Printable period tracker: a simple layout you can copy
A printable period tracker is a grid with one row per month and one column per day, 1 to 31. Mark each bleeding day with a symbol for flow (light, medium, heavy), add a dot for spotting, and note pain or mood in the margin. After three months, count the days between first days of bleeding to find your cycle length.
The layout: a year on one page
The classic printable period chart is the simplest: 12 rows (months) by 31 columns (days). You can draw it on squared paper in five minutes or print this page. Here's how the top of it looks, with an example month filled in.
| Month | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | … | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | · | M | H | H | … | ||||||
| Feb | M | H | M | L | … | · | |||||
| Mar | … |
In the example, spotting on 3 January, then a 4-day period starting 4 January. The next period starts 2 February: a 29-day cycle.
What to mark, and how
| Symbol | Means | Why it's useful |
|---|---|---|
| L / M / H | Light, medium or heavy flow | Shows how long and how heavy your periods are |
| · | Spotting (doesn't need a pad) | Spotting isn't day 1; it helps to see when it happens |
| C | Cramps or pain (add 1 to 3 for strength) | Shows whether pain is getting worse over time |
| P | PMS day (mood, bloating, sore breasts) | Reveals how many days before your period symptoms start |
| ☺ / ☹ | A good day or a hard day | The quickest way to see if your mood follows your cycle |
Count your cycle from the first day you need a pad, tampon, cup or period underwear. Spotting before that belongs to the previous cycle.
Reading your chart after three months
- Cycle length: count the days from one first day of bleeding to the next. Do it for each pair of months and average them, or type the dates into the cycle length calculator.
- Regularity: if your cycles are within about 7 days of each other, your cycle counts as regular.
- Period length: most periods last 2 to 7 days.
- Patterns: do C or P marks cluster in the same days before each period? That's your premenstrual window.
- Predict the next one: add your average cycle length to your last start date, or use the period calculator.
Paper or app?
Paper is private, free and calming for some people, and it's a lovely first tracker for teens starting their periods (see our first period guide). Its limits show up later: it can't predict, it can't remind you, and it doesn't do the counting. If you want mood in the picture too, a separate mood tracker printable works alongside this one.
Lulu logs your period with a tap, draws symptoms as bunny drawings, works out your cycle length and next period, and learns how you usually feel in each phase. No account needed.
When your chart is worth showing a doctor
Take your chart to a doctor if cycles are often shorter than 21 days or longer than 35, if you go 3 months or more without a period, if bleeding lasts more than 7 days or you change a pad or tampon every 1 to 2 hours, if you bleed between periods or after sex, or if pain stops you doing normal things.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a period tracker on paper?
Draw 12 rows for the months and 31 columns for the days. Mark each day you bleed and use a letter for the flow.
What should a period log include?
At least the days you bleed and the flow. Adding spotting, pain and mood makes it far more useful for spotting patterns.
How many months should I track?
Three months gives a first average. Six shows how much your cycle really varies.
Can I use a printable tracker for an appointment?
Yes. Doctors find period dates, flow and pain over a few months very helpful.
Sources
This page is for information only and isn’t medical advice. If something worries you, please talk to a doctor.
Keep reading
Mood tracker printable: chart your mood across your cycleA free mood tracker printable built around your cycle: one row per cycle day, a 1 to 5 mood score and a few symptoms. See your PMS pattern in two months.
Cycle length calculator: is my cycle normal?Free cycle length calculator: enter the start dates of your last few periods to get your average cycle length and see whether your cycle counts as regular.How do you track your period?How to track your period: log the first day of bleeding, count cycle length, and add flow, symptoms and mood. A simple method on paper or in an app.
Your first period: a kind guide to what to expectYour first period, explained kindly: the signs it's coming, what it looks and feels like, how much you'll bleed, what to use, and when to ask a doctor.
Irregular periods: what counts, common causes and what helpsIrregular periods explained: what counts as irregular, why cycles vary, common causes like PCOS, thyroid and perimenopause, and when to see a doctor.