FREE BACK-TO-SCHOOL ROUTINE KIT
The first days of school may be behind you, but families are still finding their rhythm.
Morning routines are being tested. Backpacks are filling up. Homework is starting to come home. And everyone is figuring out what works—and what could use a little adjusting.
Earlier this summer, we shared five practical ways to create a back-to-school routine for kids, from setting up a homework space to building in reading, play, and downtime.
Now we’ve turned those ideas into something families can use.
Our free Back-to-School Routine Kit gives families simple tools to make school days feel a little more organized—and help kids take more ownership of their routines.
**BACK TO SCHOOL ROUTINE CHECKLIST
The kit starts with the five ideas from our original back-to-school routine guide:
- Start earlier than you think
- Set up a homework station
- Build reading back in
- Do a practice run
- Protect their breaks
Even after school has started, these are useful checkpoints. If mornings still feel rushed or afternoons have become overpacked, it’s not too late to adjust. The goal is not a perfect schedule—it’s finding a rhythm that works for your family.
MORNING ROUTINE CHART PRINTABLE
For kids, knowing what comes next can make mornings feel much more manageable.
Sit down together and make a list of everything that needs to happen before heading to school—getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, packing a backpack, filling a water bottle, putting on shoes, or anything else that belongs in your family’s morning.
The kit includes a printable morning routine chart along with colorful cut-out icons kids can use to make it their own.
Hang the finished chart somewhere easy to see, like the refrigerator, bedroom, or near the door.
The idea isn’t to create the perfect morning. It’s to reduce some of those repeated reminders and give kids a routine they can gradually learn to manage on their own.
SCHOOL SUBJECT COLOR CODING KEY
When every subject comes with its own folders, notebooks, assignments, and supplies, a simple color system can make it easier to keep everything straight.
Let your child choose one color for each subject, then carry that color across:
- Folders and notebooks
- Sticky notes
- Calendar reminders
- Homework storage
- Accordion files or bins
- Digital folders for older kids
The kit includes a printable color-coding key so kids can choose their colors and keep the system somewhere visible.
It’s a small change, but it can make finding—and remembering—the right materials much easier.
Let the Routine Grow with Your Child
A useful routine doesn’t have to stay exactly the same all year.
What works during the first few weeks of school may need to change once activities begin, homework picks up, or mornings start getting darker. Check in from time to time and ask what’s working, what feels rushed, and what your child might be ready to handle independently.
The best routines give kids enough structure to know what comes next—and enough space to keep exploring, reading, playing, and being curious.
READY TO GET STARTED???
For even more ideas, read our original article: How to Create a Back-to-School Routine for Kids: 5 Practical Tips!
