Kids can have a hard time getting up in the morning. Maybe they’re still tired from yesterday’s activities, or maybe they’ve got a cold and sleeping has been a challenge. Following a morning routine for kids can help.
Knowing what they need to do in the morning creates a sense of safety and predictability for your child. And it just plain makes mornings feel better!
To help you create a simple, effective morning routine for your family, we’ve put together a sample sequence and tips for you to try. Giving intentional structure to your child’s morning can make the start of the day something you both look forward to!
Key Takeaways
- A morning routine is a simple order of tasks that helps your child get themselves ready for the day.
- A simple morning routine involves a calm wake-up, logistics like brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and activities to set intentional goals for the day.
- Some tips for a healthy morning routine include starting when your child is young, making a morning routine chart, and giving your child a voice in the process.
Table of Contents
What Is a Morning Routine?
Sometimes the morning can feel stressful with one hurried task after another. But what if you could experience it differently?
A morning routine is a simple list of tasks that helps your child get both their mind and body ready for the day. It can alleviate stress because no guessing is involved.
To create an effective and fun morning routine, identify your child’s “need-to” tasks: brushing their teeth, getting dressed, and having breakfast, for example. These will automatically be part of your routine.
But you don’t want to stop there. Equally important are the activities and moments that allow your child to relax, find security, and just feel good. Snuggling together. Listening to music. Having a conversation about the day ahead. These create the comfort of the routine.
Teaching your child how to take care of themselves helps create a foundation of mental and physical health. A morning routine also sets your child up for more advanced learning, like sequencing, time management, and problem-solving.
A Simple Morning Routine
It may be helpful to see an example of a morning routine, so here’s one version to explore. We’ve come up with 9 ideas, but you may want to do fewer, especially if your child is young and you want to avoid overwhelming them.
1) Wake Up
Choose a wake-up time that lets your child do their tasks without feeling rushed. If your child is an early-bird, maybe put a stack of books next to their bed or a few stuffed animals nearby.
If you’re doing the wake-up call, see if you can add a few minutes for snuggling before your child has to get out of bed. You can lie quietly together, or you can talk about what exciting experiences the day holds.
2) Settle into the Morning
Try easing your child into the day with an activity that focuses their mind and calms their body, like stretching, yoga, or meditation. Your child may have a busy day ahead, with daycare or school or other activities, and a mindfulness practice can help them be present from the start.
3) Use the Bathroom
Establishing good hygiene habits is critical for your child’s overall health. They’ll need to use the toilet (or at least try) and brush their teeth. Depending on how independent your child is, you may need to help with one or both tasks.
4) Get Dressed & Brush Hair
Picking out clothes the night before can help make the morning run smoothly. It’s easier and quicker to get dressed if your child knows exactly what they’re wearing.
If your child needs their hair done (brushed and put in barrettes, for example), it’s easier to do it after their shirt is slipped over their head.
5) Eat Breakfast
What’s your child doing while you’re making breakfast? It’s a good idea to have a few activities ready to go.
You might want to keep a basket of books in the kitchen or a bin of paper and crayons. You could play music, and they can do a dance show! Depending on your child’s age, this might also be a great time to begin teaching them how to prepare a meal.
Try to leave enough time to sit with your child as they eat their breakfast. This small action fosters a positive relationship with food.
What if your child rejects the food you give them? (Even though they may have loved it yesterday?) Try not to get into a struggle over it. You don’t want to start the day on the wrong foot.
But you do want your child to be nourished for the day, so maybe you can negotiate a few bites or offer an easy substitution, like yogurt.
6) Gather Items for the Day
This step is as much for you as your child. It’s so easy to forget what they need for the day! Things like:
- Lunchbox
- Snacks
- Extra clothes
- Permission slips
- Books/notebooks
Designate a spot to keep everything your child needs for school, maybe in a basket or on a shelf by your front door.
7) Read or Play
Finding a window of time for play or reading a book gives your child a final moment to slow down right before the busyness of the day. It also boosts your child’s emotional regulation and gives the two of you together time.
8) Put on Outerwear
Now, it’s back to logistics! Help your child put on their shoes and coat, and whatever other weather-specific clothing and gear they need.
Help support your child’s independence by putting a chart up on your door with pictures of the different pieces of clothing your child needs.
9) Share Positive Thoughts for the Day
Finally, punctuate the whole morning routine with a positive thought for the day. You and your child can each name something you feel grateful for, or you could create a fun back-and-forth of wishing each other a good day.
Using this transition time intentionally builds your child’s confidence and self-esteem, and promotes good mental health, too.
And now you’re both ready to start the day!
Helpful Tips for a Healthy Morning Routine
Start from a Young Age
The best time to start a morning routine is now! No matter what age your child is, they can benefit from predictability at the start of their day.
But starting as young as possible gives your child a sense of security they’ll carry with them as they get older and more independent. And once they’re familiar with the idea of a routine, it’s easier to modify it as they grow.
Begin the Night Before
A good day really begins the night before. Making sure you have a solid bedtime routine in place will help your child wake up excited to dive into their morning routine.
A great addition to your bedtime routine is going over the morning one. Then ask your child to repeat it back to you!
Make a Morning Routine Chart
If your child is a visual learner, creating a chart can help keep you on track. A picture checklist works well if your child hasn’t learned to read yet. (Or give the chart double duty as a literacy tool, and label the pictures for vocabulary practice!)
Keep the Routine Consistent
The security of a calm, consistent morning routine primes your child’s brain for focused learning. It also builds life skills like time management and staying organized.
And when someone else stays with your child, like their grandparents, for example, the predictability of the routine will give them a sense of familiarity and comfort.
Communicate with Your Child
Make sure your child feels like they’re in the loop. Have some initial conversations about the routine. Give your child time to ask questions, and once the routine is up and running, check in with them to see how they think it’s going.
Offer Choices
Work together with your child to come up with some of the tasks you’ll include in your morning routine. Later, give your child the chance to offer new ideas. If your child feels ownership of the routine, they’re more likely to follow it.
Make Mornings Fun with Begin!
We hope our morning routine suggestions sparked some ideas of your own. Waking up to a reliable routine can change your child’s whole perspective on the day ahead. They can step out the door and into the world feeling a little more focused and a lot more confident!
Begin’s award-winning programs can contribute to all that learning and growing. We’d love to become a part of your child’s routine!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I motivate my child to stick with the morning routine?
Try to make the morning routine a team effort. Plan it together, be open to your child’s suggestions, and actively participate in the tasks.
Use games as a distraction, like challenging your child to get dressed as fast as they can or playing “I Spy” at the breakfast table. And be sure to praise your child’s effort when you see them doing their tasks.
Should our weekend morning routine be the same as the weekday one?
Some things change on the weekend, like no school, more family projects, or excursions. Take those into account and don’t force all of the components of your weekday routine into your weekend mornings.
But try to stick to as much of the routine as possible. For example, see if you can do tasks in the same order, even though they may fall at different times.
What can I do to make the mornings less stressful?
The best thing you can do is to remain as calm as possible. Model the behavior you want your child to adopt.
