# data[].attributes.body
This story follows a typical school day for Tom, including his morning routine, school activities, and evening hobbies.

# data[].attributes.body
Jenny shares her daily routine, highlighting her morning exercises, school day, and her favorite afternoon activities.

# data[].attributes.body
A motivational poem encouraging children to wake up early and start their day energetically.

# data[].attributes.body
This fun poem describes the various household chores that people do every day.

# data[].attributes.body
This article provides tips and activities for children to create an effective morning routine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Morning routine for school: the whys and hows

Staying calm and being organised in the morning will help you and your child feel positive about the day ahead. It will also help you reduce stress, which is good for everyone's wellbeing.

One of the best ways to stay calm and get organised is to have a morning routine for school. A routine will help your child know what's happening and remember what they need to do.

Planning a routine for school mornings

The first step in planning your morning routine for school could be to make a weekly schedule with reminders of what your child needs for school each day. For example, your child might need:

a library bag on Monday

sports clothes on Wednesday

show and tell on Friday.

The next step is to list the regular activities and things you need to do to get ready for school each day. You can split these activities into things you can do the night before and things that have to be done in the morning.

Things you might do the night before include:

checking what your child needs for the next day

packing your child's bag

signing school notes

laying out uniforms

making lunches.

Things that have to be done in the morning include:

getting out of bed

having a healthy breakfast

cleaning teeth, washing and getting dressed

leaving the house on time.

To get to work and school on time, you probably need to do your morning activities at certain times. So when you're planning your routine, it's a good idea to think about:

how long morning activities take

what time morning activities need to happen.

If you know there are things that might cause conflict in the morning, it can really help to deal with these the night before. For example, you might know that your child wants to wear sneakers to school rather than school shoes. You and your child might be able to come up with a solution together if you talk about the issue the night before.

Example routine for school mornings

Here's an example of what a school morning routine might look like:

7.30 am: your child gets up.

7.40 am: your child eats breakfast.

8.00 am: your child washes their face, brushes their teeth, gets dressed and puts on shoes.

8.20 am: your child puts lunch in their bag and looks at books while you get ready to go.

8.25 am: you help your child put on sunscreen.

8.30 am: you and your child leave for school.

Your family will have its own way of doing things. When you've worked out a morning routine to suit your family, write it up and display it where everyone can see it. You could include pictures to make the routine easier for your child to follow.

Tips to help your school morning routine work well

Once you've worked out your routine, these tips can help things go smoothly on school mornings:
Tips to help you organise your time

Get your child to have a bath or shower the night before, so you don't need to make time for this in the morning.

Make sure your child gets to bed with plenty of time for a good night's sleep. This will help your child wake up refreshed.

Get up 15-30 minutes earlier than you think you need to. This will give you more time in the morning.

Think about an alarm for children who find it hard to wake up or don't like getting out of bed.

Tips to encourage cooperation and good behaviour

Tackle the morning as positively as you can. Good moods can be infectious. You and your child could do this by sharing one thing that you're each looking forward to during the day.

Give your child calm, clear instructions about what you want them to do, and follow up with specific praise as soon as they start to cooperate. You might need to remind younger children more often about what they're meant to be doing and when.

Encourage children to do more for themselves as they get older and more independent. For example, a 5-year-old can do things like putting their lunch box in their bag. An 8-year-old can get dressed on their own, make their own breakfast, and tidy up after themselves.

Cut down on distractions like television, tablets and other devices, unless screen time is a special treat for being ready on time.

Give your child positive attention for good behaviour, rather than attention for arguing, whining or stalling. For example, say 'I love the way you're eating up your toast' rather than 'Stop playing with your toast'. This will encourage the behaviour you want to see on school mornings.

Make it fun - for example, try our 'Beat the buzzer' game to encourage your child to be ready on time.

Sometimes children drag out the time in the morning as a way to avoid school. If you think this might be happening with your child, it's a good idea to check in with your child's teacher to make sure there aren't any problems that are causing school refusal.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A morning routine helps children arrive at school ready to learn and play. A good routine reduces stress and gives everyone time to do what they need to do.

# data[].attributes.body
Discover various healthy habits, from eating breakfast to getting enough sleep.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The foundation of a healthy lifestyle consists of lasting habits like eating right, watching your weight, exercising regularly, managing your mental health, and getting routine medical exams. But even daily, small steps toward these goals also can have a significant impact.

Here are some practices that can help support your ongoing health journey. While you might find it unrealistic to follow them all the time, try to include them in your daily life as much as possible.

1. Do a morning stretch

Stretching before getting out of bed wakes up the body, improves circulation, and promotes relaxation, helping to set the day's tone. While you're still lying in bed, move the covers aside, then flex and release your lower limbs several times. Bend your knees and lift your legs into the air. With your legs still elevated, flex your feet up and down and rotate them side to side. Next, sit up and slowly look left and then right. Roll your shoulders several times. Flex your wrists up and down, and open and close your hands repeatedly.

2. Stay hydrated

Proper hydration supports digestion, improves brain performance, and increases energy, among other health benefits. Drink a big glass of water after you wake up and a glass with every meal.

3. Floss

Maintaining good oral health includes daily flossing, but make sure you do it right. First, wrap the floss around your middle fingers, which helps you reach the back teeth. Then loop the floss around one side of a tooth, so it makes a C shape. Beginning at the gum line, slide it up and down the tooth several times. (Don't move the floss back and forth in a sawing motion. You miss cleaning the entire tooth, and the friction can irritate the gum.) Repeat on the other side of the tooth, and then the other teeth.

4. Apply sunscreen

Sunscreen is the best defense against skin-damaging rays. After washing your face in the morning, apply a facial moisturizer that contains sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30. Or blend equal parts sunscreen and a regular moisturizer. Use one or two nickel-sized dollops to cover your entire face, neck, ears, and any bald or thinning spots on your head.

5. Go nuts

When you crave a snack, reach for unsalted nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and cashews. They contain many beneficial nutrients and help prevent cravings for highly processed foods. Nuts are high in calories, so keep to a palm-sized portion.

6. Nap

Afternoon naps can recharge a weary body and may boost cognitive function. A study published online on Jan. 25, 2021, by General Psychiatry found that nappers scored higher on cognitive tests than non-nappers. The researchers found that shorter and less frequent naps - lasting less than 30 minutes, no more than four times a week - were associated with the most benefit. Schedule naps for the early afternoon, and use a timer so you don't oversleep.

7. Bust some moves

Break up bouts of sitting with small bursts of movement. For example, dance across a room instead of walking. When you brush your teeth, suck in your lower gut for 30 seconds, which activates your abdominal muscles. Do 10 air squats or push-ups (on the ground or against the kitchen counter). Make it a habit to stand up "twice" each time you stand up - that is, get up, sit back down, and then get back up.

8. Take a breather

Alternate-nostril breathing, in which you breathe through one nostril at a time, is believed to help reduce stress by slowing your breathing rhythm and forcing you to take deep, full breaths. Using a finger or thumb, close one nostril and slowly breathe in and out through the open nostril. After about five to 10 breaths, switch and close the other nostril and repeat the breathing pattern. For a variation, try inhaling through one nostril with the other closed, changing finger/thumb positions, and exhaling through the previously closed nostril. Then, inhale through that one, close it, and exhale through the other nostril. Go back and forth like this for a few minutes.

9. Enjoy a hobby

A study published online Sept. 11, 2023, by Nature Medicine suggests that having a hobby is good for people's overall health and mood. Hobbies involve creativity, sensory engagement, self-expression, relaxation, and cognitive stimulation. One way to pick up a new hobby is with a project kit designed to teach you a skill like gardening, building a model, carving wood, or making beer, soap, hot sauce, or jewelry. The kits come with instructions and all the materials you need to start. You can find kits at local bookstores or hobby stores, or go online: just type "how-to kits" or "project kits" into a search engine.

10. Be social

Social interactions can stave off loneliness and protect against depression and cognitive decline. Strive to have some kind of social engagement every day: make a phone call, send an email, or chat with a neighbor. Another option is to create your own social pod - a small, intimate group that you interact with regularly, like meeting for coffee or conversing over a Zoom call. Casual conversations are also helpful; for example, chat with a grocery store employee or interact with a stranger on the street.

Image: © andreswd/Getty Images

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 habits for good health - Harvard Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Establishing daily healthful habits is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Everyday strategies include doing morning stretching, taking regular naps, caring for skin and teeth, and being social....

# data[].attributes.body
A workbook designed to help Grade 5 students practice vocabulary related to daily activities.

# data[].attributes.body
Practice using the present simple tense with activity worksheets related to describing daily routines.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 (Adapted Edition)

# data[].attributes.subject
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 (Adapted Edition)

# data[].attributes.body
A humorous diary-format book that relates to routines and daily life, adapted for younger readers.