Here's how to put into place a flexible after school routine that allows your kids some time to wind down after a big day at school before moving into all of the after school work and activities that follow. I'll walk you through the process we used when my kid were in elementary school, and I think if you give it a try at your house- you'll find that using family routines is a great way to get organized!
The First Step in our After School Routine: Arriving Home
After the kids have charged off of the bus and blurted out the 15 things each that they couldn't wait to share with me, we all hop into the car for the quick drive back up our long driveway. This can feel like a crazy time of day- everyone is loud, everyone is (usually) happy, some are hungry, and some are pretty tired and worn out.
I try to herd everyone into the house, and allow them a few moments to drop their backpacks on the floor, grab a snack, and just chill out for a few minutes. My friend Lisa calls this time “snack and chat”- it's a time for the kids to re-fuel and talk a little bit about their day.
Unpacking Backpacks
Once they've had a moment to relax a little, I will remind them to get their backpacks and start the unloading process. That's really the “kick-off” of our after school routine!
In the past I used to try to get them to do this as soon as we walked in the door, before they had their snack, but I learned that they weren't ready to be helpful yet- they had worked hard to follow rules all day long and they need those few moments of winding down before they can really listen.
My kids pull out their lunch bags and snack bags out of their backpacks, and put them on the kitchen counter near the sink, and then rinse them out their lunch containers and load them into the dishwasher.
All folders and paperwork go on another section of the kitchen counter (so they don't risk getting wet next to the sink), and then backpacks get hung up on a backpack stand This is an affiliate link: MomOf6 earns a commission if you purchase, at no additional cost to you. that I keep next to our kitchen. (I used to keep the kids backpacks on hooks in their coat closet, but I found that it is easier on all of us if the backpacks stay near the kitchen, and I save the closet hooks for their current in-season coat or jacket.)
Dealing With the School Paperwork
As they are unloading, I first focus on going through each child's paperwork, which they have placed in my school papers inbox This is an affiliate link: MomOf6 earns a commission if you purchase, at no additional cost to you. . We will look through all of the paperwork together that comes home and we take care of the “filing” as we go through it.
If it is school work that they completed at school, we will review it quickly together, and then it goes into my “temporary holding bin” which is on the kitchen counter. (A little Mom-inside information on this bin. I think of this as a stepping stone to the recycling bin. I generally toss school papers into the basket for a week or so, and then empty the basket into the recycling bin once I know that the paperwork is truly no longer needed.)
If it is a permission slip that needs to be returned to school- it gets signed immediately and placed back into the child's folder to go back to school.
If it is a reminder notice or a flyer for an upcoming event- I immediately note it in either my monthly calendar of my weekly planner.
If I need to keep the notice for the details it contains (directions, etc), then it goes on a clip on my blackboard in the kitchen- filed according to date- so the item on top is the item that is occurring first. If I do not need to retain the notice, then it goes into my “paper basket” too.
If it is a truly special piece of artwork or a really great writing piece that my child did, then I hang it up on the refrigerator for everyone to admire!
And if it is a homework assignment that we need to complete, it is placed on top of their school folder, and stays on the kitchen counter.
Or if we are headed out to an after-school activity for one of the other children, it might get placed on a clipboard so he or she can work on it while the sibling is doing their activity. But the folder stays on the counter, as a reminder to me and my child that we cannot pack it up in the backpack yet.
If no homework needs to go back to school, the school folder is placed back into the backpack for the next day.
For us, this part of the after school routine can take around 15-20 minutes in total to go through each child's folder with them. For my older children who also use planners at school to record their homework assignments, we will review the planner at this time, and talk about how he or she will complete everything that needs to get done that afternoon.
Time for Homework
At this point (unless we are heading right back out the door), some of my children prefer to sit down at the kitchen table and just get all of their homework done.
I make sure that I stay in the kitchen too so that I am available to help them along, and review their work. But some of my children would rather play for awhile first, and I think that is perfectly fine too- as long as that child and I have agreed upon a time when they will come back to and work on their homework.
Getting Ready for An After School Activity
I want the kids to be as self-sufficient as possible when it comes to getting ready for whatever after school activity we have planned next. So I have set up “kits” ( plastic bins This is an affiliate link: MomOf6 earns a commission if you purchase, at no additional cost to you. ) for each activity for each child.
These bins are stacked up in the kids' coat closet, and it is easy for them to pull them out and start getting themselves dressed and ready to go.
And actually, many days I will pull out these kits and add water bottles to them so they are waiting for the kids once they arrive.
The key to making this kit system work is to make sure that the plastic bins get re-loaded with the gear once the kids return, and the clean uniforms are returned to the kits after they have been washed.
Once you create an after school routine for kids, try these routines that have also worked for our family:
- How to Create a Morning Routine for Kids
- How to Create an Night Time Routine for Kids
- How to Create an Evening Routine for Moms
Looking for the best family calendars, planners, to-do lists, and goal setting tools?
- Best Family Calendars – whether you prefer electronic, paper, or wall calendar- these are the best ones of the year!
- Best Planners for Moms – a family calendar can help you organize your schedule and your time- but a planner can help to make sure that you are giving your life purpose!
- 15 Perfect Paper to Do Lists for Busy Moms- pretty paper lists to guide you as you get it all done!
Here are some great ideas on how to organize your home!
- 15 Fantastic Command Centers to Help Busy Moms Stay Organized
- 20 Organized Kids Bedroom Ideas
- 10 Organized Laundry Room Ideas
- 12 Ideas for Entryway & Mudroom Organization
Are you ready to get your life organized? Register for Busy Moms Boot Camp!
It's a free series of 10 weekly emails that can help you put some organization back in your life and help you to create room for all of those things that you'd like to be doing- whether that's making time to celebrate the little things with your family or carving out some space for yourself. Busy Moms Boot Camp can help you to move from chaos to organized! Simply sign up below to get started!
I would love to hear some of your ideas on how you handle the after school routine!
Adelaida says
Keep on working, great job!
genus Mitchella (Beryl)
Rachael says
Thank you so much for all the great tips!!! I really love the idea of putting the dates down right away in planner and calendar. Also keeping the papers if needed for activity in date order. Definitely adding this to my routine this year! Blessings to you and your family.
Heather says
Can you post a picture of your activity kits?
Sharon says
Hi Heather! I talk about them here in this post that I wrote over on OrgJunkie: http://orgjunkie.com/2013/10/organize-kids-coat-closet-day-19.html. Hope that answers your question!
Lori@Mothering-Matters says
Sounds like my house! Ae you sure we are not related? 🙂 the only difference . . My kids all come home at different times. Last year we had 5 kids in 5 schools, but this year it’s only 4 schools, AND my oldest is driving now, so that frees up an hour in my afternoons to help the younger kids, get dinner ready, etc!
Thanks for sharing.
I like your black board. I have a similar area on the wall with a calendar, papers and whiteboard . . By its not as nicely organized as yours! I might have to make it look nicer after seeing yours!
Sharon says
Hi Lori!
We must be related organization-ally! 5 kids in 5 schools? That might make me insane…. you really do need to be super-organized to keep all of those schedules straight!
Lori@Mothering Matters says
Yes – all my moms who homeschool tell me “Lori – why don’t you homeschool? It would be much easier than dealing with your schedule and all those teachers!” Last year – i would have agreed – especially with our morning and afternoon schedules. The morning schedule stunk – as we had kids getting on the bus at 7:20 and later – but the latest bus didn’t come till 8:45! It dragged out my mornings and I felt like I got nothing done from 6:30 till 9am other than drag kids out of bed and get them out the door. This year will be much better – with everyone out the door around the same time! YAY! And in the afternoon – like I said, i will gain an extra hour not having to go pick up my son from school! 🙂
As for being organized – my hubby laughed one time when I told him my church’s MOPS group had invited me to speak on organization. I think he was comparing me to my sister who is almost OCD organized! 🙂 I’m organized in a chaotic kind of way sometimes. I tend to be a “piler” vs a “filer” (I’m very visual! If I file things away – I can end up losing them) – but I am learning how to file more (and purger more) and maintain my “piles” in a more pleasing way. . . . then realize that not everyone is the same – and it’s ok for me to naturally be a piler vs a filer. It’s funny -because I never thought of myself as organized (living with with the queen bee of organization growing up) – but I find that having so many kids – you do it to survive and stay sane! 🙂
Erica Filpi says
After school routine in our house includes computer time. My daughter gets off the bus, we jump into the car and drive back to her school to grab her brothers (Tae doesn’t want to stop riding her bus, and since the bus drives by my house anyway I allow it, however we live too close to the school for the boys to take a bus so they are walkers). We grab the boys, and drive back home. The four of us attempt to get in the house without the dogs escaping *L*.
From 2:40-3 everyone grabs snacks. 3-4 Tae uses the computer and I help Tony with his homework. From 4-5 Tony uses the computer and I help Taelin with her homework. At some point between 3-5 I also help Davan. From 5-6 or 6-7 Davan uses the computer. While I am helping the kids do their homework I am also checking their folders. While making dinner unneeded papers go into the recycling bin, pictures/work goes in a pile until I can discreetly place it into the recycling bin (I made the mistake of getting busted once, hooboy).
Sharon says
I love hearing how other people deal with the after-school routine. Sometimes it feels mind boggling how many hours a night (and a week) I spend sitting next to the kids and helping out with homework!
Londi Murray says
Hi!
I love your blog!! I have 4 children 10 yrs & under in the house & a 20 yr old out. I’m trying to get more organized, so Im not running aroung like a frantic, stressed out person…which is usually how it is now 🙂 I love the idea of the mesh bins- seems like we are always trying to find unforms, etc. could you post a picture, or tell me where you got them? thanks!!!
Sharon says
Oh wow- I so wish that I could find that deal on bins again! I stumbled across it at some website about 5 years ago- and I was able to buy a box of 36 bins for less than $70. Now they aren’t the best quality- but at that price, I couldn’t pass it up! I have found nicer ones (for more money) at Target and at the Container Store, and they have remained in great shape holding toys, balls, and other assorted kids treasures over the years! I couldn’t live without my bins!
Anonymous says
thanks! i will check there!!!
Elaine says
Sharon,
I appreciate your info. My house seems so crazy when I come home w/ the five kids from school. Four of the five are in elementary/middle school and then I have a three yr old. Half want a snack/; one is doing homework and demanding help before I am even in the house w/ the three yr old. And the other two are fighting; already! It is my least favorite part of the day; especially on a day when all five have been at school- I want to send them right back.
Some days some of my crew empty their lunch boxes; and then the others well it doesn’t happen. I guess my problem is lack of consistency. I start out every school yr w/ a plan for after school routine and it always goes to hell in a handbasket.
Anneliese says
Hello!
I just found your blog while searching for after school routines. What great ideas! I only have 2 children, but we also do the “lunch box on the counter” at our house…
One thing we always do that really helps save time is the minute we walk in the door from school (or anywhere), all shoes are removed and placed on a small square of carpet right behind the front door. That way, we are not tracking dirt/leaves into the house (that will then need to be cleaned up), and we are not frantically searching for lost shoes in the morning while getting ready for school.
Amelia says
Do you miss the days when the after school routine included carrying three sleeping children from the car to the couch??
Sharon says
Ahhh……. yes indeed….. the good old days…… now it is just me that would like to be on the couch, sleeping!