Routine Chart For Kids | Get Ready FASTER With Our Checklist

Hi, mom here. And I am about to share something with your that was LIFESAVING for us in the mornings (and evenings!)

Getting ready for school: The Nightmare. How often do you find yourself saying "get dressed!" to an unmotivated child? My daughter, who is now 6, once made me the queen of Get Dressed-ville. Every morning. That was, until I started making "Get Ready" morning routine charts and checklists for her.

ROUTINE CHART FOR KIDS | HOW TO GET READY FASTER

When my daughter was 4-5 years old, I started making simple checklists to help her get ready on her own. Before she was reading, I used picture checklists with some simple sight words. As she grew older, I added more words/sentences onto her routine checklist and evening checklist for her to do. They were small, simple words to help her take on the responsibility of getting ready on her own. This also includes getting her things ready for school the night before, like choosing and laying out her outfit and packing library books the night before library day. She really liked feeling that sense of accomplishment and responsibility in checking off her own routine chart.

I have a few rules for the routine chart checklists though, which help keep the routine checklist working. And let me tell you, the stress that it takes off of me in the morning is HUGE and she feels proud that she can accomplish these tasks on her own.

Having a routine checklist is setting her up for success in the future and establishing routines that are just great for EVERYONE.

Our Rules For The Morning Routine Chart: Follow Or Make Your Own

1. Morning routine chart must be done by 8:00am. I leave the house with my kiddos at 8:20. By having the routine checklist all checked off by 8:00, it leaves some wiggle room and shows my kids that when you are done early, there is time to relax a bit and it is so much better and happier than the rushing out the door when we are running behind schedule.
2. Kids are responsible for knowing how they are doing for timing. If you are constantly reminding the kids that there is "15 minutes left to do their checklist" and "hurry up, five minutes left before your checklist is done!" it is pointless. For this, I have a timer. A time timer is fantastic as it is a visual clock where you can see the time running out. It helps kids understand how much time they have, and they are truly responsible for being ready on time!
   This is the exact time timer we use, and it is the same one I used in my classroom as a teacher. It is fantastic, and you can find it on Amazon here.
   
   

 *You can compare prices of time timers on Amazon right here



Rewards And Reinforcement For Routine Chart:

For some positive rewards and reinforcement for the routine chart, if my daughter completes her chart in the morning before 8:00am, she earns .25 cents. If she completes all of her evening routines before bed, she earns another .25 cents. That is an earning potential of .50 cents a day, but you can make it whatever denomination or reward you think will work. For us, this helps my daughter understand the value of money and helps recognize money (quarters, dimes, nickels). When she was younger, she earned a treat in her lunch that she got to choose from our treat bin.

I am also using monetary rewards as money savings and spending lessons. I have these three really cute little banks for my daughter. One says "SAVE", one says "SPEND" and the third says "SHARE". When she earns her .25 cents from completing her routine chart before the time cutoff, she gets to decide where to put her money.

Once in a while we will go to WalMart or the Dollar Store and she can spend from her "SPEND" bank. When she sees something she really wants, we find a picture of it and cut it out, and she can "SAVE" her earned money for it from that bank!

As for "SHARE", I think this is a very important lesson. Twice a year, we bring her money from her "SHARE" bank to a charity of her choice. Once for Christmas in December, and once on her birthday in April. She gets to donate the money herself and understand that there are people and causes out there who need help, and she can do her part.

These are some lessons that we like to teach in our home, and if you would like to try something like this as well, there are some super cute banks for kids you can buy on Amazon. To see what is available, check their selection here.

Printing The Checklist

I had my checklist printed on cardstock paper, had it ring-bound and laminated at my local Staples by going to their website and sending them the files online. Having the checklist laminated is key because your child can use markers to check off their items on their own, and you can wipe it clean after they go to bed. You can also download the checklist and print it right from your printer.

Markers For Laminated Checklist:

*IMPORTANT* Whiteboard markers do not erase off of laminated paper. The only markers that will actually wipe clean and erase off of laminate or laminated pages are Staedtler Lumocolor markers from Amazon. These are the same markers you see in all of the photos for this routine chart for kids article. You may remember these markers from school if you have ever copied notes from a projector from your teacher when you were younger. At least, that was my connection to them haha.

 

As for the checklist, have a look at it right here on our website. I made one with basic get ready items, as well as some blank boxes. You can fill in what you would like your child to achieve in their routine chart by writing them in with a permanent, black marker. You can grab this routine chart for kids and download it then print yourself, or send the routine chart to a local printer like I did. If you do want to save some money by printing yourself, you can absolutely laminate it yourself as well! Find some thermal laminating pouches right here on Amazon, and you can do these (very carefully) with an iron, or grab a super cheap laminating machine, also found on Amazon.

 

Get the Routine Chart For Kids Checklist from us here

We hope you found this routine chart and checklist for kids super helpful in getting your kids moving and motivated in their morning routines! Be sure to Pin this to your favorite Pinterest board! We would appreciate that.

We would also love to hear how it went, please let us know in the comments how our plan and printable worked for you! Share any tips and photos you would like with the community!

Have a productive day :)

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