My boys will be going to preschool soon, so I need to start getting them used to a morning routine. I'm trying to teach them all the things they need to do in the morning without nagging and chasing after them. I came up with a game to help keep us organized and it has made our Back to School morning routine so much fun!
I got the idea for our Morning Routine Scavenger Hunt while browsing the back to school seasonal section at Walmart. The bright, colorful Post-it® Page Markers caught my eye, so I grabbed some. I then headed to stationary and found a few pads of Post-it® Super Sticky Notes to finish my project.
To put together your own Morning Routine Scavenger Hunt, you will need:
- Post-it® Super Sticky Notes - 1 color per child
- Post-it® Page Markers
- Marker or Pen
- Printable Scavenger Hunt game board - click here to download.
First, print out your game board. Since we're just starting a routine, we're only using 3 squares each morning - one for getting dressed, one for brushing teeth, and one for eating breakfast - so my boys are sharing a board. You may need to use more squares for older children, for things like remembering to get their homework, grab their lunch, etc.
Next, use your Post-it® Page Markers to mark each square with a task in your morning routine. I also marked each row with their initial since they were sharing the board. Post-it® Notes stick securely, yet remove cleanly, so you can easily move things around if you need to.
Next, use your Post-it® Super Sticky Notes to go through the house and mark the things that you want your kids to accomplish in the morning. If you have more than one child, give each one his or her own color so they know which note belongs to them. If your kids aren't reading yet, add pictures to help them along.
Now the fun can begin! When your kids get up in the morning, tell them to find their special colored note, do what it says, then put it on the game board. You can make it a race or have a special surprise when the board is complete!
My boys are pretty little, so they still need a lot of help from me to get ready. But making a game of looking for their special Post-it® notes and collecting them makes our morning routine into a fun process instead of a chore. It's been an easy way to teach them the steps to get ready in the morning and has helped us to prepare for the school year without a lot of stress or complaining.
Post-it® products have helped us get organized for Back to School - what could you use them for? Click here to be inspired and share your project plans in the comments below!