How to Make Your Kids’ Morning Routine More Fun

Say goodbye to boring starts! Here’s how to inject more play into your family’s morning routine...

We all know the scene; the alarm goes off and it’s time to get up and get your little one ready. Still half asleep and need caffeine to get through the morning? Errrrrr, YEP. If this sounds like you, we’re here to help...

But firstly, why is it important to have a morning routine? Well, structured mornings help kids settle into the rhythm of the day. It can also help us parents to feel at ease, knowing there’s a plan in place for the mornings (before we start tackling our endless to-do list...).

But guess what? Routines don’t have to be mundane or repetitive! Why not try a morning routine that energizes everyone? Here’s how to elevate early starts so the whole family looks forward to the morning...

Create a morning routine checklist

Kids love to celebrate their achievements. So why not play on this trait and turn their morning routine into something they can track and tick off? Get creative by making a chart that includes all the activities they need to do to start their day, plotting them against the days of the week. You can even get them to help make it by talking through all the things they do in the morning to get ready. That counts as a verbal contract, right? RIGHT?!

Let them decorate it, and display it at their level, in the heart of your home. Now you just need to work out how you’ll add the reward element to it. Will they get to add a sticker to the chart every time they complete the routine? Will they get an extra five minutes’ playtime before bed? Or perhaps you’ll play their favorite song? Or do a silly dance or impression? (Be careful what you commit to...!)

Perhaps there can be extra rewards for trying a new breakfast food, for getting ready all by themselves, for giving you extra cuddles?

A breath of fresh air

Fresh air is good for everyone – for the oldest, youngest and furriest members of the household! Try and introduce a little outside time into your routine, even if it’s just for ten minutes in the morning. Walk around the garden, listen to the birds or let your little one water the plants so they learn about caring for nature. A little time in nature can make mornings more blissful!

Psst! If you don't have any outdoor space, or the weather’s not playing ball, kids can role-play outdoor time with LEGO® DUPLO® sets such as Peppa Pig™ Garden and Tree House (10431) or Caring for Bees & Beehives (10419) – to nurture a love of caring for nature!

Morning melodies!

As your little one starts to stir, play soothing sounds in their room. Audiobooks or kids' radio are both great at keeping little ones calm, and music, stories and sounds are great for improving listening skills and sensory development. And who doesn’t like to wake up feeling zen?!

Many devices allow you to schedule audio content to play at certain times, just like clockwork! Not only will your little one wake up to a little entertainment, it might also buy you a few additional minutes to get yourself ready for the day. Win-win!

Brushing teeth can be a blast

Your kids might find brushing their teeth a chore, but with a little injection of fun, we can change that! Help them look forward to toothbrush time with a special song. Find one online or unlock your creativity and compose it yourself! Make it upbeat and funny with a squeeze of silliness and we guarantee they’ll love it (although you’ll probably have it stuck in your head for years to come – we apologize).

A build a day keeps the skills at play! 

Play is a great way to start the day, not to mention its crucial role in early years’ skills development! 

Task them with a daily build to complete each morning using LEGO^® DUPLO^® bricks! One day it could be a tower, the next day, an animal! While they’re getting their brains into gear, you can enjoy your morning coffee. 

Top tip: Save yourself time in the morning and prepare the bricks the night before, ready for when they wake up. Once your little one completes their build, they can start the day with a sense of pride! If they’re very young, lend a helping hand and build together! Read our guide on how to re-learn the art of play...

Zen time for two

Gift yourself some ‘me time’ with a quick yoga flow or workout and get your little one involved, too! Kids are super bendy and keen to mimic – all you need is a mat! There are plenty of free online classes tailored towards families, helping to nurture physical and mindfulness skills.

Chores are better, together!

Getting a helping hand with the chores is always nice, isn’t it? Get your little one involved in simple tasks (in an age-appropriate way) like helping to unload the dishwasher, sorting washing into piles of lights and darks or tidying up around the house. This will help train fine motor skills in kids, give them a sense of purpose and you can keep an eye on them while getting stuff done.

Add a little ‘whistle while you work’ to the tasks by playing some music in the background for extra fun!

A jar full of dreams!

Start the day on a positive note with an affirmations jar. It’s a fun way for you and your kids to note down your hopes, dreams or feelings for the day ahead.

It could be something as simple as “I want to have a good day,” or “I want to make friends,” or “I want to play with my LEGO^® DUPLO^® giraffe.”

At the end of the day, you can review them and see if they came true and talk about what your little one might be able to do to make sure they do next time.

Scheduled snoozes

We know this one’s an obvious one, but it’s important! Putting your child to sleep at a sensible time results in better mornings for everyone. Your child will be well rested and more likely to wake up at a similar hour if they’re going to bed at roughly the same time each night, making it easier to plan a morning routine around their sleep schedule.

The morning madness may feel overwhelming now, but introducing just a few of these tips could help you make the first few hours of the day more playful and enjoyable for the whole family. Wahoo!