Morning Routines for Preschool Children
Adequate Sleep and a Morning Ritual Help Young Children Get Ready
Dec 19, 2008
How many mornings have you rushed out the door, dragging a cranky preschooler to the car ten minutes late? Mornings can be a struggle for adults and children alike, but getting older toddlers and preschoolers ready for daycare, preschool or kindergarten on time presents unique challenges. Here are some tips for helping your young child get ready on time in the morning.
Set Yourself Up the Night Before
Smooth mornings start with preparations before you go to bed the night before. Before your child goes to bed, ask him to help you set this bag beside the door with his things ready for the following day. Make lunches, sign permission slips, and set out clothes before going to bed.
This plan works best when there isn't any room for negotiating a different lunch or outfit at the last minute; if your child wants something other than what was set out, tell him he can set it out tonight and have it tomorrow morning. Also, make sure your child has an age-appropriate bedtime and you both have enough sleep by the time the alarm goes off in the morning. If either of you are lacking sleep it will be more difficult to get out of bed on time and have a stress-free morning.
A Morning Ritual Saves Time and Energy
Young children benefit from routines and rituals, and the morning routine is no exception. When children know what to expect, transitions from one activity to another go more smoothly and with less resistance.
One of the challenges of getting preschoolers ready in the morning is that they are learning to do everything for themselves and often take much longer to get dressed, eat or collect their things by themselves than it would take for a parent to do these things for them. Allow yourself enough time in your routine for your child to do these things at their pace.
If your child is having a particularly fussy morning, you may need to do these things for him instead of nagging or pushing him to do it himself. If you or your child is having trouble remembering the order of your routine, try using a picture chart for each element of the routine.
Minimize Distractions and Allow for Routine-Free Days
Preschoolers and older toddlers do not yet fully understand the concept of time, and are easily distracted by their favorite toys and activities. Keep toys and favorite books or activities put away during the morning routine, and only bring them out if everyone is ready ahead of time. Talking about how friends and caregivers at daycare or preschool will be expecting them to arrive at a certain time, and how they will feel if you don't come by the time they sing the welcome song can help children understand what it means to be late.
On weekends or holidays, allow children some routine-free days to linger over breakfast or play in their pajamas. Routines help make regular days go smoothly, but it is good for adults and children alike to have a break from deadlines every once in a while.
Preschoolers often want to be independent and choose everything themselves, so allow them their choice while you're setting out clothes and lunches the night before. By setting everything up so that you can just grab your bag and go in the morning, you make more time for your child to feed and dress himself in the morning. It can be hard to be patient, but young children are busy learning and developing these important skills. An efficient morning routine will help keep your mornings with your preschooler as stress-free as possible.
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