How to Make Getting Ready in the Morning a Game

Making the morning routine a game can prevent tardiness.

If your child has a hard time getting motivated in the morning to get out of bed and prepare for school, turn this activity into a game to prevent conflict and drama. If you present waking up, cleaning up, eating breakfast and getting dressed as fun activities rather than chores, your child is more likely to cooperate and walk out the door on time.

Things You'll Need

• Treats and toys
• Stopwatch

Instructions

1. Get ready for morning preparation the night before. Assign children certain tasks, such as setting out an outfit to wear the following day, preparing lunches and placing them in the refrigerator, organizing school bags and taking a bath. Turn the activities into a game by telling children that it is their quest to complete these tasks before bedtime.

2. Tell your children that if they can complete all the steps of their school preparation quest they will receive a surprise in their school lunch bag. Reward your children by placing a treat or a toy in their bag that they can open and enjoy at school. This will make preparing for the morning seem fun and exciting.

3. Wake your children up in the morning and present getting ready for school as a relay race. Children enjoy improving upon their performance by beating personal records. Use a stopwatch to time your children as they brush their teeth, comb their hair and get dressed, explaining to them that they must complete each step thoroughly. Reward children who get ready promptly with a treat like a piece of sugarless gum or a toy.

4. Pretend that an evil villain is trying to prevent your children from going to school. Play a game in which the whole family prepares quickly and stealthily in the morning to avoid disturbing the villain. As children leave the house to catch the school bus or climb in the car, tell them that because they got ready in time, they have successfully defeated the enemy that wished to keep them away from school.

Tips & Warnings

• Use only positive reinforcement as you play games with your children while they get ready in the morning. Scolding or nagging your children will make the activities seem less fun and more like chores, which will result in resistance and lollygagging.

References

• Raising Children Network: School Morning Routines
• Swineburne University of Technology; How to Make Getting Up in the Morning Easier; February 2011
• Scholastic; Manage Morning Mayhem; Ann Matturro Gault
• AdditudeMage.com: Morning Routines For ADHD Children; John Taylor

Resources

• "Managing the Morning Rush: Shaping Up Your Family's Morning Routine"; Ann Budd; 1995