Your morning classroom routine can set the tone for the rest of the day which is why it is so important to get it right. Find out how to create the perfect morning classroom routine so you and your students have a great day together!
Are you a morning person? I wouldn’t say I was before I became a teacher, ha! But I hate feeling rushed in the morning before my students come in so I make sure to have my classroom all setup ready before they come in. And having a calm morning classroom routine helps both the teacher and the students start the day in a positive way.
If you are finding your current morning classroom routine hectic and stressful, then this is the post for you! Forgetting to take attendance will be a thing of the past when you nail your morning classroom routine!
This post is all about creating an amazing morning classroom routine.
Morning Classroom Routine:
Why having a routine is so important…
The way your students enter your classroom in the morning and the activities you have waiting for them can set the tone for the whole day. I’m sure we’ve all been there when you can tell that one student is going to have a difficult day from the moment they walk through the door! And it can be so hard to turn things around for some students once they are dysregulated. So it is our job as the teacher to make sure we can do everything we can to create a calm morning classroom routine for our students to follow. And knowing exactly what will be waiting on the other side of the classroom door is so important.
Having a strong routine is also really important for anxious students. Knowing what will greet them every morning can help students who are anxious about coming to school because everything is familiar. Clear routines in your classroom also just helps everything run more smoothly. Students know exactly what they need to do so there is less time wasting and general fuss! This leaves you free to do the important stuff like checking in with students (and taking attendance!!)
Have clear procedures for morning admin tasks
There isn’t just one perfect morning classroom routine that will work for everyone. It will depend on your teaching style, the needs of your students, the curriculum you follow and the resources you have available to you. And the morning admin tasks your students will need to complete will obviously look different for everyone.
But it is really important that you take the time to consider some of these essential questions:
- Where will your students put their coats and bags?
- What items do they need to bring with them?
- Where do they need to put their lunches and snacks?
- Where do they put their water bottles?
- Where will students sit when they enter the classroom?
- Do students need to complete an attendance or lunch choice board?
- How will students turn in their homework, if they have any?
If you don’t have a clear answer to these questions, then you can guarantee that your morning classroom routine is going to be chaos! Decide on these things and make sure to communicate these routines and procedures with your students. Have visual posters to remind them too.
[Related Post: 8 Top Tips For Managing Classroom Behavior That Will Help You See Immediate Results!]
Morning Classroom Routine Ideas
1. Morning Greeting
Greeting your students each morning is such a simple addition to your morning routine but it is super important. It can be as simple as standing at the door and saying hi to each student as they enter your classroom. Or you can be extra and have a special handshake with each student or allow them to choose from a range of morning greetings (high five, hug and so on.)
Greeting each student by name helps build strong relationships with your students. You’ll be amazed how much your learn about your students from this simple interaction each morning! It also gives you a chance to see who might need a little bit of extra support that day.
2. Calming Music
I always play calming music in my classroom each morning. I find it just sets the tone as soon as my students enter the classroom. Personally, I don’t mind a bit of chat when they are settling into their morning work but my students know I still need to be able to hear the music over them.
I usually just type ‘calming music’ or ‘disney piano music’ into YouTube and choose one. 🙂
3. Emotions Check In
Giving your students a chance to show you how they are feeling each morning can be super useful. When they enter the classroom, have your students move their name to match the emotion they are feeling. This just helps you see who might need a bit of time out to regulate their emotions before starting their morning work. It can help nip any potential problems in the bud.
It also helps teach your students self-awareness and this is such an important life skill.
4. Affirmation Station
Similarly, you might want to add visiting the affirmation station into your morning classroom routine. An affirmation station is an area in your classroom where students can repeat positive affirmations to themselves, usually whilst looking in a mirror.
It is so important for boosting self esteem and encouraging children to talk positively to themselves. It would make a lovely addition to your morning classroom routine.
[Related Post: A Complete Guide To Creating The Best Classroom Affirmation Station]
5. Classroom Morning Routine Slides
Have morning slides up on the screen to greet students each morning. This is so important for making your morning routine run smoothly. Display important information, such as lunch choices, as well as directions for your students to follow.
This way, students know exactly what they need to do, without having to come and ask you.
6. Visual Timetable
Having a visual timetable on display for your students to check each morning is another great addition to your morning routine. Students can see the plan for the day so they know what to expect. I also talk my students through the visual timetable after I’ve done attendance. This way, students can ask any questions so everyone is clear about exactly what’s happening each day.
7. Classroom Jobs
If you have classroom jobs in your classroom, have your students check the job board to make sure they don’t have any jobs to complete during morning time. This can help keep your classroom running smoothly for the rest of the day.
8. Morning Work
Having morning work out ready for the children each day is probably the most important part of a good morning routine. It means your students have something to get started on straight away and aren’t waiting for you to explain something. Because we all know that waiting leads to chat which can lead to chaos!
The morning work you choose to set is obviously completely up to you. But I have found it is best to set something students can get on with independently. Group work activities can be noisy which isn’t great when I’m trying to take attendance and lunch choices.
Here are some ideas you might want to try for morning work:
- Completing any unfinished tasks from the previous day or earlier in the week
- Independent reading
- Spelling or times table booklets
- Mindfulness journalling
- Free writing activities
- Directed drawing
I also like to keep my morning activities fairly consistent. I think this also helps to embed the whole routine. In your classroom, that could mean that every day, students complete the same morning task. Or that on certain days, they complete certain tasks. I don’t think it matters which but I do like my students to know that on a Thursday morning they will be do spelling practise, for example.
9. Morning Meeting
Including a morning meeting (or circle time for my UK friends!) each day is a lovely way to start the day together. It helps build positive relationships and a classroom community, as well as being a fun activity to share together!
Have a talking toy which students must be holding when they want to speak. This gives every student an opportunity to share something if they wish and ask any questions they have for each other. I also like to play a quick game together or share a fun activity.
Here are some quick ideas for your next morning meeting:
- Share a riddle
- Would you rather?
- Sing a song
- Share a joke
- Try meditation
- Practise gratitutde
- Play guess the picture
- Play four corners
10. Read Aloud
Ending your morning classroom routine with a teacher read aloud is a wonderful way of bringing everyone together. It ends your morning on a nice calm note so students are ready for the first lesson of the day. But sometimes I have to put a timer on otherwise we would be reading all morning, ha!
This post was all about creating an amazing morning classroom routine.
