Most routine apps give a child a checkmark. RoutinePals gives them a star, and stars are how kids in RoutinePals adopt pets of their own.
The idea is simple. Your child follows their picture routine one step at a time, the same way they already do in RoutinePals. Finishing steps earns stars. Their very first pet is free to adopt, and every puppy or kitten after that unlocks as the stars add up. The pet corner lives in kid mode, right next to the routines, so the pull to finish is sitting on the same screen as the list.
How the pet game works
Eight pets are waiting to be adopted:
- Four puppies: a golden retriever, a corgi, a beagle and a husky.
- Four cats: an orange tabby, a tuxedo cat, a calico and a Siamese.
Once a pet is home, your child can pet it, feed it, brush it, wash it, take it for a walk, go for a run and teach it tricks. Dogs play fetch. Cats stalk a laser dot and pounce on a feather wand that your child drags around the yard. For October there is a rack of Halloween costumes, so the corgi can spend the month as a pumpkin if that is what your child decides. Every outfit is free to wear.
The game opens from the kid-mode page of RoutinePals, the same place your child already sees their routines. It works in the web app and in the iPhone and Android apps.
Why a pet works where a reward chart fizzles
Reward charts tend to fade after a couple of weeks because the reward is far away and abstract. Twenty stickers earns a toy at the weekend, and a six-year-old cannot feel the weekend from Tuesday morning.
A pet fixes three things at once.
The reward is immediate. The star lands the moment the step is done, and the next pet unlock is always visible. There is no waiting for a parent to remember.
The reward is visible. Your child can see the beagle sitting in the yard. Wanting to play with it is the pull that gets shoes on.
The reward teaches the lesson you actually care about. Looking after something every day is the whole point of a routine. Feeding and walking a pet, even a cartoon one, is daily care made playful, and it puts "my husky needs a walk" and "I did my morning routine" in the same breath.
It also keeps the parent out of the referee role. You are not the one handing out or withholding the treat. The routine does that. And because RoutinePals pets never get hungry, sick or sad, a rough day never turns into guilt.
Built on picture routines first
The pet is the reward, not the product. Underneath it is the same RoutinePals you may already know: editable picture routines children can follow without being able to read, visual timers so they can see how long a step has, and progress you can check from your own phone.
That matters for younger children, for kids who find words on a screen hard, and for children with ADHD or autism who do best when the next step is shown rather than told. The pet simply gives them a reason to want to reach the end of the list.
Getting started
Start free with one child, three editable picture routines, timers and progress. No card is needed. When your child has run their first routine, open kid mode and let them choose their first pet. If you have more than one child, Pro adds room for the whole family.
Frequently asked questions
How does my child earn a pet?
By finishing their picture routines. Every completed step earns stars. The first pet is free to adopt, and each new puppy or kitten unlocks as the stars add up. Stars are never taken away.
Which pets can my child choose from?
Four puppies (golden retriever, corgi, beagle, husky) and four cats (orange tabby, tuxedo, calico, Siamese).
What can kids actually do with their pet?
Pet it, feed it, brush it, wash it, walk it, run with it and teach it tricks. Dogs play fetch. Cats chase a laser dot and a feather wand. There are Halloween costumes to dress up in too, all free to wear.
Do the pets get hungry or sad if we miss a day?
No. RoutinePals pets never become hungry, sick or sad. A missed day never punishes a child; the pet is simply there, happy to play, the next time they open kid mode.
Where is the pet game in the app?
On the kid-mode page, the same place your child sees their routines. It is in the web app and in the iPhone and Android apps.
Is RoutinePals free?
Yes to start. The free plan includes one child, three editable picture routines, timers and progress, with no card required. Pro adds room for more children and unlimited routines.
Free: 1 child, 3 editable template or custom routines, and 3 characters. No time limit, no card needed.
Choose your first free routine