How We Optimize a Morning Routine for Kids

The sooner your eyes detect bright light, the sooner your internal clock gets the signal to start the day, say researchers. The same goes for your olfactory cells and the aroma of coffee, according to, um, a bajillion parents. Pleasant sounds can help make the morning easier, too.

Use light (real or fake)

Philips Wake-Up Light ($105 at the time of publication)
Yeelight Smart LED Color Bulb ($23 at the time of publication)

“Less snoozing equals more time to get everyone ready in the morning,” said engineering manager Dave Ross, who raises the curtains immediately after the alarm goes off. For extra help, consider a wake-up light. A sunrise alarm clock gives you the extra nudge with sound, but a less jarring one than a typical clock makes. “I have an immediate strong negative reaction to a buzzing alarm clock, and by comparison the ‘sunlight’ setting with birds chirping is much gentler,” said associate staff writer Sarah Witman. “I feel like I have more of an up-and-at-’em mentality to start my day.”

Liam McCabe, senior editor, uses a smart bulb, which continues to brighten over the course of 30 minutes until a designated wake-up time. “It’s so much easier to get up early, and that’s half the battle,” he said.

Play their song

Amazon Echo ($100 at the time of publication)

Kids are more likely to stay on task when they’re not cranky. Editor Jon Chase lets his 7-year-old daughter set the smart-speaker alarm to her favorite song, “Shadowland” from The Lion King. “She wakes up way happier,” he said.

Make coffee the night before

OXO Brew 9 Cup Coffee Maker ($160 at the time of publication)
OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker ($50 at the time of publication)

Hot or cold, caffeine is nonnegotiable for many people first thing in the morning. Using a programmable drip coffee maker means that you don’t have to fumble bleary-eyed through brewing a cup before you’re fully awake. Editor Chris Heinonen’s machine goes on at 4:59 a.m. to ensure that the coffee is ready by 5:10 a.m., so he can squeeze in an hour of work and be alert by the time his sons (ages 7 and 9) get up. Senior editor Liam McCabe, who has a 1-year-old, takes a similar tack but with a cold-brew coffee maker, brewing several days’ worth of concentrated coffee at a time and storing it in the fridge. Come morning, he simply adds water, either hot or cold, depending on the season.

Whether you’ve got slow, sloppy, or picky eaters, lots of things can go wrong at the table. Give yourself a head start in food prep or cleanup to make breakfast run more smoothly.

Pre-prep a breakfast you know they’ll eat

Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart ($70 at the time of publication)
Vitamix 5200 Blender ($400 at the time of publication)

Blaine North, head of product, calls overnight oats “a lifesaver.” (Her recipe: soak oats in a mason jar with milk and fruit, so they soften by morning.) Her 10-year-old gets it himself from the fridge and pours it into a bowl at the place-setting she arranges the night before. Senior software engineer Jason Boyle prefers his oats hot, so he uses the slow-cook settings and timer on his Instant Pot to make a breakfast that’s warm and ready by the time everyone’s up. On weekends, senior editor Christine Cyr Clisset’s husband makes a big batch of pancakes, and she freezes the leftovers on a sheet tray (so they won’t stick to each other), then stores them in zip-top bags so they’re ready to heat and eat on weekday mornings.

Watching my son pick at his berries and yogurt can be excruciating. So I often throw everything in a blender the night before and keep it chilled in the fridge. All I do in the morning is blend and have him gulp it down.

Minimize mess

Bumkins Sleeved Bib ($13 at the time of publication)
OXO Tot Roll-Up Bib ($13 at the time of publication)

Mornings can feel like a losing game of Chutes and Ladders when your kid spills cereal on his shirt. Stephanie Yass, executive assistant, lets her 2- and 5-year-old eat before changing, and I sometimes have my son eat without a shirt on. Editors Courtney Schley and Winnie Yang used a full-sleeved bib smock when their kids were younger. “But now that my daughter is 3, the splatter radius is smaller,” said Winnie, “so I use an OXO bib that’s easy to get on and off and that catches any crumbs in its handy built-in trough.”

Getting kids dressed and their teeth brushed may be less of a struggle if you can find ways to streamline the process.

Ward off wardrobe woes

Primary Crew Sock ($10 for a pack of three at the time of publication)

“We’ve had more meltdowns around socks than anything else,” said Erik Erickson, product manager for data. His 5-year-old detested toe seams, but once she started wearing socks inside out, mornings have gone more smoothly. “I can’t say enough good things about giving up,” said senior editor Nathan Edwards. “We’ve started letting our 3-year-old wear her pajamas to daycare if she wants.”

My son can’t stand buttons and zippers, and letting him dress in tees and sweats every day has saved my sanity. I also stopped wasting precious time hunting for sock mates when I started buying same-color socks—or even better, multiples of the same socks. Another respectable tactic: “I just put mismatched socks on my 2-year-old sometimes,” said software engineer Jason Boyle.

Eliminate the brushing bottleneck

Quip Kids ($25 at the time of publication)

Editor Jon Chase keeps a set of his kids’ toothbrushes and toothpaste in the downstairs bathroom, so they don’t have to go back upstairs after breakfast. Senior editor Harry Sawyers scored extra minutes—and better dental hygiene for his kids, ages 3, 5, and 7—by giving them an electric toothbrush. “It’s a time-saver because there are fewer objections,” he said. Jon likes them too. “With the timer, I know they’re actually brushing instead of doing three strokes and spitting.”

Trying to stay on top of pajama days, field trips, and soccer practice can make your head spin. Putting a system in place—where kids can help themselves—can save you from a desperate last-minute search for gloves or permission slips.

Make that place kid-accessible

3 Sprouts Canvas Storage Bin ($15 at the time of publication)
IKEA Raskog Utility Cart ($30 at the time of publication)
California Home Goods Boot Tray ($20 for a pack of two at the time of publication)
Maple Shaker Peg Racks ($10 and up at the time of publication)

The key to success is making sure that everything you need for the day is in its designated place the night before. Editor Courtney Schley puts a basket by the door for her kids’ backpacks, water bottles, and outerwear. Staff writer Jackie Reeve uses a multi-bin cart to store miscellaneous items like her 7-year-old’s soccer gear, sunscreen, sunglasses, and everyday shoes. Senior staff writer Doug Mahoney—whose kids are 10, 7, 5, and 2—takes a head-to-toe approach. “It’s huge to have boots lined up in a tray, jackets hung in the right spots, mittens where they should be,” he said. Sturdy hooks placed low also save time, notes Jackie.

Copy editor Angela Sylcott organizes snacks into plastic containers in the bottom drawer of the fridge. “My 6-year-old knows to pick two things out of the drawer and put them into her lunch bag each morning.”

Put up a master calendar

Wrought Studio Monthly Wall Mounted Dry-Erase Board ($70 at the time of publication)

Many families find that an organization wall helps everyone keep track of busy schedules. A chalkboard, a wall painted with chalk paint, or a regular paper calendar all work, but copy editor Angela Sylcott and senior editor Kalee Thompson both rely on a monthly dry erase calendar. “I write all of the routine school things on it so we can pack necessities and/or plan clothing the night before,” said Angela. Kalee’s calendar also reminds the whole family of weekend plans, school events, and play dates. “It hangs in a prominent spot in my kitchen, so I wanted something that would look relatively nice,” she said. “I like that this is super easy to wipe clean, and has a spot for general notes at the bottom.” Just below the calendar, Kalee has mounted a wall file for each family member. “Everyone has their own inbox,” she said, “even my 4-year-old. School forms, bills that need to be dealt with, all that in-progress paperwork that’s not ready to file or throw away goes in here.”

Track easy-to-lose items with Bluetooth

Tile Mate (2020) ($25 at the time of publication)

By using a Bluetooth tracking device, you’ll never waste time frantically searching under the sofa cushions for your phone or other necessary items. “The Tile connects to voice assistants, so you can just yell to your device to find your keys,” said senior staff writer Nick Guy.

Take it to go (as a last resort)

If a zipper is stuck or your kids just won’t put their jackets on and you’re simply out of time, deal with it in the car. “We just take them to the car as-is, and sort it out there,” said senior editor Nathan Edwards, whose kids are 1 and 3. “Usually just feeling the outside air (hot or cold) is enough incentive to put clothes on, and as for shoes and socks, that’s easier to manage when they’re strapped in, or (worst case) when we take them out of the car at the other end.”

I have my own city-dweller version of the car trick: I throw my son’s coat and shoes into the elevator and put them on as we ride down. You can accomplish a lot in 22 floors.

Further reading