Create a Personal Timeline

Historians study the lives of famous people — but did you know that your own life has a history too? Every important moment from the day you were born to right now is part of your personal story, and a timeline is the perfect tool to show it!

What is a personal timeline?

• A personal timeline is a timeline that shows important events from your own life in chronological order — from the day you were born to the present day.
• It is a visual way to see how much you have grown and changed over the years.
• Like all timelines, it is read from left to right, with birth (the earliest event) on the left.

Typical milestones on a personal timeline

• Birth — the very first event on any personal timeline. The year you were born goes here.
• First steps — usually around age 1. A big physical milestone in any child's life.
• First day of lessons — usually around age 5-6. The start of your learning journey.
• Learning to ride a bike — a common milestone that many children reach around age 4-7.
• Today (this year) — the most recent event, on the rightmost point.

How to make your personal timeline

1. Draw a horizontal line on your paper.
2. Mark the year you were born at the left end.
3. Add at least three more important events with their dates moving to the right.
4. Mark this year at the right end with "Today."
5. Draw an arrow at the right end to show that your story continues.

Why create a personal timeline?

• It helps you understand that your life, like history, has a sequence of events.
• It shows how much you have grown and changed since you were born.
• It connects you personally to the concept of chronological order.