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Quick answer: the before-school checklist is toilet and wash, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, brush hair, bag check, shoes and coat, out the door. Copy it below, print this page, or stick it by the door. For sample routines by age, realistic timings and how to stop morning battles, read the full morning routine for kids guide.
The before-school checklist
- Toilet, wash hands and face
- Get dressed (clothes from last night)
- Eat breakfast
- Brush teeth
- Brush hair
- Bag check: homework, lunch, water bottle
- Today's extra: PE kit, instrument, library book or signed form
- Shoes and coat on
- Out the door on time
For pre-readers, swap the written list for four or five picture steps; see visual schedules.
The night-before checklist
- Clothes laid out (the child's choice, made calmly)
- Backpack packed and by the door
- Lunch made or planned
- Tomorrow's gear staged (sports, music, forms)
- Breakfast decided
This fits neatly at the end of the bedtime routine: "set up tomorrow" becomes the last step of tonight.
The out-the-door check
One spot by the door where the same things live every day:
- Backpack
- Lunch and water bottle
- Coat and weather gear
- Today's extra
- Older kids: keys, bus pass or phone
Three tips that make a checklist work
- Point at the list instead of narrating it. The checklist is the source of truth, not your voice. More in chores without nagging.
- Let the child check items off. Ticking, flipping or tapping each step is what turns a list into a habit.
- Check the clock math. If the list takes longer than the time between wake-up and leaving, move the alarm, not the shouting. The morning routine guide has example before-school timelines to copy.
Print it
Use your browser's print option to print this checklist, or pick a design from our free printable routine charts.
A checklist that resets itself
In Star Chart Kids, this list lives in the Morning Quest: kids tap each step done and earn stars, and the list is fresh again the next morning. It is free, with no ads or subscription.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a before-school checklist?
Keep it to the steps that actually happen every school day: toilet and wash, get dressed, breakfast, brush teeth, hair, bag check, shoes and coat. Add one line for the day's extras, such as PE kit or a library book, rather than a separate item for every possibility.
What should kids do the night before school?
Lay out tomorrow's clothes, pack the backpack and put it by the door, make or plan lunch, stage any gear for the next day, and decide on breakfast. Every item moved to the evening is one less thing to go wrong in the morning.
Should kids get screens in the morning before school?
The simplest rule is screens only after the whole checklist is done, and only if there is buffer time left. A show in the middle of the routine makes every step after it harder to start.
Sources and further reading
- Simplifying, Organizing, and Structuring the Home Environment: For Parents of Children with ADHD (HealthyChildren.org, American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Creating Daily Routines for Kids (PBS KIDS for Parents)