For elementary school children (ages 5 to 11), getting ready for school in the morning is a team effort! Ideally, parents and kids will work together to move through routine "get-ready" tasks that will lead to successfully exiting the house and arriving at school before the late bell.
This article provides a step-by-step guide for children and parents to collaborate on getting out the door on time. It outlines essential preparation steps for the night before, followed by actionable steps for children and supporting roles for parents.
Preparing the Night Before
Success on school mornings starts before your head hits the pillow. Eliminating decisions and item searches from the morning rush removes 90% of morning friction.
Prepare what you can the night before.
Never leave decisions or item searches for the morning rush. The night before, pack backpacks, sign permission slips, fill water bottles, pick outfits, understand what breakfast and lunch are going to be, and make them if possible. Stage everything somewhere you can find it near the door.
Shower the night before.
Doing this in the morning is certainly possible if preferred, but doing it the night before removes a large, time-consuming complication from the morning schedule.
Enforce a consistent bedtime.
Children ages 6–13 require 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night for healthy cognitive and physical development[1]. If you need to, start getting ready for bed well in advance of bedtime. A predictable bedtime routine can be very helpful in accomplishing this task.
Parents: put the phone down, silence notifications, and charge your devices.
Late nights on phones, tablets, or gaming devices keep you up past your ideal parent bedtime. You should be fresh in the morning when you wake up your child, and both you and your phone should be full of energy to last the day. Don't worry—it's only for 18 years!
Steps for Children
Elementary kids build confidence and independence when they take ownership of their own get-ready sequence.
Wake up!
If you need some time to get up out of bed, that is totally reasonable—just communicate with your parents about how much time you think you will need. Go to the bathroom if needed and drink a little water; you have not had anything to drink for quite a few hours at this point.
Dress yourself.
Put on the clothes you picked out the night before. Put pajamas in the hamper or put them back where they belong if you plan to wear them again tonight.
Eat breakfast.
Sit down and enjoy a healthy breakfast prepared by your parents. Focus on eating so you have energy for learning at school.
Brush your teeth and groom yourself.
Brush for two minutes, wash your face, and style or comb your hair.
Check your backpack & stage at the door.
Make sure your homework, signed slips, water bottle, and lunch are inside your bag. Put on your shoes and coat.
Supporting Roles for Parents
Parents act as gentle pacers, nutrition providers, and morning referees rather than nagging wardens.
Set up a visual routine pacer on your TV.
Display The Morning Map on your living room Smart TV or tablet. It acts as an objective, ambient GPS for the morning rush so you don't have to shout timestamps. Read our guide on why you need Google Maps for your morning routine.
Prepare breakfast while kids dress.
Focus on protein-rich, nourishing foods to sustain energy throughout the morning school hours.
