Free printable template
Nanny daily log printable
By the NannyLog team · Updated
In short
A nanny daily log is a one-page record of a child’s day: what they ate and when, how long they slept, diaper changes, activities and mood. Download the blank printable PDF, fill in one sheet per child per day, and hand it to the parents at pickup.
What a nanny daily log is for
A daily log is the running record of a child’s day. It answers the questions every parent asks at pickup: did they eat, did they nap, were they happy, and did anything unusual happen. Written as the day goes, it is far more accurate than anything you reconstruct from memory at 5:30 in the evening.
It also protects you. If a parent wonders why bedtime was hard, you can point to a nap that ended at 4:15. If a baby has a rash and the doctor asks when it started, the sheet has the diaper times. A log is not a legal document, but a dated, consistent paper trail makes every awkward conversation easier.
What to write on each line
Keep each entry to one line with a time. Write what you saw, not what you concluded.
- Meals, bottles and snacks: the time, what it was and roughly how much was eaten. “Ate half the pasta, all the peas” beats “ate well”.
- Naps: start and end time, and anything useful about how it went, such as how long it took to settle.
- Diapers or potty trips: the time and the type. Parents of babies and toddlers in training want the pattern, not a story.
- Activities: what you did and where. Park, library, painting, a playdate with a neighbor.
- Mood and health: how they seemed overall, plus any symptom you noticed, such as a runny nose after the nap.
How to use the sheet
Print one sheet per child per day. Siblings need separate sheets, because their naps and meals rarely line up. Keep a clipboard on the kitchen counter or in your bag so entries take ten seconds, and fill it in right after each event rather than in batches.
The two boxes at the bottom are for the things parents act on: how the child seemed overall, and notes for tomorrow such as low supplies, a class that starts earlier or a reminder about a school form. Initial the sheet and ask a parent to do the same when they read it, so you both know it was seen.
Printable or app?
Paper works well for a family that wants something on the fridge, and it needs no battery. The downside is that it only reaches the parents when you hand it over, and a day’s worth of sheets is hard to search later. If you would rather log from your phone and have parents see it live, the section below shows how NannyLog does that.
Share only what the family is comfortable with. If parents have asked you not to photograph their child or post anything online, a paper log kept in their home respects that.
Filled-in example: one day with an 18-month-old
The names and details below are made up. Your sheet will look just like this, with your own entries.
Nanny Daily Log
- Child
- Theo, 18 months
- Date
- Tuesday 20 October 2026
- Caregiver
- Maya Johnson
- Arrived and left
- 8:00 am to 5:30 pm
| Time | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 8:05 | Breakfast | Oatmeal with banana, ate most of it. Water in the sippy cup. |
| 9:30 | Activity | Walk to the park. Slide and sandbox for about an hour. |
| 10:40 | Diaper | Wet. |
| 11:00 | Snack | Apple slices and half a cheese stick. |
| 12:15 | Lunch | Pasta and peas. Ate most of the pasta, all the peas. |
| 12:50 | Diaper | Wet and dirty. |
| 1:00 | Nap | Down at 1:00, asleep in about 10 minutes, up at 2:40. |
| 3:00 | Snack | Yogurt and a few berries. |
| 3:30 | Activity | Painting with washable paint, then three books. |
| 4:45 | Diaper | Wet. |
Mood and health
Cheerful all day. Slight runny nose after the nap, no fever that I could see. Cheek a little pink where he rubbed it.
Notes for tomorrow
Low on wipes. Swim class is at 10:00 tomorrow, so we need his swim bag by 9:30.
How to fill in a nanny daily log
- Print one sheet per child. Print the blank PDF and write the child’s name, the date, your name and the hours you worked at the top.
- Log as the day happens. After each meal, nap, diaper change or activity, add a line with the time and a short, factual description.
- Note mood and health. At the end of the day, write how the child seemed and any symptoms or changes you noticed.
- Add notes for tomorrow. List supplies that are running low, schedule changes and anything the family needs to do before the next day.
- Share and initial. Hand the sheet to a parent at pickup and both initial it so you each know it was seen.
How NannyLog does this automatically
NannyLog turns the same sheet into taps. Open Quick Log and pick meals and bottles, naps, diapers, activities, milestones or photos. Each entry is timestamped, each child has their own timeline, and parents who have joined with your invite code can follow the day in their free parent app.
At the end of the shift, Write Report fills in the day’s activity summary for you. On supported iPhones with iOS 26 or later you can also tap Draft with AI, which writes a first draft on the device with Apple Intelligence. Add highlights and photos, then send. Parents get a push notification.
The free plan covers 1 child and 6 log entries a day. Premium removes both limits. Parents are always free.
Frequently asked questions
What should a nanny write in a daily log?
Meals and drinks with times and amounts, nap start and end times, diaper or potty trips, activities, mood and any health symptoms, and notes for the next day. Keep entries short, factual and timed.
How often should a nanny update the daily log?
Right after each event if you can. Entries made as the day happens are more accurate than a summary written at the end, and they take seconds when you only note the time and a few words.
Is this daily log sheet really free?
Yes. Download the blank PDF or the filled-in example, print as many copies as you need and use them with any family. You do not need an account or the NannyLog app.
Should I keep old daily logs?
Many nannies keep a month or two of sheets in case a question comes up about sleep, feeding or a health symptom. Agree with the family how long to keep them and where, because they contain personal information about their child.
Can parents see the log in the NannyLog app?
Yes. Once a parent has joined with your invite code, they can open their child’s timeline in the free NannyLog parent app and receive the daily report you send.