.
  • Cover Sheet with a Motivational Quote and Scripture
  • Copy of Full Year at a Glance Calendar
  • Birthdays Spreadsheet
  • Content (Blogging) Spreadsheet

Behind each monthly divider:

  • Monthly Cover Sheet
  • Full Month Vertical Calendar Page
  • Weekly Time Block Page with Notes (1 for each week of the month) This helps me have a weekly planner without taking up too much space in the binder.
  • To-Do Lists for Brain Dumping
  • I also love my To-Do Lists in spiral bound form!

I normally spend a lot of time typing motivational quotes and scriptures on the pages of my planner each year. This year, I bought stickers for myself as well as the girls. There are some really cute stickers with quotes and scriptures out there. 

On a side note, it helps me to check my planner each night before I go to bed. This keeps me from having surprises in the morning.

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Whether you have elementary, high school, or college students, teaching them to use a personal planner is always a good way to teach an essential life skill. Find the type of planner that works best for them and help them make using it a daily habit. You can make preparing planners for kids, teens, and adults a fun activity to do together.

Keep planning!

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Until next week,

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“But all things should be done decently and in order.” I Corinthians 14:40

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2 Comments

  1. Gah I wish we lived closer, Susan, I could have totally been at your planner party! I love that you start working with each grandchild early and help them to develop a system that works best no matter their age. We have 4 people in our family who are neurodivergent and they definitely need the freedom to choose their own system. I developed my own calendar too and it’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. Like you say, it’s tailor made. Also, I’m all in on the stickers! There’s just something about working with paper and pen at the end of a long day that I look forward to, especially, since the majority of my work is done on a screen. It feels like a creative break each and every time. Thanks for these fabulous tips! Big hugs, CoCo

    1. I could so see us getting together to have a planner party! That would be a blast!

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