How to Create a Shared Family Calendar Everyone Uses

One tool that has made my family life much more seamless is the shared family calendar. Using a digital tool for this hasn’t just completely revolutionized the way we organize just chores but all activities! Let’s explore shared family calendars and why they will streamline your family’s lives. 

What is a Shared Family Calendar?

A shared family calendar is a digital app that lets you and your family members coordinate and organize their schedules in a centralized format. Everyone can access it directly from their device, viewing, updating, and managing events, appointments, activities, etc. from one calendar. 

Everyone has a smartphone, and whether we like it or not, they’re the center of many kids’ lives. The upside to that in a way, is that they aren’t going to forget their phones, so they always have access to their shared family calendar. However, they can also be accessed on iPads, tablets, desktops, etc. if preferred. 

Using a shared family calendar makes it super easy to create and share events, set reminders, set notifications, and sync schedules on all devices. Color-coding each calendar to suit different types of events and family members can be a game changer. You can simply glance at the app and know exactly who has what going on that day. 

Why do Families Use a Shared Family Calendar?

For me, it only took me one time of forgetting to pick my kid up from soccer practice to know that I couldn’t let that happen again.

The more members of your family or more activities they’re involved in, the more hectic it can get without proper planning. In the past, I’d tried setting reminders and alarms on my phone, but it just didn’t work. You also need the rest of the family to be on the same page, which is difficult when there are multiple extracurricular activities, school commitments, and social engagements involved. 

If your older child would like to go out with their friends, they can see if they have any chores or other conflicting plans right from their phone. If your younger child is wondering what they have to do that afternoon, they can check right from the app. These calendars promote collaboration and shared responsibility, creating a sense of efficiency and well-being in managing daily life. 

No more worrying about missed appointments, scheduling conflicts, or misunderstandings. The physical wall calendars just became obsolete! 

Why Do I Need a Digital Shared Family Calendar?

Utilizing a digital shared family calendar offers various significant reasons and benefits that can have a big impact on the organization and efficiency of your and your family’s lives.  For seamless coordination, there’s (in my opinion) no better method. 

Use the app as a centralized hub where everyone can access, update, receive requests, and sync schedules. There’s no need to text or call to try and make sure everyone knows what’s going on and misunderstandings and virtually eliminated. As everyone can view everyone’s availability, planning activities has never been easier. 

I’m admittedly a very distracted person. I’ve had family members mention something to me, I make a mental note for myself, and next thing you know I’ve forgotten. If you’re like me, you’ll love the reminders and notifications that come with a good family calendar, just as much as I do. You can also set them up to alert other family members before chores, deadlines, and other commitments so they don’t forget. 

As a parent, I know you’re going to love how much these apps empower children. It shows them that they are more than capable of managing their own commitments and responsibilities. They can contribute greatly to the coordination of their family and to their household, which encourages independence and improves organizational skills. When they’re adults, they’ll surely thank you for helping them with these skills. 

Types of Shared Family Calendar

As you probably already know, there are more than one type of shared family calendar. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve definitely used the first one in some way! 

Traditional Calendar (i.e. one you hang on a wall)

A traditional calendar is the kind that you see hanging on a wall, usually with cute animals or pretty scenic views from different places in the world every month. If your family didn’t use them growing up, you likely used them in some way throughout school or at work.

Traditional calendars are laid out to display the days, weeks, and months of the year. They usually feature a grid with boxes allocated for each day, allowing enough space for you to write in important dates, appointments, and events. 

Advantages of Using a Traditional Calendar

I can’t deny that there are certain advantages to using a traditional calendar. Some people simply enjoy the process of manually writing in their pending appointments and tasks.

In addition, the shapes, sizes, and styles of traditional calendars are virtually endless. You can use different colors or pens, and you may find you remember things better by writing by hand. I personally enjoy the creativity aspect, using stickers to customize. 

Disadvantages of Using a Traditional Calendar

In this day and age, convenience is king, and let’s face it - traditional calendars just aren’t convenient. You have to either carry the calendar around or hang it on a wall, where you can only access it when you’re at home.

There are no reminders or alarms when it comes to traditional calendars, they’re not editable, and collaboration isn’t really possible. Plus, you’re limited on space which, if you’re like me and love overexplaining, is a bit frustrating.

If you do happen to make a mistake, you can’t just backspace and erase it - especially if you’re using markers or pens.

Traditional Calendar App (i.e. Google Cal, Apple Calendar)

I feel like traditional calendar apps were a big step in terms of progress, from an actual physical calendar. They work well for some people, replicating the layout of a traditional calendar with the ability to be used on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

Just like with a traditional calendar, apps like Google Cal and Apple Calendar offer the ability to enter, manage, and track events, appointments, and chores. I still use mine for certain things involving work - especially for things that aren’t going to affect family plans at all.

Advantages of Using a Traditional Calendar App

Traditional calendar apps are quite easy to use for creating and editing events, setting reminders and alerts, and syncing to different devices. I use them for work tasks mainly, as I can collaborate on them with coworkers to distribute and finish work more easily.

While collaboration is possible, they aren’t quite to the level of convenience that family planning apps are. However, for work things, it’s not really necessary for me.

One major advantage of these apps is the integration. As they’re so popular, they work with just about everything. 

Disadvantages of Using a Traditional Calendar App

While traditional calendar apps like Google Calendar and Apple Calendar are extremely popular, there are a few disadvantages you may encounter.

While the apps are generally quite user-friendly for many adults, they’re not really that great for children. If they’re not appealing to children, they likely aren’t going to use them or see much benefit from them which kind of defeats the purpose.

I find that traditional calendar apps could use a bit of improvement when it comes to customization features. While you can color-code and add personal notes, my favorite family planning calendar apps are more flexible and come with more advanced customization features. 

Purpose Built Shared Family Calendar App 

You may be wondering what I mean by a “purpose-built” shared family calendar app. These are centralized family organization apps that can be shared and edited by every family member, no matter where they are, in real time. These apps are made explicitly for the purpose of seamless planning of family activities, making each family member’s life a bit more streamlined.

To expand on this, easy and understandable collaboration is a crucial feature of these apps. They should be easy to use for everyone to understand and use, no matter their age and background. They also come with family-focused features that you won’t see with traditional calendar apps (I’ll get to this in just a second). 

Advantages of Using a Purpose-Built Shared Family Calendar App

Using a purpose-built shared family calendar app offers a ton of different advantages that I just can’t see giving up, now.

Centralized coordination is probably at the top of my list, as it’s like a virtual “meeting point” where everyone can access, update, and sync their schedules and communicate. No more, “Oh, I totally forgot you had mentioned to me about staying late after school!”. This easy communication greatly reduces misunderstandings and ensures everyone is informed about upcoming events, appointments, and chores. 

With real-time updates, you don’t have to keep checking the calendar app to stay informed, either. You’ll receive alerts whenever a plan has been altered or added, almost like you have a personal assistant in your pocket.

Moreover, you can even set up the app to receive alerts before events or appointments, so there’s no chance you forget and miss them. I absolutely LOVE being able to send a notification to other members of my family to help them stay organized.

The customization and personalization features are some of the most impressive I’ve seen. You can customize the app to suit your own preferences, assigning specific colors to each family member or category of the event. For example, you can make sure all chores are purple, all baseball practice is red, and so on. 

Disadvantages of Using a Purpose-Built Shared Family Calendar App

If only there was a calendar that came with literally no disadvantages! The learning curve will be easier for some, and more difficult for others. Even though these apps are very user-friendly (generally speaking), there will likely be a process of adaptation to this tool.

Using a purpose-built shared family calendar app can also encourage dependence on technology. If you, like countless other parents, are trying to convince your children to spend less time in front of a screen, then this could only make this more challenging. Relying solely on the app means that your child must have access to their compatible device(s). If they’re for some reason grounded from their phones or have forgotten them, then they may not have access to their shared family calendar app. 

Top Features of a Shared Family Calendar App

Shared family calendar apps offer a wide range of features, including:

Family Events

Family events could be either recurring, such as weekly family dinners or monthly appointments. They could also be somewhat random, like a birthday party or soccer tournament.

Whatever the case may be, these shared family calendar apps can help make sure you all show up without fail. It’s also really helpful for people who are forgetful about birthdays, anniversaries, and other important days. You can even attach gift ideas or wish lists to the reminders! How cool is that? 

Private Events

Private events are sometimes harder to remember, as you don’t have the entire family taking part. You can also use these apps to be set to remind just yourself, or one other person. Not everything assigned to the calendar has to apply to the entire family. 

Assign Events to Individuals

I love this feature for assigning chores, as I can select each person and each type of task required, at the appropriate time and day.

However, you can use this feature for any kind of event. This way, no one can come back and say they didn’t know what they were supposed to do. It puts the responsibility in their hands, and that’s not a bad thing. 

Weekly Email Summary

The weekly email summary is a feature that’s great for planning out the week. It lets everyone know in a succinct message what everyone has going on that week so they can plan accordingly. It helps set expectations and is a way to change any plans ahead of time if necessary. 

Examples of Activities That Can Be Added to a Shared Family Calendar

The activities that can be added to a family calendar are virtually endless, but here are some examples of what I’ve found them to be particularly useful for!

Appointments and Medical Check-Ups: Needless to say, these are pretty important! Schedule dentist or doctor appointments or regular check-ups with ease. 

School and Extracurriculars: The amount of school-related events can get pretty crazy, especially if you have more than one child! Parent-teacher conferences, assemblies, school vacations, test dates, project deadlines - the list goes on and on! Throw in extracurriculars like sports practices, music lessons, gamedays, dance classes, and club meetings, and they can be easy to forget. 

Family Gatherings: Holidays, festivals, family reunions, birthday parties, anniversaries, and other special occasions are a part of family life. Although everyone is important, sometimes special dates can slip our minds. Make sure no one is forgotten about with the right family calendar app. 

Work-Related Activities: You can add these to your personal calendar outside of this app, but if there are work-related commitments outside of your normal working hours, it’s smart to add them to your family app, too. Things like work conferences, business trips, and other meetings may conflict with other plans, so add them in. 

Household Chores: Just for this one alone, I’d say a family calendar app is essential. You can assign chores to each member of the household on specific days and times, with colors to indicate that they’re chores. This ensures everyone has their “fair share” of chores and that they are actually completed when they should be. 

Parental Tasks: Things like picking or dropping kids off at school, helping with homework, going to school events, etc. are all worth adding to the calendar. 

Travel or Vacations: Woo-hoo! These are fun things, but still important to plan around. Add in things like flight details, hotel reservations, excursion details, attractions to visit, and so on. If you’re a super planner, you could even create entire itineraries inside the app so everyone is on the same page!

Of course, these are just a few examples of ways that I use my family calendar app. The sky is the limit! 

Family Daily: The Ultimate Family Calendar App

At this point you’re probably thinking, “Okay, I know that a family calendar app is right for me but now which one do I choose?!”. There are a few really great ones out there, but one really does stand ahead of the rest. The Family Daily family calendar app is the clear winner for many. 

The shared family calendar lets you coordinate family events and add your own personal events. The powerful to-do lists are another helpful feature, allowing you to evenly distribute tasks among each family member. You can even add due dates and track progress if they’re larger tasks that may take more than one day to accomplish.

You can easily import your iPhone calendar right into the app, choosing to keep it visible to only you or share it with others. You can even export your family calendar and add it to traditional calendar apps like Google and Apple Calendar. No having to deal with manually adding events in from other calendars or worrying you may be leaving something off. 

With shared grocery lists, meal-planning tools, and even a built-in recipe library, your kitchen game will be changed forever. Everything from tasty desserts to date night cuisine is in there, so you’ll never wonder what to have for dinner!

What are you waiting for? Go and download Family Daily right now and watch your family’s lives become streamlined like never before!