Children entering PreK and kindergarten may be spending the day away from home for the very first time, and that make kids feel both excited and anxious. Even children who have attended an early childhood program need to prepare for the differences that come with going to school rather than daycare. As a parent, having a clear morning routine is one thing you can do to help start your child’s academic journey on the right foot. Use the five tips below to create a streamlined, stress-free process that will help your child begin every morning with confidence!
Catch your zzz’s
One big component of a calm morning starts the night before: sleep! Getting up early can be close to painless if children are well-rested from a peaceful night. Build a bedtime routine that works for your family and which might include a bath, books, songs, and goodnight kisses. Whatever routine you choose, make sure you start it early enough so that your child can get a solid 9-10 hours of sleep before morning.
Organize your outfits
Set aside some time on the weekend to pick out clothes for the upcoming week. In addition to finding outfits that make sense for the weather, be sure to pull out any special outsides that children may need for after-school activities, like leotards for gymnastics or shorts and a t-shirt for soccer. Once the outfit choice is under your belt kids will have an easier time dressing themselves because they know exactly what to wear for the day.
Pick one breakfast for the week
To keep the morning meal as simple as possible, choose one breakfast food, such as oatmeal or a breakfast wrap, to eat for the entire week. You can add something a little different each day--for example, sprinkle brown sugar over your oats on Monday and add sliced blueberries on Tuesday--without spending precious time agonizing over what to eat. Want to make the morning meal even faster? Get it to-go! Breakfast foods like granola bars, fruit, and muffins travel well so you can eat en route to school
Encourage independence
As children get older it’s good to give them responsibility, so make sure your child is clear on what jobs he or she needs to do in order to prepare for the day. For example, your child may be able to stick the lunch boxes into backpacks or set out the bowls and spoons for cereal in the morning. Letting your child take the reins in some areas helps prepare them for the increased independence that they’ll have during the school day. At Sanford School, we encourage our students starting in PreK to unpack and hang up their own backpacks and mark off their names on the attendance chart when they arrive. Each child is also responsible for a classroom job, such as door holder, line leader, or calendar helper.
Stick to your routine
Whatever strategies you choose to use for your family, be sure to do them the same way every day so that children get into the habit of having a regular routine, because nothing helps reduce stress like planning. Especially for young children, carving out a routine gives them a stable platform from which to begin each day.
Dr. Karen Postal Ph.D of Psychology Today said, “As parents know, we continue to lend our children structures to assist them in regulating themselves, even as they grow older. External structures can assist a child's brain to learn more efficiently, as if they possessed a more mature frontal system.”
When you provide a consistent routine for your child’s morning, you’re helping them develop the mental skills they need to eventually be able to organize things themselves.
The key to making the morning school routine easy and even fun is early preparation. Adding a few planning sessions to the weekend and sticking to your routine can make all the difference when it comes to beating the morning rush and having a successful start in PreK or Kindergarten!
Liz Christopher received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and completed her master's degree at the University of Vermont in Early Childhood Special Education. Prior to accepting her current role of teaching Pre-Kindergarten at Sanford School, she taught Early Childhood Special Education in the Red Clay and Christina School Districts.
Tara Giordano is currently a Visual Arts Instructor and previously taught Prekindergarten for 17 years at Sanford School. Her degrees include a Bachelors in Fine Arts from West Chester University and Teaching Certification from Moore College of Art. Prior to Sanford, Tara taught in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School district.
Patti Reynolds is a Sanford “lifer” having attended Sanford School from preschool through high school graduation. She received her bachelor's degree from Ursinus College before returning to her alma mater as a teacher. Patti has three children who are all graduates of Sanford.
Tara, Liz, and Patti recently co-presented at the annual meeting for the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) on the importance of play for Pre-School children. Their workshop explained that it is through play that children learn the readiness skills that they need for future academic success.
