Get Ready for Back to School with Routine Printables

We try to keep a relatively regular sleep schedule during the summer, but the morning routine kind of flies out the window when we don’t have anywhere in particular to be. To get little kids back in the groove of getting up and getting ready for school — or to help kids who are new to having a routine learn what to do when — printable routine cards can be a big help.

There are lots of different ways to do these. I like the flip chart style like this one from Mama Papa Bubba. This one is made with a file folder and you add magnets to each section so kids can close the flap on the items they’ve completed for the day. The post includes a free printable with some basic morning activities that kids can cut out and color.

Another version of this that is just paper comes from My Party Design. This one uses little pieces of peel and stick Velcro to close the sections when each step is completed, and there are versions for the morning and evening. (These are not free but might give you an idea of how to make your own with the steps you need.)

For a more detailed, full day schedule great for preschoolers, check out this one from The Savvy Sparrow. This paid resource includes tons of different icons from daily routine items to things like riding bikes, dance class and watering plants. There are 120 icons in all so you’re likely to find everything you need to visually build out your days.

If you want to see how a daily routine printable works for you without putting a lot of work in, try this printable checklist from Little Mager House. You can laminate it or stick it in a plastic sheet protector and mark off things as they get done. Then just wipe it off and start again the next day. This one is free when you sign up for emails.

Natural Beach Living has a free visual schedule printable with all sorts of items and including special things like picnics and nature walks. This one can be used at home or in the classroom and it includes days of the week. (Some of this is free for subscribers but there is also a bundle you can purchase.)

I also love the set of printable routine cards from Look We’re Learning, which includes a bunch of basic daily activities in both English and Spanish if you’re raising a bilingual child or just want to practice a little vocabulary. There are 16 activities in all and there’s a pronunciation guide if you need help with the Spanish. (This is a free resource for subscribers.)

The notion of the importance of teaching kids how to write cursive seems to wax and wane. While some schools have taken it out of their curriculum, many still see the value of learning how to write and read script. My daughter learned how to write in cursive and though she doesn’t need it often, I’m glad to know she has those skills anyway.

If you’re a teacher or you want to teach your own children how to write in cursive, I found this great resource from The OT Toolbox that I think will help. They did a whole series of 31 days of posts about writing cursive and breaking down the skills that are needed to know how to form letters in cursive. It starts with the most basic elements — how and where a child is sitting, and how their paper is positioned.

It includes gross motor activities to get kids warmed up for writing, letter families and the starting lines used to start to form letters, tips for left handed students, letter identification, pencil grasp, writing speed and assessing problems, among other things.

You’ll also find some cursive letter flash cards that can be used to help with writing practice or letter identification.

You can find the whole series at The OT Toolbox.

Looking for more tools to help kids learn cursive? I love these free cursive letter practice printables from Living Loving Lancaster, which include practicing individual letters and tracing letters to write quotes.

Or grab individual letter practice worksheets that just include the letter in upper and lower case for kids to practice. These are from Everyday Chaos and Calm and are a great way to start practicing the individual letter forms. They also include a little map at the top that shows which way to form the letter or in what order if there are multiple strokes involved.

[Photo via The OT Toolbox]

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