Easy after school routine ideas for stress free evenings
When my kids started school, I thought they’d be so exhausted afterwards that the evenings would be easy, but boy was I wrong. I quickly learnt that without an after school routine, my evenings would be chaotic, instead of calm.
After school can mean kid’s bursting through the door, bags getting dumped on the floor, endless cries for snacks, and many, many homework struggles.
If this sounds like your home once school is finished, here are a few simple after school routines that will make your evenings calm, and predictable, as well as some information on why these routines are important, and how you can start them.
If you also struggle with school mornings, here are some school morning routines that will help you to get out the door in the mornings.
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Why after school routines are important
There are many reasons why routines are important, but for kids after school routines, and even kid’s morning routines, let them know what’s expected from them, and as a bonus help to keep us mums sane.
Here are some more reasons why these types of routines are important:
- Reduces meltdowns
- Ensures important tasks are done
- Teaches kids independence
- Helps kids develop good habits
- Encourages family connection
- Reduces evening chaos
- Provides a sense of control
How to start an after school routine for kids
The best way to start after school routines is to first identify what you want to accomplish in the hours between coming home from school and bedtime, and in what order you want to accomplish them.
For example, the main things I want to accomplish after school are getting homework done, getting dinner ready, and winding down for the day.
This means the first thing that gets done after school in my house is homework, then my boys get screentime while I cook dinner, and then after dinner we start the bedtime routine.
After school routine ideas
Here are some routine ideas that you can start in your home.
When choosing which routines to try, think about what your priorities after school are, then choose the routines that will help you achieve them.
After school snacks
Having an after school snack ready at the school gate, or as soon as you get home, is a school routine that I do every day.
Here are some school snack ideas:
- Cheese and crackers
- Fruit
- Mini muffins
- Trail mix
- Yoghurt
Limit after school activities
After a day of having to be on their best behaviour, your kids may want to relax once they get home.
This may mean limiting after school playdates, or after school activities, so your kids can have the relaxation time they need to ease into the evening.
Do something physical
If you decide to do an after school activity, doing something physical like going to the park, will help your kids burn off any energy they built up sitting in the classroom all day.
Complete homework at the same time
Doing homework at the same time each day will get your children into good homework habits.
If you want to try this after school routine, decide what time of day works best for your kids, whether it’s as soon as you get home, after a snack, or before bed, and make sure you stick to the same time every day.
Tips to make homework easier include:
- Having a dedicated homework area, like the kitchen table, and having a stock of stationery that can be used
- Setting a timer for 20 minute blocks with 5 minute breaks in between, if your child needs help to focus on their homework task
- Staying nearby so you can assist your kids with homework if they need it
School paperwork organisation
There’s a lot of school paperwork that has to be dealt with, including permission slips, raffle tickets, homework sheets, and much more.
Filing school paperwork away as soon as it enters your home, or making a note to deal with it at the end of the night, is a great after school routine to start.
I use this desktop paperwork holder to file school paperwork in my home, which I clear out each night by throwing out what’s not needed, and making notes in my calendar when to deal with anything date specific.
Have an early dinner
This is another routine that I do, which is to feed my kid’s dinner at 4.30pm, because they’re hungry at this time, and having them eat early means that I can get on with any evening routines we have in place to make evenings easier.
Plan the next day
This is my top after school routine for kid’s tip, and the one I love the most, which is to plan as much as possible to make the next day easier.
For me this includes:
- Laying out seasonal appropriate school clothes for the next day
- Placing packed school bags at the front door
- Cleaning out school lunchboxes, which also contributes towards a clean kitchen
- Preparing school lunches, ready to pack into lunchboxes in the morning
- Getting myself and my kids into a consistent bedtime, so everyone wakes up refreshed and ready to go in the morning
Have some downtime
Giving your kids downtime after school not only helps them to wind down from a hectic day, but also gives you a chance to get dinner ready.
Some downtime activities include:
- Baking
- Drawing
- Lego
- Playdough
- Playing outside
- Reading
- Screen time
- Sensory play
Get your kids involved
Getting your kids involved in after school routines can be achieved by using an after school routine chart, which shows them what needs to be done, by when.
Tasks that could be on your after school routine chart include:
- Getting changed
- Putting shoes away
- Washing hands
- Having a snack
- Doing homework
- Having downtime
- Eating dinner
- Brushing teeth
- Having a bath
- Getting ready for bed
Factor in family time
As well as downtime, having family time after school helps to develop family bonds.
Some family time activities you may like to do are:
- Dancing
- Doing a puzzle
- Going for a walk
- Making dinner
- Playing board games
- Playing cards
- Reading
- Watching a movie
After school routine ideas – a recap
The key to creating an after school routine is finding what works best for your family, and being consistent with it.
After school routines including snack time, downtime, completing homework, planning for the next day, or any other routine listed here, will make a world of difference when it comes to how chaotic your evenings get.
With these routines in place, you’ll start to notice calmer, more predictable evenings, allowing a much smoother transition from school time to bed time.
What does after school look like in your home?
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