How to craft the perfect morning routine for school

Lunch, homework, PE kit, two matching socks … it’s no wonder getting kids ready for school in the morning can be hectic. Getting everyone out of the door on time, with everything they need can sometimes feel like running a marathon. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Crafting a smooth morning routine for kids is easier than you might think with a bit of planning and some handy tricks up your sleeve.

A good morning routine for kids begins the night before

Packing bags, making lunches and finishing off homework the night before will not only halve the stress of the following morning, but it will help encourage kids to think carefully about what they need (rather than stuffing it in at the last minute), and they will begin to learn the importance of thinking ahead. Getting kids ready for school in the morning will be smoother than ever, and that gym kit will be much more likely to find its way to school on the right days.

A good night’s sleep will have the kids ready and raring to go in the morning, so encourage early bed times and introduce a ‘no blue light’ zone in the bedroom by swapping phones and tablets for books instead.

Have a pictorial, easy-to-follow to-do list

Make the daily morning routine for school fun with an illustrated to-do list for younger children. Give them a chart with a picture of a toothbrush, for example, to remind them that they have to brush their teeth every morning. When they master the routine and feel proud of themselves, shower them with lots of support and praise.

Make food easy

It’s amazing how much of the morning routine for school can be taken up by food preparation. Save time by preparing breakfast the night before, such as chia seed pudding or soaked porridge oats with fruit. Or even better, have a fun family cooking session at the weekend and make some healthy breakfast bars – they’re super quick to grab on busy mornings.

Split getting ready for school responsibilities

Working as a team when getting the kids ready for school in the morning can take your routine from shambles to ship-shape. Split tasks between everyone in your household: while you are preparing breakfast, your partner can be waking the kids up and older siblings can help younger ones get dressed.

Let them learn from their own mistakes

If your kids forget their schoolbags every morning, resist reminding them every time. It may feel counterproductive, but letting them learn from their own mistakes will help them to become more self-reliant and less forgetful. Sometimes less is more!

Finding a daily morning routine for school that works for your household can take some time. But if you prepare as much as you can in advance, work together as a team and occasionally letting your kids learn from their mistakes, you can take the stress out of mornings.