Back to School Routine: How to Help Your Kids Build One
When the summer ends, it can be tough for kids to get back into the swing of a consistent schedule. We put together ten steps to help you and your child follow a daily routine this school year. By doing so you can help provide consistency and productivity in your child’s learning experience.
Here are ten ways to help your kids get back into a school routine:
- Set up a nighttime schedule
- Create a morning routine checklist
- Prepare lunches together
- Establish a study space
- Set aside a homework time
- Encourage them to read daily
- Talk about time management
- Create an at-home reward system
- Join a supplemental learning program
- Praise them for their efforts
Set up a nighttime schedule
A sleep routine is an important factor in helping make it a successful school year. According to the Sleep Foundation, children who don’t get enough sleep can have a difficult time learning. It’s recommended that kids between ages six through 13 get nine to eleven hours of sleep each night.
It’s also great to have your child pack their backpack and set it by the door to easily grab in the morning.
Create a morning routine checklist
Your morning routine doesn’t need to be extensive to be effective. Provide your child with clear steps, or even a written-out checklist, so it’s easy for them to know what needs to be done at the start of each day. Once you have a routine in place, you can figure out what time an alarm needs to be set.
Be sure to include a well-balanced breakfast which can act as brain fuel for your child during the school day. You can even prepare easy and nutritious breakfast meals ahead of time with your child!
Prepare lunches together
A prepared lunch can help your child stay fueled throughout the school day. You can brainstorm lunch ideas together weekly and put a plan in place on when works best to prep. It’s great to add into your school routine to help your kids know what to expect and plan ahead.
Establish a study space
Set up a place that is dedicated to homework, studying, and online learning. This space should be free of distractions including toys and electronics. Tips for a productive learning space include good lighting, motivational messages, fun decorations, and stocked school supplies.
Set aside a homework time
A structured and consistent homework schedule is one part of the school routine to be sure to incorporate. It might be challenging at times to set a specific time if your child is involved in extracurricular activities, but it’s important to work it into their day to help your child stay on top of schoolwork. Another great way to get into a consistent homework routine is with an after school enrichment program, like Kumon!
Encourage them to read daily
While reading could be a part of an assignment, it’s also a great way for your kids to continually explore their interests, exercise their imaginations, and learn something new. Reading daily has tons of benefits such as increasing vocabulary, improving communication skills, and showing the importance of understanding different perspectives.
It might not be easy to get a reluctant reader to pick up books daily, but adding in materials like magazines, comics or even picture books can make it a more enjoyable time!
Talk about time management
Take time at the beginning of each week to create a calendar of upcoming events or tasks. You can share what your expectations are while discussing what goals your child wants to accomplish. As you’re discussing time management and creating a schedule, include homework assignments, deadlines, extracurricular activities, and free time for fun activities!
Create an at-home reward system
An at-home reward system can play a huge role in your child’s motivation and even in their time management. It can help your child feel rewarded as they receive positive feedback for their hard work. It’s beneficial to have a reward system visible to inspire your child to accomplish all their weekly tasks.
Join a supplemental learning program
While adding in more work might seem counterintuitive, it can help to provide consistency and accountability. Many programs can be fit into any schedule. It helps to find a program that is individualized for your child’s learning so that you can be sure your child is on track and advancing at their own pace.
The Kumon Math and Reading Program checks off all these boxes while helping students build essential study skills like confidence, perseverance, and independence.
Praise them for their efforts
Praise is a great way to empower your child. As your child works towards goals that are a part of their school routine, it’s important to motivate them with words of encouragement. Receiving meaningful feedback can play an important role in their development. It can also help to boost self-esteem, improve confidence, and instill perseverance to continue reaching for new goals.
With any routine, there are many factors to consider. How can you fit everything into one day? As you work through these different steps, the routine will begin to become a habit for your family. Plus, setting up a school routine at the start of a new school year can help your child feel more prepared to take on any challenge!