Morning Routines for ADHD Kids
Getting kids up and ready for school can be a challenge for any family. When you put a kid with ADHD in the mix, getting ready can be a HUGE battle.
Even if you have struggled for years to come up with a way to have easier mornings , the ideas in this post will help you create a morning routine that works for your family.
The best way to have your ADHD kids be independent in the mornings is to have a solid morning routine in place and to make the steps crystal clear to them.
Why Morning routines help Kids with ADHD
Kids with ADHD have a hard time with transitions, like getting out of the house in the morning. There are often too many steps involved for them to remember and they get frustrated very easily.
There are many reasons why starting a morning routine for your ADHD child is a great idea.
- Routines create good habits and grow independence.
- Repetition is good for executive functioning – it helps things sink in!
- Routines create pockets of calm. Kids love routines because they know exactly what to do and what is expected of them.
- There will be less whining and nagging…the routine “is just what our family does in the morning”.
What to include in a morning routine
Start small. Just choose a few things that need to get done. You can always add more onto a morning routine as your kids become familiar with the first few steps.
Include the important bits first. I’d say getting dressed and eating breakfast are key. Throw in brushing teeth and grabbing their lunch and backpack, too.
Decide on the order of things. If your kids are messy eaters, have them eat and then get dressed. If they hate to go back upstairs to brush their teeth, then have them do that step before they come downstairs. Whatever helps them get the necessary steps done.
Find a motivator. Perhaps eating breakfast needs to come last, if it motivates them to do the other steps. Or they get a bit of time to read or use simple art supplies if they are ready on time. (I hate to use screens as the
Use a timer. ADHD Kids suffer from time blindness, an inabiltiy to guage time. Getting a viusal timer, like the TimeTimer can help them learn what “15 minutes” feels like. If you’ve got a line to use the bathroom, give each kid 10 minutes in the bathroom.
Older kids can handle a bit more to do. You can add in making lunches, clearing the table or emptying the dishwasher to an older child’s morning routine.
Create an environment of cooperation. Encourage your kids to help each other out during the morning routine. Giving them friendly reminders as the morning goes will model how they can act with each other, too.
Good mornings might start the night before. Kids can have their backpack ready and sitting by the door the night before. Help them pick their outfit out before going to bed.
Examples of Morning Routines for ADHD Kids
When creating a routine, start with the time you need to be out the door and work backwards from there. Make sure to give everybody ample time for missteps or expected morning grumpiness. Here are a few examples for simple morning routines for kids.
- Wake Up, Wash face/brush teeth, Get dressed, Eat Breakfast, Get backpack ready, Read until it’s time to go
- Take a shower upon waking, Get dressed, Empty Dishwasher, Make Breakfast and lunch, Eat breakfast, pack backpack, wait on front porch for ride to school.
- Wake up, Eat breakfast, Wash Face/Brush Teeth, Get dressed, Grab lunch and backpack and head out the door.
Be sure to include the minimum that makes sense for your kids. The older they get, the more you can include, like a simple morning chore or making their own food.
Help your ADHD kids follow a morning routine
ADHD Kids may need extra help in becoming more independent while following their morning routien. There are lots of things that can help.
Paper morning routine chart. There are a lot of morning routine charts you can buy on Amazon ( We have used this one and this one, in the past, with some good success.)
You can also laminate a half sheet of paper and use a dry erase marker to write a few steps down.
Wipe off board. A small wipe-off board that kids can carry around with them during the morning can be a great place to write down the steps of their morning routine. Place it in their rooms at night, so it is ready to go when they wake up. Bonus points if you preview the morning routine during your evening routine.
DIY charts. You can always create your own chart on poster board or by taking pictures of each step. Or use a simple frame to include your kid’s current list of morning tasks.
Whatever kind of tool you use to make the steps visible, it is important that it is small enough for your kids to be able to carry it around the house with them as they move thru the steps. iI’s like having you sitting next to them at all times, cheering them on.
Other things for Easy mornings for ADHD Kids
- Have your kids lay out their clothes at night for the following day. Just seeing the clothes laying on the floor helps to stir them out of bed faster because is less thought involved.
- Plan out breakfasts and lunches the night before. Write their choices on a wipe board in the kitchen. This takes lots of decision making out of the morning and everything runs smoother.
Having a calm morning can really impact the rest of the day for every member of the family. Especially on school days, if I can send them away knowing they are in a good place, I know it will have a positive impact on their entire day.
If you have a friend who would benefit from this article please pass it along. And as always, thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! I’d love to hear what works for you in the mornings.
