School days can be crazy, chaotic and stressful. However, with the right habits and routines in place, they don’t have to be. This academic year, establish calm and organised morning and afternoon routines to ensure smooth transitions to school and home again.
As a mum of three I know school mornings can be challenging and demanding. There’s so much to achieve within a short space of time. With one eye on the kids and the other on the clock, getting everyone out on time with everything they need can feel like a huge undertaking.
After school can be just as hectic with competing demands from different family members, school activities and piles of homework. This, on top of household tasks, dinner to prepare and bedtimes can feel like another full day at work.
As a parent, experienced teaching assistant and professional home organiser, I know that school day habits and routines can make a positive difference to how your day feels and flows.
Benefits of school day habits and routines
Calm mornings rely on routines. Their consistency helps everyone predict and smoothly transition from one activity to the next. By knowing what to do, when to do it, and in what order, family members can avoid the last-minute rushing, forgotten tasks, and potential fallouts that often lead to tension. A routine that consists of positive habits creates a calmer and more harmonious home environment.
Routines are also specifically good for children for the following reasons:
- Create stability and security
Routines provide children with a sense of predictability and structure, which is essential for their emotional well-being. Knowing what to expect helps reduce anxiety and builds a sense of safety.
- Builds independence and responsibility
When children know their daily routines, they can start doing tasks on their own without constant nagging from parents. This builds their confidence, independence, and a sense of responsibility.
- Improves time management
Routines teach children how to manage their time effectively. They learn to set time aside for activities like homework and downtime which are essential skills as they grow older.
- Enhances focus and productivity
With a clear routine, children can focus better on tasks because they know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to relax. This improves their ability to concentrate and complete tasks efficiently.
- Easier switching between activities
Routines make it easier for children to move from one activity to the next, such as moving from playtime to homework or bedtime. This reduces resistance and reduces the chance for arguments.
How to create good school day habits and routines
Creating a routine for the school day starts with understanding what you want to achieve at given times of the day and the tasks you need to do to make this a reality.
Take a moment to review the previous school year. Reflect on what didn’t work well and identify areas for improvement. Ask yourself:
- What challenges did we face?
- What was problematic?
- What changes would make mornings or afternoons run more smoothly?
Consider how you can introduce new habits or adjust existing routines to address these issues. Maybe it’s the time you wake up and go to bed that needs to change, allowing for more time so you don’t feel exhausted or rushed. Perhaps you need to do tasks in a different order, so the routine runs more smoothly. Sometimes changes in lifestyle or ages of children can require the introduction of a new habit, such as a homework routine for secondary school children.
Reflect on the past year and consider what changes you need to make to improve the school day for the academic year ahead.
See below for my top 10 recommended school day habits for you to consider building into your routine.
Typical school day routine
If you haven’t introduced a school day routine before, here are the typical tasks you might wish to consider.
Morning routine
For a school morning, typical tasks will be to wake up, shower, dress, eat breakfast, clean teeth, prepare lunch, pack school bags, put shoes and coats on and leave the house. This can vary depending on the age of your children. Older children might be expected to make their beds, help feed pets, do a household chore, etc. Younger children may need tasks breaking down into smaller, manageable tasks.
Afternoon routine
For a school afternoon routine, typical tasks might include putting shoes and coat away, emptying school bags and lunchboxes, eating a healthy snack, completing homework, play time and enjoying a meal. You might also wish to factor in household tasks, physical activity and family time.
Evening routine
Evening routines will include preparing for the next day, such as laying out uniform, packing school bags and getting ready for bed. You may wish to add in preparing lunch and laying the table for breakfast ahead of the next day. You might need to break the bedtime routine down into smaller, more manageable tasks for younger children. This might look like: bathtime, put on pyjamas, do teeth, story time and lights out time.
Download your own blank template to complete -FREE here
Create an order
Once you have decided what tasks are important for your family, put them into a running order, designed to be repeated time after time in the same way. This will mean this section of the day becomes predictable and familiar. Instead of always having to think about what to do next, simply follow the order each time.
Stick to the routine consistently for 30 days to establish the habits and tweak the things that need improving. Routines need to evolve with you, so as life demands changes, let the routine flex.
Practice repeating these school day habits and routines, so that behaviour feels automated. Once established, routines can feel like hardly any effort at all.
10 recommended school day habits and routines
Based on my experience and what I’ve found works well, I’ve put together a list of 10 recommended habits to build into your school day routine that can transform your week. These strategies are simple to implement but can have a big impact on your family’s daily life.
1. Be ready before anyone else
By waking up and getting yourself ready before the rest of the household is up, you create a window of time to focus on your own needs without distractions.
Set your alarm 15-30 minutes earlier than others, so you are up and dressed before they are awake. Getting ready first allows you to be fully prepared to help others and manage the morning rush.
2. Get the kids their own alarm clock
Give your children their own alarm clock and encourage them to take responsibility for starting their day.
The sound of the alarm is a clear signal that it’s time to begin the school routine, making mornings more structured. While you might still need to give a gentle nudge now and then, encouraging your children to wake up to their own alarm helps establish a good lifelong habit.
Additionally, it’s beneficial to keep bedtime and wake-up times consistent, so everyone’s body clocks can adjust. This applies to both kids and adults!
3. Have a checklist for morning and afternoon routines
If you’re introducing routines for the first time, a checklist or chart can provide helpful structure.
A checklist or chart visually outlines the steps of a routine. Having a visual aid reduces the mental load of remembering every step of the routine and can be particularly useful to children if it includes images.
The reminder minimises the chance of forgetting important tasks, helps ensure that nothing is overlooked and that each task is completed in the right order.
For routines to become habits, they need to be consistently followed. A checklist or chart helps with consistency as it reminds everyone of what needs to be done and when, making it easier to stick to the routine.
Checking things off a list helps with a sense of accomplishment and reinforces positive behaviour. It can be motivating, especially for children.
A checklist also allows you to track progress. If the chart shows gaps, this is an area for improvement. Perhaps tweaks to the routine need to be made and extra guidance is needed for children.
Download a FREE suggested school day routine and checklist from HERE.
4. Set an alarm 10 minutes before you have to leave
Managing time efficiently can be a challenge. To help stay on track use alarms or timers as a practical tool to keep everyone on time.
Setting an alarm 10 minutes before you have to leave the house can provide a crucial buffer. This gives you time to wrap up what you’re doing, get shoes and coats on to ensure everyone is ready to leave on time.
5. Set some ground rules
Establishing clear ground rules can hugely improve your household’s ability to get to school on time and reduce morning stress.
Consider implementing rules such as no TV in the morning, keeping phones away until everyone is ready, and expecting children to be dressed before coming downstairs. These rules help streamline the morning routine and minimise distractions.
Consider afternoon ground rules too. For instance, allow for a short break and a snack when children come home, but encourage them to get homework done before they sit in front of screens or limit screen time before these tasks are complete.
These ground rules can help create additional structure that can be relied on for an easier day.
6. Empty school bags every day
Emptying school bags daily is a crucial habit that helps keep track of important items and paperwork.
For younger children, this task is a positive way to connect with their day, discovering certificates, forms, or invitations they might not always share with you. It’s a wonderful opportunity to engage with their school activities and ensure you don’t miss any important information.
For older children, encourage them to develop this habit with your support. Regularly emptying their school bags prevents forgotten items from accumulating—like that PE kit that might otherwise end up needing an emergency wash at the last minute.
By making it a daily habit, you reduce the risk of losing items and ensure that anything needing action is dealt with promptly.
7. Deal with paperwork as soon as you get it, not by the deadline.
To keep paperwork and communications under control, adopt the habit of dealing with tasks as soon as you receive them. Embrace the principle of “if it takes less than two minutes, do it now.” Whether it’s filling out a permission slip, paying a fee, or responding to an invitation, handling these tasks straight away prevents them from piling up.
This approach applies to both physical paperwork and electronic communications. Immediately add important dates to your calendar and set reminders for upcoming deadlines. If tackling these tasks as they come feels distracting, consider dedicating five minutes at the end of each day to handle any administrative tasks. This batching method can also be an efficient way to manage tasks without interrupting your flow during the day.
By addressing paperwork and communications promptly, you reduce the risk of forgetting tasks or misplacing information, leading to a more organised and stress-free routine.
8. Get ready the night before
To reduce morning stress and avoid last-minute scrambling, prepare as much as possible the night before. Lay out uniforms so that everything is ready and easy to find—no more searching for a clean shirt or a lost shoe in the morning.
Encourage older children to review their timetables and think about what books, equipment, and sports kit they’ll need for the day. A quick check for any special events or after-school clubs can also be helpful. Have them pack everything into their bags the night before, allowing for a smoother start to the day.
For an extra touch of organisation, consider preparing lunches and setting the breakfast table ahead of time. This additional preparation helps ensure a restful night’s sleep for everyone, knowing that the morning will be well-organised and stress-free.
9. Laundry routine
Having a consistent laundry routine is essential to ensure that uniforms, sports kits, and other essentials are always clean and ready for the week. You might put a wash on every day or determine specific days for laundry to guarantee that all items are available when needed.
Always encourage the habit of putting items into the washing basket as soon as they’re dirty, rather than waiting until they’re urgently needed. This way, you avoid last-minute scrambles and keep everything in rotation smoothly.
By sticking to a regular laundry routine, you ensure that clean clothes are always available, reducing stress and making mornings more manageable.
10. Establish a homework routine
Creating a dedicated time and space for homework can significantly enhance focus and productivity. Set aside a specific time each day for homework and designate a quiet, distraction-free location for your child to work. In my blog Back to School Organising Tips for Parents I recommend setting up a dedicated homework station to keep distractions at bay and create a good environment for studying.
Additionally, be available to provide support if needed. Whether it’s answering questions, helping with difficult problems, or just offering encouragement, being there can make a big difference. A consistent homework routine and a supportive environment can help your child develop good study habits for the future.
Download your FREE copy of School Day Routine HERE
Your school habits and routines
To ensure a smooth and stress-free school day, integrating these habits and routines into your daily life can make a significant difference.
Establishing new habits takes time, especially if they are new to your household.
Start with small, manageable changes and gradually build up.
Remain open to tweaking routines as circumstances change.
Acknowledge your achievements to motivate everyone to keep up with the routines.
With patience and persistence, these habits will become second nature, contributing to a more organised and peaceful school year.
Want a copy of a school routine template? Download yours here.