After-school routine for children ages 4-8

Once your child starts going to school full-time (usually in pre-k / age 4 but if your younger child goes to school too you can totally start this earlier!), create and implement the SAME after-school routine every single day. What is it that you want your child to do as soon as you walk in the door? Sharing a recommended example below!

1️⃣ Place backpack / belongings in designated area

2️⃣ Use the bathroom, “go potty”, whatever you want to call it 😝 (at least sit and TRY, even if your child says they don’t have to go)

3️⃣ Wash hands

4️⃣ Eat snack (give the same two options at a time over the course of a week or longer... makes it easier for YOU, mama 💙)

Doing something like this every single day creates structure in an otherwise chaotic time of day. Your child is likely to be exhausted from the school day and is just coming off 6ish or so hours of structure at school. It’s super common for kids to fall apart when they get home if they spent so much energy keeping it together at school 🏫 Having them do the SAME series of events every single day allows their brain to learn over time that they don’t need to think so much - they know what is expected of them. It makes their life easier, and YOURS!

Feel free to switch / change some of the steps above to fit what makes sense to you and your family. (*Note that there’s no screen time right away, which I highly encourage you don’t include.) TELL your child that starting today, you’re going to do a series of steps the same way, every single day after school. The first week or so you may need to walk your child through it, explaining each step and making sure they understand. Before you know it, they’ll be independent and YOU can spend those first few precious moments at the end of a long day doing what you need to get done.

Thoughts? If you already have an after-school routine, what does it look like? Share below!👇