
Learning in the Morning
Turn your child's morning routine into a time for learning!
Getting Dressed
- Help kids figure out the steps in getting dressed (“Which go on first—your socks or your shoes?”).
- Kids can also practice zipping, buttoning, and telling left from right.
- Investigate the concepts of “same” and “different” as kids get dressed. “Would my foot fit in your shoe? Why not?”; “What color are your socks? Can you see other clothes in the drawer which are that color, too?”
Breakfast Time
- Kids can learn the relationship between a whole and its parts as you cut a piece of fruit in half and then in quarters.
- Enjoy a five-senses breakfast. For instance, encourage kids to see, smell, touch, and taste their toast.
- As kids eat, help them learn where foods come from. “Who grows our food?”; “What drink comes from a cow? Where do apples grow?”; “What food do chickens lay?”
- Talk about the day’s plans: “What will we do today? What will happen, first, next?”; “What shoes would be good for playing in the park later?”
Going to School
- Help kids recognize and name letters and numbers by having them find some on the way to school.
- Use kids’ arrival at child-care or a friend’s or relative’s home to practice social skills, such as greeting others. Encourage kids to look around the room and talk about activities that would be fun to do with a friend.

Communicating with Parents and Caregivers Around Routines
An article offering strategies for communication with parents/caregivers.

Shaping an Engaging Learning Environment
Your space is full of opportunities for children to learn and grow!

Planning Our Days: Creating Schedules for Children
Planning ahead can help you be intentional about the learning of the children in your care!

“First/Then” Boards: Managing Daily Routines
A printable tool to help children know what to expect in their daily routines and activities.

Planning for Play in Daily Routines
A printable page to plan moments of playfulness during daily routines.

Provider-Parent Communications Log
A printable page to help parents and caregivers communicate about a child’s day.

Lesson Planning Practice
A tool to plan opportunities for learning connected to monthly and weekly themes.