Morning Checklist for Kids (Free Printable)

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We are still in the midst of the lazy, hazy days of summer but school starts for us in just a few weeks so I’m starting to prepare for the transition. Going from out summer schedule to our school schedule can be a little rough. However I’ve done it a few years now and I have learned a lot so today I’m sharing with you all my top tips for getting kids ready for the school year as well as my free printable Morning Checklist for Kids.

Tip# 1- Stock Up on Essentials

This past week I started stocking up on two things we go through a lot of during the school year: tissues and hand wipes! Hover over the image and you can stock up on these essentials too.

Back to school shopping can be utter madness so to avoid some of the chaos in the store I do as much of the back-to-school shopping online.

We all know that I’m a huge fan of the convenience of online grocery shopping at Walmart but did you know you can include non-grocery items like tissues in your online grocery order?

I simply add them to my cart when I’m doing my other shopping and submit my order.

Then at my reserved time I simply pull up to the Grocery Pick-up area and everything I’ve ordered is loaded into my car in no time at all.

Be sure to check to see if you have Walmart Online Grocery Shopping in your area. I don’t feel like I’m exaggerating when I say it’s life-changing. I save so much time each week by using it.

We can never seem to have enough tissues and hand wipes during the school year so I started stocking up this week and I will keep adding in more over the next few weeks.

I love the Kleenex® Brand Ultra Soft™ Facial Tissues. Being 3-ply they are dependably strong but also so, so soft.

My kids have sensitive skin so I love Kleenex® Brand Wet Wipes™ Gentle Clean for Hands and Face. They’re thick and soft. With no harsh chemicals they can be used on the hands, face, and body.

I keep them in my car and as soon as the boys get in after school I have them each wipe their hands. You can find them in the aisle with facial tissues.

Tip # 2- Make an Outfit Cubby

To foster independence in my sons while ensuring that they still dress appropriately for the weather I organized a week’s worth of outfits for them ahead of time. Each of my sons has a sweater organizer that has five cubbies in it.

I put a complete outfit into each cubby- shirt, shorts, underwear, and socks. With five cubbies there is one outfit for each week day. After breakfast, I send my sons upstairs to get dressed and they can easily dress themselves.

Every Friday I do laundry and restock the cubbies for the next week. This way there’s no scrambling for clothes in the morning.

Tip # 3- Make Breakfast Easy

Plan out easy breakfasts and save the more complicated ones for the weekend. Sometimes I make pancakes or an egg casserole ahead of time and then reheat them the next few mornings. Other days we keep it simple with some fruit and yogurt.

Tip # 4- Use a Morning Checklist for Kids

A Morning Checklist for Kids is like a schedule with pictures that show a child what to do. Younger children who cannot read can use the pictures to know what to do. Older children can quickly glance at it and know what step comes next in their routine.

I find that giving my sons a Morning Checklist helps them to get ready before school in the morning more independently. They can refer to their checklist for what comes next while I am free to get myself ready, do dishes, etc.

To make things easy I slip the Morning Checklists for Kids into these clear pouches. Then they can check completed items off of their list with a dry erase marker. I used hooks to hang their lists on the side of our kitchen cabinets where they can see them.

You can get my free printable Morning Checklist here.

Ok, so I want to know… what do you do to help get ready for those crazy school mornings? Let me know in the comments below! And be sure to check out all the essentials that you can stock up on using Walmart Online Grocery.