A great start to your morning is the foundation for a great day – and sometimes a difficult morning getting your young children ready for the day can derail both of your grooves. We all have difficult mornings sometimes, but if you’re finding your child is having difficult mornings more than you would like, developing a routine can help.

Having a structured routine and setting an expectation for how the morning will run can help both you and your child ease into the day more easily. In this article, we’ll look at the importance of setting a morning routine for kids and provide our top routine ideas so that your kid can arrive at their child care on time and with a smile on their face every single day. 

The Importance of a Good Morning Routine for Kids

A good morning routine for kids should not only focus on their physical needs but also their emotional needs. While helping them to get dressed and eat their breakfast will be a top priority on your to-do list, so should setting them up mentally for the day ahead. 

All children need structure in their lives. At child care, their teacher will have a full schedule of learning and activities planned and this helps them to stay present in an engaging learning environment. As a parent, you know that having a set bedtime routine with your child will help them learn when it is time to wind down and go to sleep.

The same should apply for the morning.

Cultivating a morning routine with your children allows them to prepare for the day ahead of them. Just as coffee can kickstart an adult’s day, a practiced and well thought out routine will allow your child to start the day on the right foot. 

5 Activities to Add to Your Child’s Morning Routine 

While frazzled is often a word used by parents to describe how they feel in the morning, with a few simple changes that can be replaced with the word calm. By adjusting your child’s morning routine to include some of the following activities you can make them feel energized for the day while also making you feel more relaxed. 

1. Set Time Aside to Reconnect

The night can act as a period of separation for your children, especially when they are young. That is why your child may be insistent on spending time with you in the morning doing their favorite activities; it is their way to make up for losing out on spending time with you. 

Set aside five minutes with your child in the morning that is dedicated to snuggling or taking deep breaths together. This will help them feel reconnected with you and will also make them more willing to listen to any instructions you have for them.

Tip: To make time to reconnect with your child in the morning, getting up earlier than your child can be helpful. If you set your own alarm clock for a few minutes earlier so that you can become fully awake and have a few minutes to yourself, you’ll feel less stressed and more prepared to greet your child. 

2. Practice Daily Affirmations

Emotional needs are just as important as physical needs in the morning. Having a positive mindset is a great way to get your child’s day off to a good start. By practicing daily affirmations, you’re training your child to think of the day from a positive standpoint which will make them more confident and excited for the day ahead.

Try affirmations such as:

• I’m going to have a great day
• I am kind and loved
• I choose to feel happy today

3. Follow a Morning Routine Chart

Create a visualized chart that lists all of the tasks your young child needs to do each morning to help keep you both on track, while also making it fun for your child to complete. Tasks such as brushing teeth, combing hair, eating breakfast, and putting on shoes can all be clearly marked on the morning routine chart and ticked when completed. 

Guiding your child through each of the tasks and eventually encouraging them to complete some of the tasks by themselves will boost their confidence while also allowing you to get yourself ready. 

4. Pack in Advance

Running around in a frenzy trying to find your child’s food and belongings will do neither of you any favors. Instead, you should aim to get everything packed the night before. If your child is old enough to participate, try involving them in the preparation as well, or use self-talk to share what you’re doing (ie. “Now I’m gathering your socks for tomorrow – should we pack your lunch next?”)

Set up a dedicated area where you and your child can organize their bag the evening before – you can even turn it into a game so that your child views it as a fun activity. This will allow your child to gain a sense of responsibility as well as mentally preparing them for going to child care the following day. 

5. Have a Goodbye Ritual 

We always recommend that parents create a short goodbye ritual with their child. Whether it’s giving each other a hug, or saying I love you, creating your own goodbye ritual can be a reminder to your child that they’re being left in safe hands and that you’re never too far away. 

How Vivvi Approaches Child Care Drop Off

While our child care drop off policy at our child care centers has changed during COVID-19, you can guarantee that it will always happen with a smile. 

As part of our Health & Safety plan, we currently ask all of our Vivvi parents to drop their child at the vestibules of our campuses. Here, one of our teachers will greet your child and take their temperature. We encourage all parents to pack a change of clothes for your child so that they can change before entering the classroom.  

At Vivvi, our work is to care for your child in every way possible. That means keeping their physical and emotional health top of mind so that they can have the best day imaginable. If you have any questions about your child returning to child care during the COVID-19 pandemic, feel free to contact our team today.