18 Back to School Morning Routine Hacks

Morning Routine Hacks to Make Back to School Easier!

I honestly cannot even believe that my two older kids go back to school in less than a month.  Between camping with their dad and a visit with their grandparents in Virginia, it feels like I’ve barely seen them this summer.  I’m so thankful they are having an adventure-filled summer – with or without me.

But I’m actually kind of looking forward to getting back to our back to school routines.  When I get to kiss their heads every morning.  (Could you send me a link to this post when we’re knee-deep in morning routine grumpiness, please?!)

B-Inspired Mama sponsors, Jimmy Dean® and State Fair®, wanted to know more about our back to school morning routine.  And while I do share a couple tips down below*, I’m certainly no expert.  So I’ve rounded up some clever back to school morning hacks from fellow blogging mamas.  Let’s check ’em out…

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jimmy Dean® and State Fair®.  The opinions and text are all mine.  Please see my disclosure policy.

18 Morning Routine Hacks for Back to School

1. Transition to Earlier Bedtimes/Wake-times Gradually – Jodi of Meaningful Mama shares, “We spend the last couple weeks before school transitioning into the new school year. Bed time gets gradually earlier and I start to wake them up earlier as well.”
2. Teach Kids About Their Morning Routine with a Fun Practice Sheet – Print and laminate this cute self care practice sheet from LalyMom.  Then use it to teach your new-to-school kiddos about the importance of their morning routine.
3. Go Through a Trial Week Before School Starts – Jacquie of Edventures with Kids explains, “A week before school begins, we start to shift to our morning school schedule. We use an alarm to wake up, shift the bedtime each day to rise 15 minutes earlier and have the kids get ready like they would on school mornings. Then we go about our summer day. I love this because it always addresses things like bathroom items that may need to be purchased and gets the kids into a routine for getting up on time.”
4. Get Kids Ready with Yoga – Make yoga a part of your morning routine; find helpful resources and yoga-themed children’s books at Kids Yoga Stories.
5. Use a Magnetic Knife Bar to Hang Routine Cards – Have visual and/or tactile kids that need to see or touch something to remember their morning routine? Print out these free morning routine cards for them!  Add magnets and hang them from a magnetic knife bar the way Jenae from I Can Teach My Child did.
6. Make Photo Routine Cards – Take photos of your child doing each step of their morning routine to use in a “Good Morning” routine chart like this colorful one over on Art Bar Blog.
7. Let the Kids Pick Their Next Steps Randomly – If your child is more motivated by surprise, try making some of these “Get Ready Sticks” they can pull from a jar at random until all are complete.
8. Use a Magnet Calendar for Weekly Activities – Stay on top of changing in-school “specials” days and after-school activities with a DIY Magnet Calendar like this one featured on Playground Parkbench.
9. Label a Hanging Closet Organizer with Daily Outfits – Take the time out of picking an outfit for the day by labeling a hanging closet organizer with the days of the week.  Fill it up with outfits at the beginning of the week and the kids know exactly what to wear.  Once again, Jenae from I Can Teach My Child shares this easy morning routine hack; she’s so clever!
10. Hang the Day’s Outfit – Set up a cute “Today I’ll Wear…” hanger on the wall where you hang the following day’s outfit each night.  No fuss deciding in the morning, plus it doubles as cute decor, too.
11. Set Up a Numbered Bathroom Caddy – This numbered bathroom caddy is featured on a site for kids with sensory challenges, but I think it would be helpful for any young child.
12. Encourage One Another at the Breakfast Table – Jamie of Hands On A We Grow shares how she starts the day on a positive note by going around the breakfast table and having her kids share “put up” to encourage one another.
13. Create a Lunch-Packing Station – It might be easiest to pack lunches the night before, but if you’re a morning lunch-packer, set up an organized lunch packing station to make it easier for the kids to help.
14. Set Up Storage Lockers – Keeping backpacks, coats and shoes in the same spot everyday is essential for a successful morning routine.  Set up individual storage lockers like these ones featured on One Creative Mommy to help your kids stay organized.
15. Play Music! – Becky of This Reading Mama shares 20 songs that “add rhyme to your routine”.  Music can certainly help WAKE kids up, but some of these fun songs can help them transition through their morning routine, too.
16. *Read Aloud at the Breakfast Table – I love incorporating our family reading time into our morning routine.  Reading chapter books at the breakfast table also helps the kids to stay at the table instead of getting distracted with technology or toys.
17. *Or Color at the Table – This is another trick I’ve used to keep the kids at the table, away from technology and toys, until it’s time to go out the door.  Kids Activities Blog has some cute Back to School themed coloring pages you can print out and use.
18. Go Frozen for a Quick Breakfast that Offers a Good Source of Protein, Too!

School Morning Breakfasts are Easy with Jimmy Dean® & State Fair®!

As I mentioned in the tips above, gathering around the breakfast table is integral to our morning routine.  If breakfast isn’t easy to find or waiting at the table when they’ve completed their other routine tasks, they’ll inevitably find their way to technology or toys, which is hard to pull them away from.  So while they are getting old enough to prepare breakfast themselves, it works best for me right now to have it ready and waiting for them.  Jimmy Dean® and State Fair® makes this super easy for me.

I just stock the freezer with Jimmy Dean® and State Fair® products, and I have hot meals that only take a few minutes to prepare on our busy mornings.  No slaving over the stove for me!

Sawyer’s favorite is the Jimmy Dean® Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant Sandwich, which only takes a couple minutes in the microwave.  Priscilla prefers the State Fair® Classic Mini Corn Dogs.  I think the little Corn Dogs remind her of the fair, but I’m just happy for her to be getting a good amount of protein before school.  

And with little to no cleanup, I can join them for our morning reading at the table while they eat!

When you’re back to school shopping at Walmart, make sure to swing by the freezer section to stock your freezer with Jimmy Dean® and State Fair® products for a great value on school breakfasts and an easy back to school morning, too!

More Back to School Tips from B-Inspired Mama:

    

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jimmy Dean® and State Fair® . The opinions and text are all mine.