The morning is the beginning of a new day and can set the tone for what’s to come. But, as every parent knows, it’s not always easy to get your kids up and out the door with a smile! A positive, organized morning routine for school days can help.
In this article, we’ll share several tips for creating a morning routine that works for your family. Just remember that what’s included in the morning ritual and what time you get rolling will depend on your family’s preferences, habits, and needs.
Take the following tips and make them work for you!
Your Child’s Morning Routine For School: 11 Tips
1) Prep The Night Before
In more ways than one, a good morning starts the night before. You and your child can do a bit of prep before bed to make the morning routine for school that much simpler.
What Your Child Can Do
Depending on your child’s age, they can get ready for the next day by double-checking that their homework is completed and their backpack is packed, zipped, and ready to roll.
Choosing the perfect outfit for the next day is also a good idea and checks one more thing off the to-do list for the morning. If your child is old enough to pick out their own outfit, it’s a great way to give them some ownership over their day.
What You Can Do
What can you do the night before? Simplify the next day’s morning routine by packing lunches ahead of time. Depending on what your family typically eats for breakfast, prepping what you can the night before relieves some morning stress and hurry, too.
And, if you have younger kids, you may want to get in the habit of checking their packed backpack to make sure it has everything they need.
Outdoor Necessities
There are a few aspects of the morning routine for school that you just can’t control — the weather is one of them.
It’s a good idea to organize your family’s outdoor clothing and accessories in one easily accessible place. That way, it’s easy to grab layers or other items at the last minute as the weather requires.
For example, if you open the door and see that it’s started to rain, you want your child’s trusty umbrella to be ready and waiting rather than hiding somewhere upstairs!
2) Prioritize A Good Night Of Sleep
A solid night of sleep is fundamental for a good day! This means putting your child to bed on time so they can get the rest they need.
Start by creating a conducive sleep environment to foster this much-needed rest. What might that look like? Turn the lights low before bedtime, opt for books instead of screens, choose calming activities at night, and stick to an established routine.
Keeping your child on a regular schedule can help build good sleep habits over time. And that means going to bed and waking up around the same time every day.
3) Wake Up On Time
Waking up on time is essential for both you and your child, but, of course, it’s easier said than done.
We recommend giving yourself some time in the mornings before your child’s feet hit the ground. Even just a few minutes of quiet to take a deep breath can help you mentally prepare for the day.
That said, some kids are early risers and always seem to beat you to it! If that’s the case and your child often wakes up long before they need to, have some activities ready that they can do while you take care of your morning needs.
If possible, opt for educational activities (consider the HOMER Learn & Grow app) to wake up their mind and get them ready for their day.
If your child is a sleeping beauty, on the other hand, go into their room to gently wake them at the right time, or rely on a fun, age-appropriate alarm clock.
For oversleepers who can’t seem to get out of bed, create a wake-up pattern. For example, give them three wake-up calls, and if they’re not up by the fourth, it’s time for a tickle war. To encourage a happy morning, make this routine something playful, not something to fight over.
4) Establish First Morning Steps
Help your child learn and get in the habit of the must-do morning steps, such as brushing their teeth, washing their face and hands, combing their hair, and the like.
How can you keep it interesting and successful? Make the necessities easy to remember with a chant or song. Or motivate your child by setting a timer and challenging them to do all of their personal care activities in five minutes.
5) Check Off The Necessities
Make sure everything gets done by creating an engaging checklist for the daily morning routine for school. For a kid-friendly aesthetic, add colors, stickers, and pictures. You may also want to make the list reusable with magnets on the fridge, clothespins on paper, or a dry erase board.
You might put this type of checklist in the bathroom for their first morning steps or in the kitchen for the final steps before leaving the house.
Depending on your family’s routine, your child’s age, and their needs, these checklists might include the following tasks:
- Brush your teeth
- Comb your hair
- Wash your face
- Go potty
- Make your bed
- Get dressed
- Take your vitamins
- Put your on shoes
- Put your lunch in your backpack
If your child can’t read yet, you might consider using illustrations for each item on the checklist, either by drawing them yourself or printing them off the internet.
6) Have A Relaxed Breakfast
Having a healthy breakfast is an essential part of the morning routine for school. But it’s not only what your child eats that matters — it’s also how they eat! Set the tone for the day by allowing enough time for a relaxed breakfast.
This goes for you as well as your child!
7) Start With Success And Affirmations
A child-friendly, successful morning routine for school is about more than just getting organized and out the door on time. To help your child start the day on a positive note, we recommend two things:
- Include an easy task in their morning routine.
- Send them off for the day with positive words.
Their easy morning task could be something like unloading the dishwasher, putting their pajamas in the clothes hamper, or feeding the dog.
Make sure the task is age-appropriate and ensures success. This small accomplishment can help create an “I did it!” moment and start your child’s day on the right foot.
When it comes to positive words, it may be as simple as singing a fun song, telling your child something you appreciate about them, or both of you saying one thing you are thankful for or looking forward to about the day.
8) Give Yourself Extra Time
Setbacks are inevitable. Plan for the unexpected by giving yourself and your child extra time.
Building a few spare minutes into your child’s morning routine can ease some of your stress and make any unexpected events less of an issue.
9) Gather Your Own Necessities
We’ve talked a lot about gathering everything that your child needs for the day, but it’s equally important that you have what you need. After all, if you don’t have the car keys, you and your family aren’t going anywhere!
Create your own mental checklist, or consider getting your older child involved by letting them read a physical checklist out loud to you. Keys, wallet, phone? Check, check, check!
10) Create A Phrase To Double-Check
Even with the most organized morning routine for school, it’s not unusual for something to get left behind upstairs or on the kitchen counter.
Create a fun phrase with your child that will help them do one final check (for their backpack, lunch, and coat, for example) as they walk out the door.
For example, you might say, “Ready for take-off?” and have your child respond with, “backpack, lunch, hat that is that! All set!” once they’ve done their final check.
11) Be Patient
The final tip we want to mention is this: Be patient! Even with the best morning routine, sometimes mornings are hard, chaotic, and stressful.
Just remember that the morning attitude can color the whole day. Have patience with your child and yourself so that the day begins the way you and your children want — with smiles, hugs, and love no matter what happens.
Here’s To A Successful Morning Routine For School!
Mornings are hectic sometimes, but you can foster success by creating a child-friendly morning routine for school days. The tips we mentioned in this article will not only help you get your child up and out the door but also create a positive environment for both of you.
If your child is an early riser, consider setting them up with the educational HOMER Learn & Grow app while you calmly get ready for the day.
And no matter what your family’s morning routine looks like or what challenges come your way, be patient and roll with the punches. Your positive attitude in the morning can help your child have a fantastic day!
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