Getting into any kind of routine can be challenging for your child, but this is especially true for a morning routine. When they’re young and tired, it can be hard to persuade them to start doing anything, but the benefits for both you and your child are entirely worth it.
Starting their day off right can help set the foundations for a positive and exciting day and make your life easier as a parent. Read on for our advice on creating an effective morning routine for you and your child!
1. Why a Good Start to the Day is Important
Starting off on the right foot can make a huge difference to your child’s day and yours, too. The morning routine is the most important aspect of this, and building one up can help reinforce positive habits, help them feel ready for nursery, and help save you time and stress.
A good morning routine can also help you build and maintain a positive parent-child relationship, building consistency, a sense of responsibility, and excitement for your child. It can also help your child develop several key life skills, including time management and independence.
A key part of any good morning routine is breakfast, and by incorporating this as a main part of the routine, you will help your child develop a healthy relationship with food and ensure they start the day with good nutrition. Both a good morning and evening routine go hand in hand both benefitting each other.
2. The Morning Routine Starts at Bedtime
Every morning routine starts the night before. Without enough sleep, any child will wake up tired, less engaged, and less likely to have the energy or concentration needed to engage with their routine.
They may also feel irritated and irrational, without necessarily knowing why, then be less likely to want to eat a healthy breakfast, leading to further tiredness, hunger, and irritation later on.
If you want your child to start waking up with energy and building a strong morning routine, getting enough sleep is crucial. For 3–5-year-olds, we recommend between 10 and 13 hours of sleep during the full day is recommended, including naps. For 1-2-year-olds, this is raised to between 11 and 14 hours.
For more information and some of our tips on perfecting that bedtime routine, check out our blog.
3. Example Morning Routines for 3 Year Olds:
The first stage of building a new morning routine is to start helping your child wake up at the same time every day. This will help their body clock adjust over time, making the routine easier to build and helping improve their energy levels.
Many toddlers will naturally wake up between 5:30am and 7:00am and trying to set and stick to a time that suits you and your own routine in the morning is important. To help establish this routine, you may want an alarm clock or light that is timed to turn on at a specific time each morning.
Next, consider setting up a morning routine checklist that you and your child can tick off each day to help organise their morning. This means you and they can see at a glance where they are and what they have left to do.
The first thing you might want them to do after waking up is wash their face and brush their teeth, as it can be a refreshing way to start the day. Dentists also strongly recommended to brush your teeth before breakfast, rather than after.
After a wash, it’s time to change into their clothes for the day. You may also want them to make the bed during this step, helping develop positive habits that they will carry with them for years.
Next, a balanced breakfast to help give them the energy they need for the day. You may want to consider laying the table the night before to help save time when you are busy in the morning.
Lastly, make sure that their bag is packed and ready to go with all the essentials they need for nursery and get their shoes on – you’re both ready to have a great day!
4. 5 tips to help children stay consistent:
Implement a Morning Routine Checklist
Hanging up a visual checklist for your child in their room will help them know what needs to be completed every morning and the order which they do it in. You could also liven it up with engaging stickers to help them be more involved!
Set an Alarm
Having an alarm clock or light source that turns on at the same time each day helps your child know that it is time to wake up and for the morning routine to start. Consider playing a song that your child enjoys to help them wake up in a positive mood, and think about using an alarm with a light in winter on those darker mornings.
Make the Bed
By encouraging your child to make their bed or organise their pillows, you will help encourage independence whilst also starting the day off with a sense of achievement. This is a habit that they will hopefully develop and continue into their teens.
Give Them a Nutritious Breakfast
Starting the day off with a filling and nutritious breakfast will help your child feel more energetic and ready for the day ahead, whilst also supporting their physical growth and development.
Creating a Calm Environment
A gentle start to the morning can help your child adjust to the waking world. Speaking in calmed voices and not rushing the morning routine will help your child to feel calm and relaxed for the day ahead, helping to eliminate any anxious thoughts they may have.
Get in Touch with Happy Days
At Happy Days Nurseries, we strive to ensure that your child gets the best support and care at nursery and home. Our purpose-built facilities along with a specialist curriculum for learning help prepare your child for school, and our close partnership with parents helps continue that preparation and development outside of nursery grounds.
To find out more about our nursery philosophy or for more help with your childcare needs, call our head office on 0800 783 3431 or email enquiries@happydaysnurseries.com. Alternatively, use our find a nursery tool to see which Happy Days nursery or preschool you are closest to!