There’s nothing harder than you and your children waking up and feeling the need to be “ON” right away. Soon come the questions… “Mommy, what are we doing today?” “Daddy, can I watch TV?” “What’s for breakfast?” Or… the dreadfulness that comes with early morning boredom: fighting with siblings. The best days are those in which you can ease into the day peacefully, with your children engaged in independent, enriching activities.
Enter the Morning Basket… the answer to beginning your day peacefully. Morning baskets are a collection of things your child would be able to enjoy first thing in the morning when they wake up to begin their day. In the basket you will want to include things your child can do independently and quietly. You may want to have quiet music playing in the background. Having your child engaged in a morning basket will give you a chance to make breakfast, drink coffee, and get your day going! Here are some ideas for the contents of a morning basket by age group:
Toddlers – wooden stacking toys and blocks, magna tiles, books that are highly engaging
Early elementary age – embroidery, stamping pad, play doh, books, legos, coloring, puzzles
Older children – legos, sewing/stitching, chapter books, sketch books, adult coloring books, handwriting practice, copywork (a quote or verse), journaling, puzzles
When you notice the child start to lose interest in something, swap it out! Each week or so add or take something away. Aim for morning basket time lasting somewhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Keep in mind this is meant to be a peaceful time… try not to add anything to the basket that would be frustrating to the child (flash card drill, complicated math problems). The goal is to ease into your day and to enjoy exploring the contents of the basket.
Check out our Morning Basket Checklist to get you started! Also, see our latest IGTV video on Instagram where we talk all about Morning Baskets!
