OnePageTemplates
Parenting plan and custody schedule templates
A free, plain-language outline you can copy, fill in, and bring to your co-parent or attorney. This isn't legal advice, courts in your state or country may have their own required format.
Choose your starting point
Choose by the task you need to finish. These resources organize a proposal; they do not decide custody, check legal compliance, or replace required court forms.
- Editable outline: copy the headings and bracketed example below into your own document.
- Generated draft: answer prompts to organize the plan, then review the resulting text and missing details.
- Dated calendar: test where the child will be on real dates. Add holidays and exceptions according to the governing plan.
Parenting plan template
Use this outline to organize a first draft covering the schedule and day-to-day parenting decisions. Your court may require a particular form, attachments, or filing process. Copy the section headers below into a document and fill in your own details, then check the current instructions for your jurisdiction before filing.
Start with our jurisdiction guides and confirm requirements with the court itself. For example, Washington Courts provides parenting-plan forms. A signed private draft does not automatically become a court order, and a court can resolve disputed terms without both parents agreeing.
This structure follows the practical topics identified in Justice Canada's official Parenting Plan Checklist, including parenting time, transportation, communication, holidays, travel, healthcare, activities, and future changes. Local courts may require different terms or forms.
Blank parenting plan worksheet
Use the prompts below to prepare one working draft. Keep private contact details in your own copy. The downloaded text is editable, and the print action isolates the blank worksheet from the rest of this page.
Parenting plan worksheet
Educational drafting aid only. Check the current forms, instructions, and orders for your jurisdiction.
1. Draft scope and local requirements
- Jurisdiction and court, if any: [state, province, country, and court]
- Existing order or case that controls this draft: [title, date, and case number, or none]
- Required local form or attachment checked: [form name, revision date, and official link]
- Proposed start date: [date]
2. Children and participating adults
- Children covered by this draft: [names or initials and ages]
- Parent or caregiver A: [name and contact details kept in the private working copy]
- Parent or caregiver B: [name and contact details kept in the private working copy]
- Other authorized caregivers or emergency contacts: [names and roles]
3. Regular parenting schedule
- School-week schedule: [days, overnights, exact start and end times]
- Non-school-day schedule: [days, overnights, exact start and end times]
- First date and parent in the rotation: [date and parent]
- School closures, teacher workdays, and unexpected closures: [rule]
4. Exchanges and transportation
- Regular exchange location: [location]
- Exchange time and who transports: [time and responsibility]
- School-day exchange rule: [pickup or drop-off arrangement]
- Delay notice and fallback: [channel, minutes, and next step]
5. Holidays, school breaks, and vacations
- Holiday assignments and exact times: [list odd-year and even-year terms]
- School-break assignments and exact times: [fall, winter, spring, and summer]
- Vacation selection, notice, and limits: [deadlines and maximum duration]
- Priority when dates overlap and when the regular rotation resumes: [rule]
6. Decisions, records, and information
- Education decisions: [joint, allocated, consultation process, and final authority]
- Non-emergency healthcare decisions: [joint, allocated, consultation process, and final authority]
- Activities and religion: [decision process and cost approval]
- Access to school, medical, and activity records: [how access is maintained]
7. Parent and child communication
- Routine parent-to-parent channel: [app, email, or other written channel]
- Routine response expectation: [time window]
- Emergency contact method: [method and backup]
- Child contact with the other household: [reasonable timing and method]
8. Travel and relocation
- Domestic travel notice and information: [deadline and details]
- International travel consent and documents: [process and deadlines]
- Passport storage and access: [responsibility]
- Relocation notice and governing process: [follow the current order and local law]
9. Shared expenses
- Included expense categories: [medical, childcare, school, activities, and other]
- Share for each parent: [percentages or category assignments]
- Advance approval threshold and exceptions: [amount and emergency rule]
- Receipt, reimbursement, and dispute deadlines: [channel and number of days]
10. Changes, emergencies, and safety
- How a temporary change is requested and recorded: [process]
- Illness and emergency protocol: [notice, care, and information sharing]
- Safety restrictions or protected exchanges required by an order: [terms or not applicable]
- Make-up time, if permitted: [when it applies and how it is scheduled]
11. Dispute steps
- First step for a routine disagreement: [written discussion or other step]
- Next permitted step: [mediation, parenting coordination, legal advice, or court process]
- Urgent and safety-related exception: [follow the governing order and local procedure]
- No informal change overrides a protective restriction or court requirement.
12. Review and legal effect
- Planned review date or trigger: [date, annual review, move, school change, or other trigger]
- Professional or legal review still needed: [role and jurisdiction]
- Required signatures, filing, or court approval: [confirm from current local instructions]
- A completed worksheet is a drafting aid. It is not automatically a court order or legal advice.
Completed worksheet example
Every name, court, case number, date, and arrangement below is fictional. The example demonstrates how to replace each prompt with a specific term. It is not a recommended schedule, local form, or prediction of what a court would approve.
1. Draft scope and local requirements
- Jurisdiction and court, if any: Fictional Lake County Family Court
- Existing order or case that controls this draft: Temporary order dated September 1, 2026; fictional case 26-FC-104
- Required local form or attachment checked: Court parenting-plan form, revision July 2026; official court form link saved with the working draft
- Proposed start date: January 4, 2027
2. Children and participating adults
- Children covered by this draft: Child One, age 9; Child Two, age 6
- Parent or caregiver A: Jordan A; private contact details kept outside this public example
- Parent or caregiver B: Riley B; private contact details kept outside this public example
- Other authorized caregivers or emergency contacts: Each parent's sibling may collect the children after written notice
3. Regular parenting schedule
- School-week schedule: Jordan has Monday after school to Wednesday school drop-off; Riley has Wednesday after school to Friday school drop-off
- Non-school-day schedule: Weekends alternate from Friday at 5:30 p.m. to Monday at 8:00 a.m.
- First date and parent in the rotation: Riley's weekend begins January 8, 2027
- School closures, teacher workdays, and unexpected closures: The parent scheduled for the preceding overnight remains responsible until the ordinary exchange time
4. Exchanges and transportation
- Regular exchange location: School when open; Northside Library entrance when school is closed
- Exchange time and who transports: The parent ending their time drops off at 5:30 p.m. for non-school exchanges
- School-day exchange rule: The ending parent takes the children to school and the beginning parent collects them
- Delay notice and fallback: Send a message in the shared app when a delay may exceed 15 minutes; after 30 minutes, call the listed backup contact
5. Holidays, school breaks, and vacations
- Holiday assignments and exact times: Thanksgiving alternates yearly from Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. to Sunday at 6:00 p.m.; Jordan has odd years
- School-break assignments and exact times: Winter break is divided at noon on December 27; the first half alternates yearly
- Vacation selection, notice, and limits: Each parent may choose one seven-night summer block with written notice by April 1
- Priority when dates overlap and when the regular rotation resumes: The listed holiday or vacation controls, then the regular rotation resumes at the next scheduled exchange
6. Decisions, records, and information
- Education decisions: Joint after exchanging school information; unresolved decisions follow the dispute steps and current order
- Non-emergency healthcare decisions: Joint after sharing provider recommendations; either parent may obtain emergency care
- Activities and religion: Written agreement is required before enrolling a child in an activity that uses the other parent's time or shared funds
- Access to school, medical, and activity records: Both parents remain listed for direct portal and provider access where permitted
7. Parent and child communication
- Routine parent-to-parent channel: Shared co-parenting app
- Routine response expectation: Acknowledge non-urgent requests within 48 hours
- Emergency contact method: Phone call first, then app message if unanswered
- Child contact with the other household: One reasonable video or phone call before 7:30 p.m. on trips longer than three nights
8. Travel and relocation
- Domestic travel notice and information: Share destination, dates, transport, lodging contact, and emergency number seven days ahead
- International travel consent and documents: Use the current consent process and provide itinerary and document requests 45 days ahead
- Passport storage and access: Jordan stores the passports and provides them within five days of an agreed written request
- Relocation notice and governing process: Follow the temporary order and current local notice process before changing either child's residence
9. Shared expenses
- Included expense categories: Uninsured medical care, agreed childcare, school fees, and agreed activities
- Share for each parent: Jordan 60 percent; Riley 40 percent
- Advance approval threshold and exceptions: Written approval before a non-emergency item over $75; emergency healthcare is excluded
- Receipt, reimbursement, and dispute deadlines: Upload the receipt within 14 days; pay or raise a specific dispute within 14 more days
10. Changes, emergencies, and safety
- How a temporary change is requested and recorded: Propose exact dates in the shared app and record acceptance; the usual schedule then resumes automatically
- Illness and emergency protocol: Promptly share symptoms, care instructions, provider details, and material updates
- Safety restrictions or protected exchanges required by an order: None in this fictional example; any real restriction would control
- Make-up time, if permitted: By written agreement within 30 days; no automatic make-up term is assumed
11. Dispute steps
- First step for a routine disagreement: Exchange one written proposal and one response in the shared app
- Next permitted step: Use the mediation process named in the temporary order before filing a non-urgent request
- Urgent and safety-related exception: Follow the court's urgent procedure and the temporary order
- No informal change overrides a protective restriction or court requirement.
12. Review and legal effect
- Planned review date or trigger: Review in August 2027 and sooner if either child changes schools
- Professional or legal review still needed: Local family-law review before either parent relies on the draft
- Required signatures, filing, or court approval: Confirm against the saved local form instructions and the temporary order
- This fictional completed worksheet is a drafting example. It is not a court order or legal advice.
1. Legal and physical custody
State who holds legal custody (decision-making authority over education, healthcare, and religion) and physical custody (where the child lives day to day). Note whether either is joint or sole, and who has final say if the two of you can't agree on a specific decision.
2. The custody schedule
Spell out the regular week-to-week schedule in plain terms, for example, alternating weeks, or a 2-2-3 rotation, including exact pickup and drop-off times and locations. Vague schedules ('flexible,' 'as agreed') are the most common source of disputes, so be specific even if you expect to be flexible in practice.
3. Holidays and school breaks
List holidays and school breaks, with exact start and end times and odd/even-year assignments. State whether holidays override the regular rotation and how holiday/vacation conflicts are resolved. Follow your actual order; an example priority rule is not universal.
4. Transportation and exchanges
Who drives, where the exchange happens (a home, school, or neutral location), and what happens if someone is running late. Small logistics like this are worth writing down since they're a frequent source of friction.
5. Communication between households
How and how often parents will communicate about the child, and through what channel. Many plans specify a shared app or written channel for anything that might matter later, rather than verbal-only exchanges at handoff.
6. Expenses
How costs beyond basic support are split, medical, extracurriculars, school supplies, childcare, and how reimbursement requests are made and by when.
7. Decision-making for non-routine situations
A process for decisions the plan doesn't explicitly cover, who has authority to decide, and what happens if you disagree (mediation, a parenting coordinator, or the court).
8. Review and modification
When and how the plan can be revisited, many parents build in an annual review, or a review tied to a major life change like a move or a child starting school.
Simple parenting plan example
This compact example shows the level of detail a usable starting point needs. Replace every bracketed item and compare the result with your current order and local forms.
Regular schedule: Parent A has [days and overnights]. Parent B has [days and overnights]. The rotation begins [date].
Exchanges: Exchanges occur at [location] at [time]. [Parent] provides transportation. A delay longer than [minutes] is reported through [channel].
Holidays: Subject to the governing order, [holiday or vacation rule] controls when dates overlap. The regular rotation resumes at [time]. Identify any permitted temporary exception by its exact dates; safety restrictions still apply.
Decisions: Major school and non-emergency health decisions are [joint or allocated]. Day-to-day decisions are made by the parent caring for the child.
Changes: Where the order permits agreed temporary changes, a routine request is sent through [channel] at least [days] ahead. Record written acceptance and the return to the usual schedule. Follow any required court process.
This is educational drafting language, not a court form or legal advice.
Shared parenting schedule example
This two-week 2-2-5-5 example gives each parent fixed weekdays and alternating weekends. Add exact exchange times, the first rotation date, holidays, and transportation before using it.
| Week | Mon-Tue | Wed-Thu | Fri-Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Parent A | Parent B | Parent A |
| Week 2 | Parent A | Parent B | Parent B |
Want a version built around your actual schedule? Our parenting plan generator walks through the same sections interactively and fills in the specifics for you.
Before you rely on the draft
Put the completed plan through these five tests before sharing it for legal review:
- 1. Calendar test: Can a neutral person identify where the child will be on any ordinary school day and holiday?
- 2. Exception test: Does it cover illness, school closure, delays, and requested swaps?
- 3. Decision test: Is responsibility clear for school, healthcare, activities, and emergencies?
- 4. Communication test: Are the channel, response expectations, and emergency method stated?
- 5. Local-law test: Does the draft match existing orders and current court requirements?
Custody schedule templates
Rather than a blank template, custody schedules are easier to start from a real pattern. Our guides break down how each common schedule actually works month to month:
Or generate a calendar view of any pattern for your own dates with the custody schedule generator.
Parenting plan template FAQs
Can I use this parenting plan template in court?
This outline can help you prepare a first draft, but it is not a substitute for the forms, filing rules, or legal review required in your jurisdiction. Compare it with your court's current instructions before filing anything.
What is the difference between a parenting plan and a custody schedule?
A custody schedule describes when the child is with each parent. A parenting plan is broader and can also address decision-making, holidays, exchanges, communication, travel, expenses, and dispute resolution.
Should a parenting plan include exact exchange times?
Yes. Exact days, times, locations, transportation responsibilities, and school-closure fallbacks make the schedule easier to understand and use.
What is a simple parenting plan example?
A simple plan still names the regular schedule, exact exchanges, holiday priority, major-decision responsibilities, one communication channel, travel notice, expense handling, and a process for changes. Simple should mean easy to follow, not vague.
For a deeper explanation of each clause, read what goes into a parenting plan and use the parenting plan checklist.
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