Do you have the best morning routine for kids? How are your mornings going?
If you are like most of us parents out there you will have some struggles with your kids getting ready in the mornings.
As we all know, mornings aren’t always sunshine and rainbows and all that’s sweet and nice. We all have our ups and downs just as our kids do. And some of us just aren’t morning people and that can go for our kids as well.
We will share some great ideas to help you start a great morning routine whether you have small children to a school-aged child.
There are 15 steps to create the best morning routine for kids.
1. List out tasks your children need to do for a successful morning routine.
Think about the tasks that your child needs to do in the morning. If you have multiple kids, then do this for each one. Different-aged kids will need different tasks or maybe just a shorter version till they are older.
Some kids may have specific things they need to do each morning, unlike others. Make a list of those tasks. Put the most important ones towards the top and ones that could be brushed off if lack of time towards the bottom.
Hopefully, all tasks can be completed each morning but if you have an extra task like putting your pajamas in a hamper, making your bed, or doing a chore, those could be put at the end of the routine list.
- The list should include items like eating a healthy breakfast, brush teeth, getting dressed, and so on.
2. Advance morning Preparation.
Consider adding tasks to your child’s bedtime routine that can be done the night before, which may help in organizing your morning routine. Check out my blog on bedtime routines for kids for more information.
Preparing lunches the night before can save time and make your mornings less stressful. If your child takes lunch to school every day, you could even prepare lunch items on the weekends for the upcoming week.
Encourage your child to choose their snack and put it in their backpack the night before or have it ready in the refrigerator. If they take a water bottle, they can fill it up the night before and store it in the refrigerator to keep it cold or in their backpack.
It’s a good idea to have your children choose their outfits the night before or even for the entire week ahead. An excellent tip is to use a hang-up shoe holder with labeled slots for each day of the week. This way, your child can easily pick out their underwear, socks, shirts, pants/shorts, and shoes and keep them organized for each day. It saves time and ensures that they are ready for the day ahead. My kids loved doing this and it helped us out tremendously.
3. Make a morning chart for your kids.
You can create a chart yourself or purchase one that is customizable. For toddlers, it is best to include pictures of the tasks they need to complete. For preschoolers and older children, I recommend having the tasks written out in addition to the pictures. School-aged children who are capable of reading well will only need the tasks to be printed out.
4. Prepare the routine checklist chart.
To ensure that the chart remains durable and can be reused, I recommend you laminate it. You can either use a laminator or purchase self-laminating sheets. Alternatively, you can insert the paper into a plastic see-through slipcover. By doing so, the chart can withstand spills and can be written on with a dry-erase marker.
5. Find the best location for the morning chart.
Find the most suitable location in the house to place the chart. You can punch holes in the chart and hang it from a doorknob, tape it to a mirror, or attach a magnet to it and place it on the refrigerator. Choose a place that your child can easily access and see. My kids preferred having it on the doorknob in their bedroom. This way, they could refer to it and follow the tasks once they got up from bed, and it could go with them as they completed their tasks.
6. Give your morning routine a trial run.
It is recommended to test run or trial the best morning routine for kids for at least several weeks before a major event, such as going to daycare or school. The first morning may not go well, so it’s important to have enough time to try it out and get it going smoothly.
During this period, your child may even have a few tantrums or refusals to perform the tasks. This gives you the time to figure out why your child is having a hard time or refusing to do the tasks. Depending on your child’s age and skill level, you may need to start slowly with only three tasks in the morning and gradually increase them.
7. Time your child how long it takes to complete the new routine.
During your trial runs of the school morning routine, you can time them to get a good estimate of how long it takes to complete everything. From that point, you can add a little time for a buffer to ensure good results.
8. Plan your child’s bedtime and wake-up time for enough sleep and best results for school mornings.
With the knowledge you just figured out, set your child’s bedtime and what time they need to wake up. Make sure that you use some type of alarm or wake-up device.
For younger children, the wake-up device will usually be the parent. As they get older you can use devices like a light timer that will turn on a light in their bedroom. That will help give them an idea that it is time to get up. So when the parent wakes them it gives an extra signal that it is morning time especially when it is still dark outside.
An alarm clock or a phone alarm can work as long as it is set every night. However, parents should also assist in checking that it is set each night. It’s not advisable to rely solely on your child waking up on their own, especially if they are young. Parents should also check to ensure that their child wakes up on time and has enough time to get ready. As the child grows older, they will be more competent at waking up on their own in the mornings.
9. Be consistent in doing the new morning routine.
When teaching your child to follow a routine or schedule, consistency is key. Even if your child only attends preschool or daycare a few days a week, it’s important to maintain a morning routine with them throughout the week. Inconsistency can lead to confusion and disrupt their daily routine. While the tasks may vary slightly on days at home when they don’t need to grab their backpack, snack, or water bottle, maintaining a consistent schedule will help your child develop good habits.
During the weekends, it’s okay to let your children follow a relaxed and modified version of their regular schedule. For instance, they can stay up late watching a family movie, and they can sleep in a little longer. It’s alright to be flexible on weekends as we all need a break. However, from Monday to Friday, they should follow a consistent schedule. I even believe that children should maintain a morning routine during the summer weekdays.
10. Be patient during morning routines.
I understand that it can be challenging to handle your kids while introducing a new schedule. It may be difficult, especially if your child is nervous about going to daycare or school. However, you can make it easier by showing them what they need to do, helping them, and providing positive feedback.
As your child grows older and becomes more independent, they will need less of your assistance. Encourage them to do things on their own and praise them for their achievements. Time management skills take time to learn but they can be very successful when they can figure it out and will help in their academic success as well.
11. Be positive with your kids and start a calm morning routine.
When it comes to getting your kids ready in the morning, it’s important to avoid yelling, raising your voice, nagging, or complaining. Mornings can be tough, especially if you or your child are not morning people. Instead, try to encourage your child to do things on their own and praise them for their accomplishments. This will help them start their day off on the right foot and feel confident and capable.
Start the morning off in a positive manner by telling them good morning, giving them that needed hug, snuggle, tickle, back rub, and/or hug. Let them know you love them by showing it and saying it to them.
12. What to do with extra time after your child’s routine is completed.
A great incentive for children can be free time to do what they want. Most kids will try and complete all tasks so that they can enjoy some free time in the morning.
It’s a good idea to inform your children about the benefits of completing their daily routine quickly. Knowing the options available to them once they have finished their morning tasks might motivate them to complete them faster. If your children enjoy reading, reading time could be a great way to spend the extra time. Alternatively, they could watch cartoons, draw, color, play with toys, or cuddle and play with a pet. This can be a positive reinforcement for young kids.
However, they must finish all tasks and have everything they need for school before they start their free time.
13. Walk out the door list.
This step will help your child prepare for daycare or school. Start by making a list of all the items they need for school and print it out. Pictures of items they need to take to school will help younger kids who can’t read. Then, post the list on the door they use to leave the house. Before leaving, they should check the list to make sure they have everything they need. If they can read or understand the list, they won’t need you to remind them constantly. Initially, you may need to remind them to check the list, but soon it will become a habit. This is a win-win situation for both you and your child.
The list for young children should include pictures of the items they need to take to daycare or school, whereas older kids only require a simple list of items.
It’s a good idea to prepare a list of items that your child might need to take with them to school, such as a backpack, snack, water bottle, lunch, homework, books, and jacket if required. As your child grows older, they may need to bring other items like instruments, glasses, or athletic clothes.
To help your whole family start their day with a positive attitude, consider adding a positive note or a daily quote to the door. This can help set them up for a good day ahead.
14. Goodbye positive affirmation
The most important thing before your child walks out the door is for you to hug them and say at least one positive thing about them. Such as: “Oh, I love that color on you, you look so handsome.” “Wow you are such a sweet daughter/son”, “I love how you fixed your hair today”, “I saw you helping your little brother with a task this morning and it made me feel so happy and proud of you”, or just tell them you love them.
Sending your children off to school or daycare with a positive goodbye, such as “I love you,” can make a difference in their day.
15. Make sure that you as a parent, have a good morning routine.
As a parent, it’s important to establish a good morning routine for your children. However, before you do that, it’s crucial to create a good morning routine for yourself first.
If you wake up late every morning and are always in a rush to get ready, you won’t have enough time to help your children. This will result in a chaotic morning for everyone involved. Therefore, ensure that you are prepared to help your children succeed by getting yourself organized beforehand.
Whether you wake up half an hour earlier to enjoy a cup of coffee or an hour or two early to shower and get ready before your kids wake up. It’s up to you as a parent to be prepared and have a good start for the day to help meet your family’s needs.
If you can follow these 15 steps to create the best morning routine for kids, you and your family will have a happier day, week, month, year, and beyond.
It’s easy to follow a routine once everyone gets used to it. You can incentivize or impose consequences as needed to ensure consistency. For instance, if your child does an excellent job with their morning routine all week, you can celebrate by doing something fun together or going out for a sweet treat over the weekend.
If your child is having difficulty following their routine, you should figure out why and take appropriate measures to ensure that they follow through. This could include taking away video games, TV time, or whatever else works for your child.
Starting the day with a good morning routine can help each family member have a great start to their day.
When is the right time to start a morning routine with your child?
I recommend starting a morning routine with your baby, though it may not be a fixed schedule as babies are not always predictable. However, you can establish a common morning schedule. When your child reaches the toddler stage, you can begin with a chart that includes pictures and help them learn the routine.
Starting a morning routine is crucial for kids attending daycare, preschool, or Kindergarten.
If your child tends to be grumpy in the mornings, it could be due to insufficient or poor-quality sleep. Kids need to get a good night’s sleep. For additional tips, you might find it helpful to check out my blog on how to help your child sleep well.
It can significantly improve the home environment when every member of the family is doing their part and leaving on time. This not only establishes a positive tone for the day but also eliminates the need for parents to nag or yell.
Morning, after-school, and bedtime routines can go hand in hand with being prepared for school.
Good luck with your morning routines and have a little fun with your kids in the morning to start their day off great.