March 3, 2025

How to Create the Best Morning Routine for Preschoolers

A good preschool daily routine has many benefits for little ones. Research has even found that it’s associated with positive developmental outcomes. 

The daily routine of a student, even a very young one, provides a stable base for his/her activities. It offers a way to set the tone of the day for both you and your child.

If you want to benefit from having a good morning routine, read on. We’ve put together a list of practical tips for creating the best morning routine for local preschoolers.

1. Get started the night before

Interestingly, having an effective morning routine can be supported by preparing your child’s necessities from the night before. For example, pack your child’s school bag and lay out his/her school outfit. Among other things, this advance preparation can make things less hectic in the morning!

And of course, don’t forget to establish a calm bedtime routine as part of this. It can help your child develop good sleeping habits, which leads to waking up fresh and ready for a day of school.

2. Wake up early and at a consistent time

Start your own day early. It will help you avoid rushing and even give you some time to both decompress and organise your thoughts for the day ahead.

The exact time you have to get up depends. You can base it on the total length of your morning routine and commute. And if you want added time for yourself – say so you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee – add a half-hour to the time buffer before you have to leave. 

If you can, try to wake up at the same time during the weekends too. Doing so will condition your body clock and make waking on weekdays easier.

3. Make a morning checklist

A simple checklist is a must! Whether it’s on your phone or your refrigerator, it can help you and your child stay on track every day. 

The checklist is your method of ensuring you complete all tasks before heading out the door. It can be as simple as a list of activities to do before you leave the house. Or it could be a list of items to pack for your child’s preschool day. 

This is especially useful if you have more than 1 child. Usually, each child will be a different age and therefore in a different preschool class or level. 

That means each child will very likely have a different set of items needed for the school day. By making a list for each child, you can avoid missing out on items as you prepare them to head out the door.

Don’t forget about yourself either. Create your own list of tasks that you need to keep in mind or accomplish every morning. 

And if you have a partner or other family member helping with the morning routine, the two of you can use it to split the load and check off tasks so they don’t get done twice.

4. Prepare a simple yet nutritious breakfast

A good breakfast can energise your child for the day ahead. And if it happens to be tasty, it can put all of you in a good mood too!

The nice thing about being here in Singapore is that we have so many great breakfast foods available in the morning. Fishball noodles, whole grain congee, oats, eggs and toast… There’s no end to the yummy options. 

Or if you’re feeling up to it, you can prepare nutritious meals in advance, like yoghurt bowls, multigrain-bread sandwiches or even your own version of a Big Breakfast!

5. Add buffer time for contingencies

If there’s one thing we all know, it’s that few things go exactly to plan when a preschooler is involved. So why not prepare for that too in advance?

When plotting your daily routine, add buffer time in there for safety. It won’t always be necessary but it’s better to have it there than not. And it can be used for independent tasks too, like children dressing themselves or playing with their toys for a bit. 

It’s a great way to avoid delays for the actual stuff that’s time-sensitive. That being said, try to avoid showing your frustration if you do think a delay may happen. 

Instead, try to remind your child of what he/she has to do for the day. That focuses him/her on a goal and helps you move things along without causing feelings of anxiety.

6. Always be positive and encouraging

Continuing from the final point in our previous tip, try to be positive every morning. A good preschool daily routine isn’t one where a dark cloud hangs over people’s heads. It’s one where the mood is bright from the very beginning.

Be positive from the moment you interact with your child in the morning. This can help both you and your child get through tasks with more ease. 

A good idea here is to praise your child for everything he/she does right in the routine. It makes your feel like he/she is achieving something and being recognised for his/her efforts. It also helps most children figure out what they’re supposed to be doing on a daily basis.

And ultimately, it’s a great way to start any child’s day. Wouldn’t you love to start your own day with praise for your efforts? Giving your child that will put him/her in the right mindset for preschool.

Discover a preschool where positive daily routines are the norm

Of course, your child’s daily routine doesn’t end the moment you drop him/her off at preschool. It continues with the preschool you’ve chosen. 

That’s why a preschool with a morning routine that ties into yours can be useful. At My Little Campus, for example, we provide a positive and very warm welcome to our preschoolers every day.

We have consistent drop-off and pick-up routines to create a sense of security for children. It lets the students in our care, especially the youngest ones, settle into their school day more easily.

Our preschoolers’ schedules are also meticulously planned and followed for maximum developmental support. We help children feel comfortable with knowing what to expect daily, from hands-on learning to engaging with others in social experiences. 

If you’d like to learn more about our programmes, enquire now. We’d love to show you how our own schedules are designed to offer the stability little minds need to grow.