Family routines for yourself and for your kids that outline the steps of what you need to do and the order in which you need to do them in order to get through a particular part of the day make our lives SO much easier and really help our families to get organized! Here's how to get your day started the right way- with tips on how to create a morning routine for kids and for yourself!
A Morning Routine for Kids Starts with a Timeline!
The most important thing about creating a morning routine for kids is to understand the timing of all of the things that need to get done in order to get the kids out the door to meet the bus on time.
So get a piece of paper and draw a timeline- ending with the time you need to leave your home, and work backward in 15-minute increments.
Start listing the activities that you need to accomplish, again working backward: get coats on, grab backpacks, brush teeth, comb hair, eat breakfast, prepare breakfast, get out of bed and get dressed.
These are all things that the kids need to do every morning, and when I write them on my timeline and assign a length of time to complete each activity, I can see that if I start the process by waking them up at 7:15 am, that we can make it out the door by 8:15 am without rushing.
Plan Time for Yourself Too!
I think it's important that I give myself time in the morning to do a few things that are important to me. I like to have the dishes unloaded from the dishwasher so that I'm ready to start preparing breakfast. I like to prepare a cup of tea that I can sip throughout the morning. I like to check in on my e-mail early in the morning to make sure that there isn't anything urgent that I need to prioritize.
I need to allow myself time to do all of these things, otherwise, I end up trying to multitask while also getting the kids ready. And trying to multitask in the morning when I am tired and the kids are sleepy too, just amps up the overall stress level in our home.
I find it so much better if I can accomplish a few things that I would like to do first.
Create a Checklist
When you are trying to get your kids to create a new habit, it helps to post a checklist in a place where they can see it and learn the new steps from it. For younger kids, it can be a picture checklist showing them all the things that they need to do and the order in which they need to do them in order to leave for school on time. For older kids, a simple list of activities like this one from Hey Donna would work perfectly!
How to Create A Morning Routine for Kids…. in Action!
Check out this quick 3-minute where I show you how to create a morning routine!
Once you create a morning routine for kids, try these routines that have also worked for our family:
- How to Create an After School Routine
- 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!
How is your morning routine working for you this school year? I would love to hear about it!
Gothata Mokowe says
I used to have a routine but now it kind of slipped off and I work away from home so I do not get to prepare my child for school and its heart breaking. But in in the evening I have something going but my problem is failing to keep time.Thanks for the help though. I will try. I live in Botswana I wanted they momsagenda diary but it is a expensive for me. Thanks. Will but something user friendly down here but I believe that would have been a good way to start 2015.
cami says
eliminating tv was the single best thing to improve our morning routine. although I didn’t think we could do it, myself included, none of us are distracted and i’m not screaming at the kids to get moving. I even make it to work on time. 🙂
Jessica says
This is what my office-day routine looks like. It’s now stuck in the bathroom and kitchen.
So far it has worked very well, I feel so organised and in control. Also, I’m not late anymore 🙂
OFFICE-DAY ROUTINE
TIME ACTIVITY
6.00 pee
take drops
put away dry dishes
get washed
kitties: food + litter
water plants
6.15 get dressed
open windows
tidy up bedroom
6.30 (breakfast + wash up)
review “to do” list
brush teeth
close windows
6.45 leave home
7.15 take underground
7.45 start work
I’ve found that by doing tasks in this way I’m a lot faster than usual, and I don’t need to get up so early. I could easily get ready in half an hour :-))
Thank you for your inspiration.
Klaudia says
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Jessica says
I’ve figured out 3 different routines for workdays (from home) and office workdays, and days off (at home, but not lazying around!). I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thank you, Sharon!
Sharon says
That’s awesome Jessica! I definitely want to hear how it works for you!
jessica says
Hello Sharon,
It worked fine, but now I’ve changed routine since I’ve been laid off. It gets better and better, your encouragement is a precious help!
Melissa says
I can’t tell if my routine is working. I don’t want to get up so early because i like to stay up late and that just means I’m extra tired. The oldest gets on the bus at 7:18am..so I get her up at 645am to get ready, eat breakfast. She’s in 5th grade, so she gets into her routine pretty easily. My plan was to get the Kindergartener up at 718 right when the older gets on the bus (I like to watch her get on the bus, although I don’t walk her to the stop anymore – its 4 houses away.). Turns out the little one gets herself up at 7am and puts on her robe and comes down on her own. This morning she even dressed herself (a little warmly in my opinion for 95 degrees, but it’ll be fine). Somewhere in there i turn on my laptop and check some email. Because of a regular morning meeting i have yet to figure out when to eat breakfast and shower before 10am…oh well 🙂