Getting out of the house is hard! Add kids and a timeframe and it’s REALLY hard. Checkout these great morning routines for kids and make YOUR life easier!

The morning is a start of a new day and it presents one of the biggest challenges when everyone needs to get out of the house by a certain time! Think about all that needs to get done in a short period of time. It can be so overwhelming!

Did your morning today look like so many of my mornings trying to get the kids dressed, fed, and out the door, before the school bell?

“Please get dressed…….get dressed……. GET dressed……. GET DRESSED NOW!”

“Please eat your breakfast……. eat your breakfast…… Eat your breakfast….. EAT YOUR BREAKFAST NOW!”

“Please put on your shoes…. put on on your shoes….. PUT on your shoes…. PUT ON YOUR SHOES NOW!”

I could keep going on for every task that my kids had to do. Due to my kids not listening, I ended up raising my voice to get my kids to listen for EVERYTHING!

However, by the time we got to the school parking lot, my frustration eased and I’d switch gears and say, “Hope you have a great day! Have lots of fun! Love you!” Can you relate to this?! From a 4 year olds perspective, talk about a crazy emotional roller coaster!

Something had to change. I want my kids to feel good about themselves, not weighed down by my frustration. Above all, it’s important to me for them to feel pride in their ability to get ready for school and to be on time. Positive Morning Routines for kids is so important!

As a school-based Occupational Therapist, I change students’ schedules all of the time to help make them more successful and independent. It was time to set my own kids up for success and it worked!

Changes to Morning Routines for Kids You Can Make Today!

First figure out what areas of your morning routine need to be better. Be as specific as you can so that you have a clear understanding of what you will change and if the change helps.

Morning Routines for Kids that work for my family!

• Set limits to clothes and accessories by designating school clothes and shoes from other clothes. Less is more.
• Pick out school clothes the night before AND put them in the same spot. My kids have baskets on a shelf. They take their pajamas off, put their school clothes on, and then put their pajamas in the basket. If possible have the location away from their closet and chest of drawers. It’s too easy for them to change their mind!

• Have your kids dress for the day and brush their teeth BEFORE coming downstairs- because going back up stairs, after they eat to dress and brush their teeth, can be too much for kids.
• Promote independence! Place clothes, shoes, jackets, and book bags in areas that your kids can get to without your help. I am a big fan of the Command Utility hooks and use them for my kids book bags and jackets. With these hooks my 2 year old can hang her book bag and jacket!

• No Electronics. I had so much anxiety about taking electronics away in the morning. If they are not entertained…. gulp….how is everything going to get done? Honestly, it was the BEST move that we made. When my kids watch TV or the iPad, they don’t listen to what I am saying. Hence the need to repeat it over and over again.
• Pack the book bag the night before including snack and lunch. When there is room in my refrigerator, I place the entire lunch box in it so that I just have to grab it and go.
• Plan ahead for breakfast. Have foods that YOU and your child like to eat. Checkout these new ideas for breakfast!
• 15 minutes before having to leave, have the kids go to the bathroom and put on their shoes, jacket, and book-bag.
• If everyone is ready, LEAVE! Don’t stay and wait for the time you have to leave. Take the extra time to talk, run around the playground, or play a game of eye spy at the school.
• Finally, NEVER say “We are actually going to be on time or early.” Every time I say this, something happens and we are late. Instead, once you get to where you are going say, ” We did a great job being on time/early today!”

How changing my kids Morning Routines benefited everyone!

As a result of making morning routine changes in my house, our mornings are much more enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, we still have some “hairy” mornings and mornings that we are late but its WAY better than it used to be. My kids are much happier, and as a result they are in a better mental position to learn. As an added bonus, I am not so frazzled!

My kids have also begun completing their morning routine on their own, without me having to tell them what they should be doing! This is a HUGE win! It has also given them a sense of responsibility and ownership to their part in getting out of the house in a timely manner!

Are YOU Ready for Awesome Mornings?

Start looking at your mornings today! How can the morning routines for your kids get better?

Let me know if you try any of the morning routine ideas in the comments below. I read all comments! Also if you have any ideas that have worked please share as I’d love to hear about them!

If you love this post, checkout 12 Calming Waiting in Line Strategies that Work!

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Kelly is a licensed Occupational Therapist with 15 years of experience servicing school-aged children and Early Intervention. She is the founder of OT Perspective and a mom to 4 children. To learn more about her check out her About Me page, here.