4 Tips to Getting Started with Morning Time

BySara Dennis Homeschool

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Getting started with morning time.

We know that morning time creates a beautiful start to the day. Listening to music, enjoying poetry, and quietly reading great literature during morning time together gathers the family closer together.

But getting started with morning time is hard. We have to fight the inertia of new habits. Kids don’t want to leave their games, toys, and books to join us at the table. So just how do we get started with morning time?

1. Start Small

First, we need to start small. Don’t plan a three-hour morning time right off the bat. The kids will never sit still that long. Instead, begin with something small, but something important to you.

This could be a prayer or poem to memorize. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to start the day by reading a chapter out of The Hobbit. Maybe picture study has been nagging you for several months now.

Choose one thing to begin, and do it every morning.

2. Use a Signal to Begin

I’ve heard of families using signals to signify that morning time is about to begin. Bells, alarms, or music can be used. There’s always the old standby of calling for the kids to meet you in the kitchen.

Using a bell or music to let children know it’s time for morning time creates a sense of ritual. It becomes a beautiful part of the day, not just mom racing around the house nagging everyone to come to the kitchen.

3. Have a Plan

Nothing is worse than collecting the kids and herding them to the table just to realize you have no idea what to do. Have you ever done that? I certainly have! I end up trying to ad-lib morning time while the kids get more and more restless.

My advice, don’t try to ad-lib morning time. Have a plan for what you’d like to do and stick with it. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a cheerful riot on your hands.

4. Keep Supplies in a Basket

Keep all your morning time supplies in a basket. Put your morning time binder in there, any books you’re reading, the bell or music CD you’re using the call children to the table, art supplies, or coloring sheets.

You won’t be needing to search the house in an effort to find that book, the memory list, or those crayons you needed to keep little ones quiet at the table.

These tips will help you get started with a beautiful morning time routine with your children.

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10 Comments

  2. Great tips! I read another post somewhere to have everything for the morning ready the night before. The morning activities should be independent activities, so it allows you some free time to start your morning as well. Take that time to get in a workout, shower, or cup of coffee.

    1. That’s a great idea as well, Amanda. My kids loathe being disrupted when they’ve started on independent work, so I’ve tried having morning/group time during lunch and in the morning. Each family needs to experiment to find what works best for them! There’s no one right solution that works for every homeschooling family. 🙂

  3. Great tips! I love your idea about having a starting signal. I bought a chime clock around Christmas time and I have really enjoyed the rhythm it has brought to our homeschool days.

  4. We love morning time around our house. Our rhythm has been knocked off recently, but we still try to fit one main thing in together in the mornings. Even if we can’t do it all, it’s great to still keep our foot in the door!

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