We understand that the transition from summer to going back to school can be an adjustment, and finding time to work on your little one’s therapy doesn’t always feel possible. To help take stress off of your shoulders, we wanted to share 3 simple ways to incorporate your child’s therapy into their morning school routine. Our hope is that these tips make your mornings smoother, calmer, and more manageable for both you and your kiddos.
1. Pack Lunch Together: If time allows, let your child help you pack lunch for the day. Start by offering simple choices on what they want to put inside their lunch. For example, you could ask, “Do you want apple slices or orange slices?, or “Would you like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a ham sandwich?” You can also let them assist with simple food prep tasks such as peeling a banana, spreading peanut butter onto bread, or placing carrots in a bag.
Bonus Tip: Talk through each step out loud to work on your child’s language development.
2. Create a Morning Checklist: Keep your kiddos organized and on schedule with a morning checklist. Work with your child to create a list of things that they need to do each morning before school, such as getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, putting on shoes, and packing their backpack. This helps establish a routine your child can follow, so that they know exactly what to expect.
Bonus Tip: Place the checklist somewhere that your child can easily reach.
3. Enjoy Breakfast Time Talk: Using breakfast time to talk about the day ahead is a wonderful way to work on your child’s skills. Start by sitting down and asking your child some simple questions such as, “What are you most excited about today?”, or “Are you nervous about going to school?” This allows your child to express their emotions and lets you know how they’re feeling. Plus, this is a great way to spend some quality time together.
Bonus Tip: Make a chart with emojis showing basic emotions. This way, when you ask your child questions, they can point to the face that best expresses how they’re feeling.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful school year! Follow us on our social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest) throughout August as we continue to share helpful back-to-school tips. Additionally, please don’t hesitate to contact us to talk about if your child could benefit from pediatric therapy. Our team is here to support you and your family in any way that we can.
