10 Ideas for a Calming Morning Routine

There’s so much buzz around a great bedtime routine, and, while critical, morning routines are just as important.

If you think about it, our children must be separated from us for eight to 12 hours while they sleep. Mornings are a great opportunity to reconnect with your child after all of those hours of separation.

Here are some simple things you can do in the mornings to create a calming morning routine filled with connection and, dare I say, more cooperation, too!

Resist the urge to rush them out of bed and, instead, spend just a few minutes snuggling and asking about the quality of their sleep. This simple tweak can set the tone for a smoother morning ahead.

If you have time, engage them in a conversation about the fun day ahead or the exciting day they had the day before. Follow their lead and get them talking. Ask open ended questions like, “What’s something you’re looking forward to today?” Not only will your child leave the conversation feeling more connected with you, but also (fingers crossed) more motivated to get through the morning routine.

Savor the small, mundane moments by holding their hand, singing a favorite tune, or telling a story or joke as you two walk downstairs or to the kitchen.

A morning routine checklist (a picture checklist works best for young children) is a great way to add structure to the routine. Allow your child to choose the order in which they do the activities for an extra dose of healthy power. You can say something like, “When all of these things are done, then we can have breakfast/play time.” The trick here is to save all the fun, exciting things for the end.

Children love playing games and we as parents love when things happen quickly. While working through the morning routine, invite them to race and see how fast they can do things like put on their clothes. Say something like, “Let’s see how fast you can put on your clothes. Ready, set, go!” and then begin counting. Congratulate them for their effort afterwards.

Deep breaths are a great way to calm the mind and body, especially if it’s been a stressful morning. Invite your child to take some deep breaths with you, but don’t force it. You can model it for them, and if they join in, great! If not, no worries. The modeling will be a great teaching moment, whether they join you or not. You can say something like, “Let’s pretend we are smelling some yummy birthday cake (breathe in) and blowing out birthday candles (breathe out)!” Repeat a couple times and share how your body feels afterwards.

Five to 10 minutes of play time before starting your day can go a long way in enhancing the connection and cutting back on behavioral issues.

Positive thinking has powerful implications to our health and overall well being and self esteem. Get into the practice of teaching your child positive thoughts, such as “I am enough,” “I am proud of myself,” I can do anything,” “I am brave,” and “I’m a great friend/sibling.”

Research has shown time and time again the power of gratitude practices on our physical health and mental well being. Gratitude, however, is not instinctual — grown-ups must model and teach this concept. Get in the practice of expressing your gratitude for your child as well as prompting them to think about the things in their life they are most grateful for.

This one is pretty much self explanatory. Who doesn’t love a good dance party to start the day?!

It’s no secret that mornings can be filled with stress and pressure as we race down the to-list. Children can feel our stress, which can lead to resistance and power struggles as you try to get through the morning routine. However, designating some time for connection, even if it’s just five to 10 minutes, can help the mornings go a lot smoother.

I hope this list sparks some ideas of how you can make the mornings go by more smoothly. What tips from this list do you want to try out? Do you have any tips you’d like to add?