Stay More Organized With This Fun And Easy Family Activity & Meal Planner

If you have a busy family, you probably keep an online calendar or old-fashioned datebook handy at all times. One thing I’ve found to help keep my family in order and on time is to have a large family/activity planner in our home that easily showcases who needs to be where and when.

A few weeks ago, I started to look for family planner inspiration. Currently, my family just uses a simple weekly meal planner. But as our family grows and we start to go in different directions, a more robust weekly planner will be needed.

So I did some digging and decided to create a hybrid weekly activity + meal planner. Each Saturday (Sunday is grocery day), my husband and I go through our upcoming week, write down our after-work activities, and then create a meal plan + grocery list.

After using it for the last few weeks, it has really helped my family plan ahead and spend less at the grocery store. We’re able to anticipate who will (or will not) be home for dinner and when we just need to grab something quick and easy (like Sandwich Bros. tasty flatbread pocket sandwiches) as we run out the door. Simply wrap in a paper towel, microwave for a few seconds and grab on your way out.

CLICK HERE for a $1.00 off coupon for Sandwich Bros. flatbread pocket sandwiches.

So ask and you shall receive—here are the step-by-step instructions for the planner I made. Have you ever made one? Let me know how you customized yours for your family on our Facebook page.

Materials

• 16″ x 20″ picture frame
• Poster board
• Card stock (two different colors)
• Rubber cement
• Scissors
• Dry erase marker
• Sticky letters (optional – you can also handwrite the letters)
• Paper cutter (optional)

Crafting Instructions

• Measure the picture frame and cut poster board to fit inside the frame
• Cut out 7 circles and put the first letter of each day of the week on the circles
• Cut out rectangles
• On the large poster board, spell out “family planner” with sticky letters
• Below the words “family planner” spell out “dinner” and “notes”
• Align & affix all the card stock with copy and blank rectangles on large poster board (being careful to not cut off the letters/words with the edge of the frame
• Insert the family planner into the frame, close the back, and you’re ready to go!
• Each week, write notes on the glass with your dry erase marker. When the week’s over, wipe it clean and start over.

Pin it for later:
 

Here’s some additional pin-spiration and design ideas. They all can easily be adapted to fit your family’s individual needs.