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Parenting plan builder

Build a parenting plan step by step and watch a year of nights fill in, then print it for the other parent, a mediator or your lawyer.

A planning worksheet, not a court form or legal advice. We link your state’s official form where we’ve verified one. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

How do I make a parenting plan?

Start from your state’s own form where there is one: 15 states have an official parenting plan court form we could verify, 6 more set a standard schedule or court guidelines, and 9 have a statute saying what a plan must contain.[1–30] Plan the schedule, holidays, decisions and exchanges here, then copy your choices into your state’s form.

Key facts

Official court form15 states
Standard schedule or guidelines6 states
Statute only9 states

Counts come from the state rows in the table below, each cited to the state’s official form, schedule or statute (listed under Sources). Links checked October 26, 2026.

Parent A 50%Parent B 50%Your plan
1The basics

Your state decides which official form, if any, your court expects. Names stay in this browser.

Only for your printout.

2Regular schedule

The rotation your children follow on ordinary weeks. Each square is a night, Monday first.

Schedule
Week 1MonPTuePWedPThuPFriPSatPSunP
Week 2MonPTuePWedPThuPFriPSatPSunP

The first night of the plan.

Who starts the cycle?
3Holidays and breaks

Holidays come first, then school breaks, then the regular schedule. “Alternate” ties a holiday to even or odd years so it never drifts; give two holidays opposite years to trade them.

New Year’s Evenight of Dec 31

New Year’s Eve: who has it
Even years

Easter weekendSaturday and Sunday nights

Easter weekend: who has it

Mother’s Day weekendSaturday and Sunday nights

Mother’s Day weekend: who has it

Memorial Day weekendFriday to Sunday nights

Memorial Day weekend: who has it

Father’s Day weekendSaturday and Sunday nights

Father’s Day weekend: who has it

Independence Daynight of July 4

Independence Day: who has it

Labor Day weekendFriday to Sunday nights

Labor Day weekend: who has it

Halloweennight of Oct 31

Halloween: who has it

ThanksgivingWednesday to Saturday nights

Thanksgiving: who has it
Even years

Christmas Evenight of Dec 24

Christmas Eve: who has it
Even years

Christmas Daynight of Dec 25

Christmas Day: who has it
Even years

Dates come from your children’s school calendar and change every year; the printed plan says so.

4Decisions

Who makes the big decisions. Day-to-day choices stay with the parent the children are with.

DecisionTogetherParent AParent B
Education
Non-emergency health care
Religious upbringing
Extracurricular activities
In an emergency, tell the other parent within
5Communication

How the two of you keep each other informed, and how the children stay in touch.

We’ll communicate by
Reply to non-urgent messages within
Children’s calls with the other parent
Ask to swap or change time at least
6Exchanges

Where and when the children move between homes, and who drives.

Where

On school days, one parent drops off and the other picks up, so the parents don’t need to meet.

Running late? Tell the other parent after
Who drives
7Relocation

What happens if one of you wants to move. State law on relocation applies whatever you write here, and may require more notice or a court’s permission.

Notice needed for a move of more than
Written notice before the move
8If you disagree

Plans need changing as children grow. Agree now on how you’ll handle it.

Mediation costs
Review the plan

One agreement per line, e.g. bedtimes, screen time, introducing new partners.

Planning worksheet · prepared October 29, 2026

Parenting plan worksheet

Parents
Parent A and Parent B
Overnights, Oct 29, 2026 – Oct 28, 2027
Parent A 183 (50%) · Parent B 182 (50%)

Not a court form and not legal advice. A worksheet for planning, made with MediationList’s free builder. It isn’t court-approved and can’t be filed. Check which form your state’s courts use. A lawyer or a family mediator can help you turn it into an agreement. Section numbers match the builder’s steps.

2Regular parenting time

  1. 2.12-2-3 rotation: Parent A has Monday and Tuesday nights, Parent B Wednesday and Thursday nights, and Parent A Friday to Sunday nights; the next week the order flips. Each parent has 7 of every 14 nights.
  2. 2.2The schedule starts on October 29, 2026. Each night is counted with the parent the children sleep at.

3Holidays and school breaks

  1. 3.1New Year’s Eve (night of Dec 31): Parent B in even-numbered years, Parent A in odd-numbered years.
  2. 3.2Thanksgiving (Wednesday to Saturday nights): Parent A in even-numbered years, Parent B in odd-numbered years.
  3. 3.3Christmas Eve (night of Dec 24): Parent A in even-numbered years, Parent B in odd-numbered years.
  4. 3.4Christmas Day (night of Dec 25): Parent B in even-numbered years, Parent A in odd-numbered years.
  5. 3.5Holiday time comes first, then school breaks, then the regular schedule. After a holiday or break, the regular schedule picks up where it would have been.

4Decision-making

  1. 4.1Education: Parent A and Parent B decide together.
  2. 4.2Non-emergency health care: Parent A and Parent B decide together.
  3. 4.3Religious upbringing: Parent A and Parent B decide together.
  4. 4.4Extracurricular activities: Parent A and Parent B decide together.
  5. 4.5Day-to-day decisions are made by the parent the children are with.
  6. 4.6In an emergency, either parent may get the children care right away and tells the other parent as soon as possible, within 2 hours.

5Communication

  1. 5.1The parents communicate about the children by a co-parenting app, and reply within 24 hours (urgent matters by phone).
  2. 5.2The children may have reasonable phone and video contact with the other parent.
  3. 5.3Both parents may get school, medical and activity records and talk to teachers and doctors directly.
  4. 5.4Requests to swap or change parenting time are made in writing at least 14 days ahead, except in emergencies.

6Exchanges and transportation

  1. 6.1Exchanges happen at school or child care when it is in session (the parent whose time ends drops the children off; the other picks them up), otherwise at the receiving parent’s home, at 6:00 p.m. unless the parents agree otherwise.
  2. 6.2The parent whose time is starting does the pick-up.
  3. 6.3A parent who will be more than 15 minutes late lets the other parent know.

7Relocation

  1. 7.1A parent who wants to move the children’s home more than 50 miles away gives the other parent written notice at least 60 days before the move, with the new address and a proposed schedule.
  2. 7.2The parents try to agree on a new schedule, through mediation if they can’t agree on their own. State law on relocation applies and may require more.

8Resolving disagreements

  1. 8.1If the parents can’t agree on a change to this plan or a dispute about it, they will try mediation with a qualified family mediator before going to court, except in an emergency or where there is a safety concern such as domestic violence.
  2. 8.2Mediation costs are shared equally.
  3. 8.3The parents review this plan together once a year.

Calendar · October 29, 2026 – October 28, 2027

Parent A has the children 183 nights and Parent B 182; the longest stretch apart is 7 nights

Each day shows who has the children that night: 156 handovers in the year.

Parent AParent BHolidaySchool breakHandover (first night with the other parent)Weeks start Monday

October 2026
November 2026
December 2026
January 2027
February 2027
March 2027
April 2027
May 2027
June 2027
July 2027
August 2027
September 2027

Also in the year: Oct 1, 2027: Parent A; Oct 2, 2027: Parent A; Oct 3, 2027: Parent A; Oct 4, 2027: Parent B; Oct 5, 2027: Parent B; Oct 6, 2027: Parent A; Oct 7, 2027: Parent A; Oct 8, 2027: Parent B; Oct 9, 2027: Parent B; Oct 10, 2027: Parent B; Oct 11, 2027: Parent A; Oct 12, 2027: Parent A; Oct 13, 2027: Parent B; Oct 14, 2027: Parent B; Oct 15, 2027: Parent A; Oct 16, 2027: Parent A; Oct 17, 2027: Parent A; Oct 18, 2027: Parent B; Oct 19, 2027: Parent B; Oct 20, 2027: Parent A; Oct 21, 2027: Parent A; Oct 22, 2027: Parent B; Oct 23, 2027: Parent B; Oct 24, 2027: Parent B; Oct 25, 2027: Parent A; Oct 26, 2027: Parent A; Oct 27, 2027: Parent B; Oct 28, 2027: Parent B.

Holidays in these dates
HolidayNightsWith
ThanksgivingNov 25–28, 2026Parent A
Christmas EveDec 24, 2026Parent A
Christmas DayDec 25, 2026Parent B
New Year’s EveDec 31, 2026Parent B

Regular schedule: Easter weekend, Mother’s Day weekend, Memorial Day weekend, Father’s Day weekend, Independence Day, Labor Day weekend, Halloween.

Summary for screen readers: Parent A has 183 nights and Parent B 182 nights from October 29, 2026 – October 28, 2027, with 156 handovers.

Still to agree

These sections still show the builder’s defaults; confirm or change them: 2 Regular schedule · 3 Holidays and breaks · 4 Decisions · 5 Communication · 6 Exchanges · 7 Relocation · 8 If you disagree.

Notes

Made with the free parenting plan builder at mediationlist.com/parenting-plan-builder/. MediationList is a directory of court-listed mediators, not a law firm. This worksheet is not legal advice, not a court form and not court-approved; state law and your court’s forms control.

Next step

Finish your plan with a family mediator

A mediator helps both parents talk through the points you disagree on and write the plan you’ll file in your state’s own form. Every mediator we list comes from an official court or government roster.

Get matched — freeFind a court-listed family mediator

Official forms

15 states have an official parenting plan court form we could verify

6 more set a standard schedule or court guidelines, and 9 have a statute saying what a plan must contain. Courts expect their own form where one exists: plan here, then copy your choices into it. Hawaii’s form is the First Circuit’s (Oʻahu).

All links checked October 26, 2026; each goes to the official court, judicial council or legislature page.
StateOfficial form or sourcePublished by
Court form · 15 states
Alaska[1]Parenting Plan, DR-475Alaska Court System
California[2]Child Custody and Visitation (Parenting Time) Order Attachment, FL-341The court marks this form as optionalJudicial Council of California
Children's Holiday Schedule Attachment, FL-341(C)Judicial Council of California
Additional Provisions—Physical Custody Attachment, FL-341(D)Judicial Council of California
Joint Legal Custody Attachment, FL-341(E)Judicial Council of California
Colorado[3]Parenting Plan, JDF 1113Colorado Judicial Branch
Florida[4]Parenting Plan, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.995(a)Open the link to confirm the current version.Florida Courts
Hawaii[5]Proposed Parenting Plan, 1F-P-796Hawaii State Judiciary, Family Court of the First Circuit
Idaho[6]Parenting Plan, CAO FL-3Idaho Court Assistance Office
Iowa[7]Agreed Parenting Plan; Proposed Parenting Plan, Iowa Ct. R. ch. 17, Forms 229–230 and 429–430Required for people without a lawyer (Iowa Ct. R. 17.1)Iowa Supreme Court
Montana[8]Joint Proposed Parenting Plan, MP-320Montana Judicial Branch
Nebraska[9]Parenting Plan - Joint Legal and Joint Physical Custody, DC 6:5.37Nebraska Judicial Branch
New Mexico[10]Custody plan and order, Form 4A-302 NMRANew Mexico Supreme Court (NMRA form)
Ohio[11]Parenting Plan, Uniform Domestic Relations Form 21Supreme Court of Ohio
Shared Parenting Plan, Uniform Domestic Relations Form 20Supreme Court of Ohio
Planning for Parenting Time: Ohio's Guide for Parents Living ApartSupreme Court of Ohio
Utah[12]Parenting Plan, 1401FAJUtah State Courts
Vermont[13]Agreement on Parental Rights and Responsibilities and Parent-Child Contact, 400-00825Vermont Judiciary, Family Division
Washington[14]Parenting Plan, FL All Family 140The court marks this form as mandatoryWashington Courts
Wisconsin[15]Proposed Parenting Plan, FA-4147VWisconsin Court System
Standard schedule or court guidelines · 6 states
Delaware[16]Contact Guidelines (standard visitation guidelines)Delaware Family Court
Indiana[17]Indiana Parenting Time GuidelinesIndiana Supreme Court
Michigan[18]Michigan Parenting Time GuidelineMichigan Supreme Court, State Court Administrative Office
Oregon[19]Parenting plan guides (basic, safety-focused, birth to three)Oregon Judicial Department
South Dakota[20]South Dakota Parenting Guidelines, SDCL ch. 25-4A, appendixServed with the summons and become a court order (SDCL 25-4A-11)South Dakota Legislature
Texas[21]Standard Possession Order, Tex. Fam. Code §§ 153.311–153.317Texas Legislature
Statute only (what a plan must contain) · 9 states
Arizona[22]Parenting plans (requirements), A.R.S. § 25-403.02Arizona Legislature
Connecticut[23]Parental responsibility plan, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-56aConnecticut General Assembly
Illinois[24]Parenting plan (filing requirement and contents), 750 ILCS 5/602.10Illinois General Assembly
Massachusetts[25]Shared custody implementation plan, M.G.L. c. 208, § 31Massachusetts Legislature
Minnesota[26]Parenting plans, Minn. Stat. § 518.1705Minnesota Revisor of Statutes
Missouri[27]Proposed parenting plan (filing requirement), RSMo § 452.310Missouri Revisor of Statutes
Nevada[28]Visitation orders must define parenting time, NRS 125C.010Nevada Legislature
New Hampshire[29]Parenting plans; contents, RSA 461-A:4New Hampshire General Court
West Virginia[30]Permanent parenting plan (filing requirement), W. Va. Code § 48-9-205West Virginia Legislature

A state missing here may still have a form we haven’t verified yet, or county forms; ask the court clerk.

Schedules

Four common schedules, two weeks at a time

Each square is a night, Monday first. one parent the other

  • 2-2-3

    One parent has 2 nights, the other the next 2, then the first parent has a 3-night weekend; the next week the order flips. Each parent has 7 of every 14 nights, and the children are never more than 3 nights from either parent, at the cost of frequent exchanges.

  • 2-2-5-5

    Each parent keeps the same 2 weeknights every week, and the weekends alternate as 5-night blocks. It's an equal split with predictable school nights and fewer exchanges than 2-2-3.

  • Alternating weeks

    A full week with one parent, then a full week with the other, with one exchange a week. An equal split with the fewest handoffs, but 7 nights is a long time away for some young children.

  • Every other weekend

    The children live mainly with one parent and spend every other weekend with the other, sometimes with a midweek overnight. Common when parents live far apart or work very different hours.

Questions

What should a parenting plan include?

Most cover a regular schedule of parenting time, holidays and school breaks, who makes major decisions (education, health care, religion, activities), how the parents communicate, where and how exchanges happen, what happens if a parent wants to move, and how disagreements get resolved. Your state's official form, where there is one, lists what your court expects.

Is this a court-approved parenting plan form?

No. It's a free planning worksheet. Many states publish their own parenting plan form or a standard schedule, and courts expect that. The builder links to your state's official form where we've verified one, so you can copy your choices into it. It isn't legal advice.

What is a 2-2-3 custody schedule?

In a 2-2-3 schedule, one parent has the children for 2 nights, the other parent for the next 2 nights, and then the first parent for a 3-night weekend. The next week the order flips, so each parent has 7 nights every two weeks.

What is a 2-2-5-5 schedule?

Each parent has the same 2 weeknights every week (for example, one has Monday and Tuesday, the other Wednesday and Thursday), and the parents alternate 5-night blocks that include the weekend. It's an equal split with predictable school nights.

Which 50/50 schedule is best?

There's no single best schedule. Parents usually weigh the children's ages, school, how far apart they live, work hours and how well they handle frequent exchanges. A family mediator can help you compare options and agree on one.

Is my plan saved or sent anywhere?

Your plan is saved only in your own browser so you can come back to it. Nothing you type is sent to MediationList or anyone else. Clearing your browser data, or using "Start over", deletes it.

Planning worksheet only — not legal advice and not a court form. MediationList is a directory of court-listed mediators, not a law firm, and doesn’t endorse any mediator. Parenting plan rules and forms differ by state: see divorce laws by state and our guide to child custody mediation.

Sources

Official court forms, standard schedules and statutes, from the court, judicial council or legislature; one entry per state.

  1. Alaska: Court form: Parenting Plan, DR-475public.courts.alaska.govchecked ↩
  2. California: Court form: Child Custody and Visitation (Parenting Time) Order Attachment, FL-341; Court form: Children's Holiday Schedule Attachment, FL-341(C); Court form: Additional Provisions—Physical Custody Attachment, FL-341(D); Court form: Joint Legal Custody Attachment, FL-341(E)selfhelp.courts.ca.govchecked ↩
  3. Colorado: Court form: Parenting Plan, JDF 1113coloradojudicial.govchecked ↩
  4. Florida: Court form: Parenting Plan, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.995(a)flcourts.govchecked ↩
  5. Hawaii: Court form: Proposed Parenting Plan, 1F-P-796courts.state.hi.uschecked ↩
  6. Idaho: Court form: Parenting Plan, CAO FL-3courtselfhelp.idaho.govchecked ↩
  7. Iowa: Court form: Agreed Parenting Plan; Proposed Parenting Plan, Iowa Ct. R. ch. 17, Forms 229–230 and 429–430legis.iowa.govchecked ↩
  8. Montana: Court form: Joint Proposed Parenting Plan, MP-320courts.mt.govchecked ↩
  9. Nebraska: Court form: Parenting Plan - Joint Legal and Joint Physical Custody, DC 6:5.37supremecourt.nebraska.govchecked ↩
  10. New Mexico: Court form: Custody plan and order, Form 4A-302 NMRAnmcourts.govchecked ↩
  11. Ohio: Court form: Parenting Plan, Uniform Domestic Relations Form 21; Court form: Shared Parenting Plan, Uniform Domestic Relations Form 20; Court guidelines: Planning for Parenting Time: Ohio's Guide for Parents Living Apartsupremecourt.ohio.govchecked ↩
  12. Utah: Court form: Parenting Plan, 1401FAJlegacy.utcourts.govchecked ↩
  13. Vermont: Court form: Agreement on Parental Rights and Responsibilities and Parent-Child Contact, 400-00825vtcourts.govchecked ↩
  14. Washington: Court form: Parenting Plan, FL All Family 140courts.wa.govchecked ↩
  15. Wisconsin: Court form: Proposed Parenting Plan, FA-4147Vwicourts.govchecked ↩
  16. Delaware: Court guidelines: Contact Guidelines (standard visitation guidelines)courts.delaware.govchecked ↩
  17. Indiana: Court guidelines: Indiana Parenting Time Guidelinesrules.incourts.govchecked ↩
  18. Michigan: Court guidelines: Michigan Parenting Time Guidelinecourts.michigan.govchecked ↩
  19. Oregon: Court guidelines: Parenting plan guides (basic, safety-focused, birth to three)courts.oregon.govchecked ↩
  20. South Dakota: Court guidelines: South Dakota Parenting Guidelines, SDCL ch. 25-4A, appendixsdlegislature.govchecked ↩
  21. Texas: Standard schedule (statute): Standard Possession Order, Tex. Fam. Code §§ 153.311–153.317statutes.capitol.texas.govchecked ↩
  22. Arizona: Statute requiring a plan: Parenting plans (requirements), A.R.S. § 25-403.02azleg.govchecked ↩
  23. Connecticut: Statute requiring a plan: Parental responsibility plan, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-56acga.ct.govchecked ↩
  24. Illinois: Statute requiring a plan: Parenting plan (filing requirement and contents), 750 ILCS 5/602.10ilga.govchecked ↩
  25. Massachusetts: Statute requiring a plan: Shared custody implementation plan, M.G.L. c. 208, § 31malegislature.govchecked ↩
  26. Minnesota: Statute requiring a plan: Parenting plans, Minn. Stat. § 518.1705revisor.mn.govchecked ↩
  27. Missouri: Statute requiring a plan: Proposed parenting plan (filing requirement), RSMo § 452.310revisor.mo.govchecked ↩
  28. Nevada: Statute requiring a plan: Visitation orders must define parenting time, NRS 125C.010leg.state.nv.uschecked ↩
  29. New Hampshire: Statute requiring a plan: Parenting plans; contents, RSA 461-A:4gc.nh.govchecked ↩
  30. West Virginia: Statute requiring a plan: Permanent parenting plan (filing requirement), W. Va. Code § 48-9-205code.wvlegislature.govchecked ↩

Cite this page

Page updated
Data version
2026.10.28

MediationList. (2026, October 28). Parenting plan builder. Retrieved October 29, 2026, from https://mediationlist.com/parenting-plan-builder/

APA 7th ed. A retrieval date is included only for pages whose content changes, such as maps, data and tools.