A simple morning routine checklist for kids for stress free mornings
For many of us, mornings are the most stressful time of day, especially when we have kids that need to get out the door on time. However, there’s a way to make mornings less stressful, and that’s by having a morning routine checklist.
If you want to make mornings less stressful, here’s everything you need to know about starting a morning routine for kids.
This article will cover why routines for kids are important, ideas for things to add to your kid’s morning routine checklist, and some helpful tips on how to make a morning routine work for your family.
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Why morning routines for kids matter
The benefits of routines for kids include:
- They provide predictability – kids thrive on knowing what’s next, they don’t like being surprised, or caught off guard
- Morning routines encourage independence, by giving kids ownership over tasks
- Routines save time
- After school routines can help create smoother evenings
- They set the tone for the day
Morning routine checklist ideas
Here are some ideas that you can pick and choose from to add to your kid’s morning routine.
I’ve created my morning routine checklist using this routine chart, which I’ve placed on my fridge, so my kids can refer to it each morning, and tick off what they’ve done.
You can also use a routine chart pad, or write your morning routine on a large piece of paper, or whiteboard.
Make the bed
Making the bed is something I love doing, as it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something before the day starts.
It’s also a great habit to get your kids into, as it helps to keep their room tidy.
Get dressed
Something I do every night to make this easier is lay out my kid’s clothing for the next day, so all they have to do is put it on in the morning.
Brush teeth
Getting your kids to brush their teeth can be a battle, it is in my house at least!
However, brushing teeth is something that has to be done, so some ways to make it fun for kids is to use a kid’s electric toothbrush, which is what my boys use, or a character toothbrush.
You can even use fun toothbrush apps that turn teeth brushing into a game, so your children actually want to brush their teeth.
Brush hair
Another item to add to your morning is getting your kids to brush their hair, which can be hard if you have a child with long hair.
One way to make this morning routine checklist item easier is to keep hair accessories, brushes, and sprays in one location, so you’re not adding the stress of finding what you need to this task.
Additionally, hairstyles like ponytails, plaits, or a messy bun may help make mornings less stressful.
Eat breakfast
Breakfast is important, but this doesn’t mean that you have to add extra pressure on yourself to make your breakfasts the best ones ever.
Something you can do to make your kids morning routine easier is to keep breakfasts super simple during the week.
For me, this means giving my boys the same cereal every morning, because I know they’ll eat it.
Some easy breakfasts you can try include:
- Hard boiled or scrambled eggs with toast
- Yogurt and fruit
- Oatmeal
- Pre made pancakes or waffles
- Smoothies
Pack school bags
To make school mornings run smoother, items such as homework, reading books, and permission slips can be packed into your kid’s school bags the night before.
You can also prepare your kid’s lunch the night before, pack it in their lunchboxes, then place the lunchbox in the fridge, ready to put in your kid’s school bag in the morning.
Put shoes and coats on
Nothing makes mornings more stressful than not being able to find school shoes, just before you need to head out the door.
Have a dedicated area for shoes near your front door, like this shoe cabinet, that allows you to store everyone’s shoes together, so they’re easy to find.
Quick chores
If there are any chores that need to get done in the morning then adding them to your family’s morning routine is a great idea.
Some quick chores include:
- Clearing the table after breakfast
- Feeding pets
- Unloading the dishwasher
- Watering plants
Tips for making a kid’s morning routine work
Some tips for making your kid’s morning routine work are:
- Keep it simple – don’t include too many steps.
- Make it fun, using a visual morning routine checklist is one way to achieve this.
- Use timers.
- Celebrate small wins with things like dance days, or by cooking a family favourite meal.
- Transitioning between tasks can be difficult for kids, so give 5 minute warnings before a task has to be completed.
- Build in buffer time, aim to be ready to leave 10 minutes before you have to, to allow room for anything unexpected.
- Be flexible, sometimes you won’t be able to follow your morning routine and that’s okay.
Morning routine checklist – a recap
A morning routine checklist for kids sets your family up for calmer mornings, and helps to teach your kids responsibility, independence, and confidence, whilst also saving you from last minute chaos like missing shoes, forgotten homework, or skipped breakfasts.
When done daily, checklist items like making the bed, brushing teeth and hair, getting dressed, and eating breakfast, allow your kids to do these tasks independently overtime.
When it comes to starting a morning routine for kids, remember to be flexible. If your children have had a rough start to the day, have slept in, or something unexpected has happened, it’s okay to let go of your checklist for that day.
Small adjustments like preparing the night before, and providing warnings before the next step in a routine can make a huge difference to your family’s mornings.
When you approach mornings with a clear plan, flexibility, and some fun, you’ll discover that stress free mornings are possible.
What would a stress free morning look like in your house?
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