School morning routine ideas to get kids out the door on time
School mornings can feel like a race against the clock, between getting kids up, fed, and dressed, it can be difficult getting out the door on time. If this sounds familiar, these school morning routine ideas will turn your mornings from stressful to calm.
If you’re ready to make school mornings easier, here are some school morning routine ideas that will help you, and your kids, wake up on time, get ready faster, and face the day head on.
If you also struggle with after school routines, here are some after school routine ideas that will help your evenings run more smoothly.
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Start the night before
Having evening routines that allow me to prepare for the school day, the night before, is a school morning routine idea I do every night.
Some things I do every night to set myself up for a less chaotic school morning, that you may also like to try include:
- Checking the weather forecast, and laying out seasonal appropriate school clothes
- Packing homework and school books into school bags
- Placing school bags at the front door
- Preparing school lunches, ready to pack into lunchboxes in the morning
- Putting school lunch items away as soon as they’re used, which also contributes towards a clean kitchen
- Checking school emails and my family calendar to see if it’s a PE day, dress up day, or a day where something special’s happening, to make sure I’m ready for it
- Getting myself and my kids into a consistent bedtime, so everyone wakes up refreshed and ready to get going
Get yourself ready first
Getting ready before your kids wake up, or if they’re early risers, getting ready while they’re having downtime, is another one of the school morning routine ideas I do.
Once I’m ready I start my kid’s school morning routine, which I find much easier once I’m ready.
Store items in one place
Storing everything you need for school mornings in one place means you only have to go to one area of your home to get everything you need for school.
You can do this by storing school shoes, school bags, coats, lunchboxes, water bottles, and anything else needed for school in one area of your home, such as near your front door, or on hooks behind a door, so you can grab everything you need quickly and easily.
Make a school routine chart
One of the reasons why routines are important, especially for kids, is because they let your kids know what to expect, as well as giving them some structure to their day.
Making a chart showing your kids what they need to do as part of their school routine, helps them to know what to expect from their morning, and also allows you to get on with any morning routines you have.
Here are some things you can include on your family’s school routine chart:
- Wake up
- Use the toilet
- Wash hands and face
- Make bed
- Eat breakfast
- Brush teeth
- Brush hair
- Get dressed
- Put shoes and coat on
- Get school bag
- Leave
Ticking items off their school routine chart is a great way to get kids motivated towards working through their list, which you can do by writing list items, or using pictures if your child can’t read, laminating the chart, and giving your kids a washable marker to use to tick each item off.
Keep breakfast simple
It may sound boring, but my kids eat the same breakfast every school morning, which means I don’t waste time thinking about what to make, and I can make them something quick, increasing the chances of getting out the door on time.
Some quick kid’s breakfast ideas include:
- Cereal
- Toast with cheese, nut butter, or jam
- Overnight oats
- Smoothies with hidden vegetables
- Pre made pancakes with berries
Use timers
Sometimes kids need a little push to get them going in the morning.
If your kids are like mine, a little bit of competition in the form of setting a timer and getting them to complete a school morning task as quickly as possible, may be just what you need to get them moving.
You can set a timer on your phone, or use a visual timer, which both turn their school routine into a fun game.
Store back up items in your car
Keeping back up items in your car prevents you from having to go back home if you’ve forgotten something on the way to school, and is also a great thing to do at the same time as you prepare for back to school.
For example, having extra jackets, spare school clothes, and after school snacks stored in your car, will come in handy if you get to school and discover your child’s not wearing a jumper, or the coat your child’s wearing is dirty.
Add on buffer time
Aim to leave for school 15 minutes earlier than you actually need to.
For example, if you need to leave for school at 8.15am, aim to be ready to leave at 8.00am so you won’t be late if someone needs a last minute toilet visit, a last minute uniform change, or time to do something they’ve forgotten.
My school morning routine
Here’s my school morning routine to give you some inspiration for your own.
6:30am I wake up and get ready
7:00am Both kids need to be downstairs
7:00am Breakfast for kids
7:15am I make school lunches and pack school bags
7:30am I eat breakfast
7:45am Wash hands and face, brush teeth and hair, get dressed
8:10am Shoes on
8:15am Out the door
School morning routine ideas – a recap
School mornings don’t have to be stressful, with the right school morning routine ideas, you can make mornings run more smoothly for the whole family.
From prepping the night before, creating a school routine chart, keeping breakfast simple, and using timers, these ideas will help you save time, get ready faster, and face the day with ease.
The more consistent you are, the easier your routines will become, and the less stress you’ll face first thing in the morning.
What’s the biggest challenge you face during school mornings?
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