Free printable behavior charts for kids

What a behavior chart is for

A behavior chart makes one wanted behavior visible for 2 to 6 weeks. It is not a score of the child, it is a clear reminder of what you want to see.

Hang the chart where the behavior happens: the kitchen table, the bathrom door, or the playroom wall. Let the child or a grown up put the sticker on the chart, whichever fits your routine. See our printable charts and one page PDFs for quick printing and use printable charts.

For more on this, read Is rewarding good behavior bribery?.

Writing the four goals

Give each chart four wanted behaviors. Short, specific goals work best. Avoid a naughty column. Make each row say what to do.

Use the small table below to swap vague or negative lines for clear, positive actions.

Keep the language short. Put the child’s name on the blank name line so the chart feels personal. Use the same four goals for the whole 2 to 6 weeks unless one is met and you replace it with a new wanted behavior.

Daily or weekly behavior chart

A weekly chart works well when the rows name specific goals. Use a sticker per day to mark success, then a small reward at the end of the week.

Use a daily chart for children under 5. A sticker within a minute keeps the connection clear. For a simpler look try the smiley circle approach for quick, visual feedback, and see sample layouts on the smiley face page.

Behavior charts by age and need

Choose a chart style that fits your child’s stage and needs. Below are the common pages that give ready to print options and examples.

• Toddlers and preschool: short tasks, big stickers. See age friendly layouts.
• Kindergarten: simple school and home targets for early learners.
• Smiley face: visual marks that younger children read easily.
• Color coded: rows or days in color for quick scanning.
• ADHD: short spans and immediate rewards to match attention needs.
• Autism: predictable steps and clear pictures for routines.
• Tracking sheets: longer records for patterns and progress.
• Adults: behavior charting for routines and habit building.
• Christmas: seasonal goals and holiday chores with themed stickers.

If you are not sure which page fits, start simple. Pick four clear goals and a small, soon reward.

Rewards and what happens on a bad day

Keep rewards small and soon. A toy or privilege that comes after many days will not keep a young child focused. Write the reward on the chart before the first sticker so the child knows what they are working toward. For more reward ideas see our reward suggestions page at reward ideas.

A bad day earns nothing and loses nothing. Do not remove stickers the child already earned. If a chart no longer works, fade it: give stickers less often or swap to a new goal.

Printing and hanging it

Every chart here is a one-page PDF in letter and A4. Each chart has a color version and an ink saving black outline version, with a blank name line. Print at 100 percent, not "fit to page" for correct sticker sizing.

The reward boxes on every chart fit a 1.5 inch round sticker or a 1/2 inch star sticker. Laminate the page for dry-erase marks. Make one chart per child and hang it where the target behavior happnes.

Also in this section: Behavior chart for kids with ADHD, Behavior chart for adults: a habit chart that works, Reward chart for autistic children: visual token boards, Christmas behavior chart: a countdown to the 25th.