Getting out the door in the morning can be a battle. By the time everyone is dressed, and has clean teeth and shoes on their feet, it is somewhat of a miracle if all members of the family are still smiling and calm. 

Stay with me to the end of this post because I’ve got a free printable morning routine chart that will revolutionize your mornings!

In most families, there is at least one child who hears their name more often than the rest. 

“(Name), get ready!”

“(Name), we’re going to be late!”

“(Name), stop talking and finish your breakfast!”

Chances are, if they are hearing their name on repetition at home, there’s a high probability they are also hearing their name often at school, church, camp, day care etc. 

What if you could simplify your mornings, with a few less exasperated comments to (name) and a little less stress all around?

Why Visual Morning Routine Charts Work So Well

As a primary and special education teacher, I’ve seen visual calendars and other similar tools work incredibly for all kids. 

Brain development plays a huge role in our morning chaos. Being able to stay on task for a multiple-step process, being able to manage our time well, and being able to both start and complete a task are all part of their little brains developing ‘executive functioning skills’. 

There’s far more depth to all of this, but it is important to realize that children’s brains are not developed enough to expect a high level of mastery in these areas. 

They may need a little more support in these areas, and that is okay!

This is why visual supports work across the board, not only for kids with identified learning challenges, but for every child whose little brain is still developing (and let’s be honest, even as adults, visual supports and checklists help us to manage our time and stay organized!)

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that my passion is to give you resources to help your children thrive!

So I’ve put together a free printable morning routine chart.

This is the system that I implemented on day 1 of school and I can tell you, it has worked flawlessly. 

It has been a beautiful thing to wake up to my kids already dressed, beds made, teeth brushed, faces washed, and with “Good morning, Mom!” smiles on their faces ready for their morning hug (yes, I added this to their schedules because mornings can be SO busy that we forget even this simple gesture!)

You can download it for free by clicking on the big green button below!

Click Here To Download Danae's: Miracle Morning Routine Builder

How The Morning Routine Printable Chart Works

I have a 4-task schedule posted in their bedroom, as well as the bathroom and the kitchen. Each night before bed, they choose their clothes for the next day and place them on their dresser. 

When they wake up, there are 4 tasks for them to complete in their room before heading to the bathroom (though going pee takes priority over all of course!)

1. Get dressed
2. Put your pajamas away
3. Make your bed
   
4. Morning hug 😀 (my fave!)

Each of these tasks has a card they place on the chart when they have finished the task. When their chart is full, they move to the bathroom. 

In the bathroom they find 4 more pictures:

1. Toilet
2. Brush teeth
3. Wash face
4. Comb hair

When this chart is full, they are ready to come downstairs to eat breakfast. In the kitchen, I have 4 more pictures. 

1. Eat breakfast
2. Pack lunch (this is usually ready to go in the fridge for the little ones)
3. Books in backpack
4. Backpack fully packed

As soon as all of these tasks are complete (and there is time before we leave), they now have time to play, colour, or whatever they would have been pulled away to during the “PLEASE GET READY!!” phase of life. 

Prepping For Your Own Smooth Morning Routine

There are few ways you could set this up at your house. Each home is different, and each child is different so choose the one that will work best for your family!

Option 1: Laminate printable picture cards

1. Print off two copies of the visual schedule. Hint: Print off one in black/white and one in colour to really help them see what is complete and what still needs to be done. 
2. Post them up in a place that they can reach and see easily. I used sticky tack, but you could also use pockets and have your child place the completed pictures in the pockets. 
3. Walk your kids through the process step-by-step. It’s important that this is presented during a time when they are receptive. Try to avoid presenting this as a ‘consequence’ for stressful mornings. Your kids will be the ones who need to carry it out, so explain it as a positive, helpful and exciting new system. You can choose the ‘reward’ for them completing all of their tasks on time – each child is motivated differently so think through what would motivate them personally.
   

Option 2: Individual task cards

Some children may find 4 steps at a time to be too overwhelming. In this case, I would recommend cutting each image apart and displaying it in a horizontal line. They could then move through the tasks in order, moving along the ‘timeline’ of tasks. This method would be beneficial to students who have a hard time focusing on more than one task at a time. 

Option 3: A picture ring

1. If you are hesitant about placing pictures up around your home, or if your child gets ready for school in different homes from day-to-day or week-to-week, a picture ring may be a solution for you. 
2. Hang the ring in a location and have your child complete the tasks on each card. Then flip the card to the next card when they are ready for the next set of tasks. 
3. When they have completed their ring, have them give it to you so you can verify they have completed everything. 

In Closing

Are you excited for stress-free mornings? I hope this is a game-changer for your family!

Don’t forget to download the free morning routine printable chart! Once you have this set up and have walked through the steps (and rewards) with your child, start looking forward to that first “Good morning, mom!” hug – it’s pretty epic!

You can download the printable morning routine chart by clicking the big green button below!

Click Here To Download Danae's: Miracle Morning Routine Builder

Resources To Help You and Your Kids Thrive

📌 Reading Rescue Blueprint 

Is homework time hectic too? If you have a struggling reader at home, squeezing in time to read can be really stressful. Check out my Reading Rescue Blueprint course and curriculum so that your child can excel at reading in just 15 minutes per day (conflict-free!) Learn More Here

📌 Monthly Meal Planning That’s ACTUALLY Easy! 

In this post, I share how I plan our family’s meals out one month in advance. There is even a free template that you can customize for your own family’s taste preferences! It comes together exceptionally easily – so head on over if you want to take the stress away from knowing “What’s for dinner?!” before 4pm.