6 Tips for Helping Kids Navigate Changes in Routine

Changes in routine are hard – for everyone! But especially for kids. Whether because of a new school year, a move, or changes in life circumstances, here are a few tips for making the transition as smooth and seamless as possible.

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In just a few short weeks from the time I’m writing this post, 2/3 of my kids will be heading back to school. We’ll be saying, “So long!” to our summer schedules and “Hello, again!” to our school year routines.

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Whether from summer to school year, school year to summer, or some other completely unrelated reason, changes in schedules and routines can be difficult for kids. It’s hard to get (back) into a new groove! Our bodies, minds, and emotions need to adjust, and this process can be harder for some than others.

As we head into a new school year, or whenever/whatever reason you happen to be reading this article, here are 6 tips for helping kids deal with changes in routine.

6 Tips for Helping Kids with Changes in Routine

Changes in routine are hard – for everyone! But especially kids. Whether because of a new school year, a move, or changes in life circumstances, here are a few tips for making the transition as smooth and seamless as possible.

1. Discuss it

Kids thrive on predictability and stability, so don’t spring any big changes on them without giving them a heads up. Talk about the changes in schedules ahead of time, telling them what’s going to be different and how things are going to go. Change is harder for some kids than others, so reassure them that it’s ok if it’s hard at first, that they will adjust eventually, and that you are there to help them any way you can.

2. Share it

Kids almost always adjust to new rules and routines better when they have some power in the process. So, while you’re discussing the changes in your kids’ schedules, consider how you might include them in the development of the new routines.

Ask for their thoughts about how you might, as a family, make the transition a little smoother. For back-to-school, in particular, ask for their input about evening and morning routines. You might be surprised by their insight!

In any case, coming to decisions together will allow your kids to feel like the changes were more “bottom-up” than “top-down.”

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3. Practice it

The last thing you want is to have everything be foreign and uncomfortable on a day when your kids might already be feeling a bit anxious. If/when you know a change in routine is coming, make sure you start the transition early.

In the case of back-to-school, don’t wait until the night before the first day to move their bedtime back a couple of hours. And don’t wait until that first morning to start getting them up early, figuring out breakfast, getting ready to go in a timely manner, etc. Start adjusting bedtimes/wake-ups the week before, and consider doing a couple of trial runs of your school morning prep before the big day.

This has the added benefit of helping you determine how much time you need to get everyone/everything ready and get the kinks worked out ahead of time.

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4. Ease into it

On that note, if the change in the routine is pretty significant (e.g. going to bed at 7 instead of 9 or getting up at 6 instead of sleeping half the morning), don’t try to make the leap in one jump. Ease into it by making small changes each day. (This is, of course, only possible if you do step 3 and start the transition ahead of time.) Easing into it will make the transition much smoother and will be easier on everyone involved!

5. Show it

New routines can be unsettling and confusing for kids, especially little ones who have a harder time grasping big concepts and following series of directions. For younger kids, then, it might be helpful to show the new routines in addition to telling them about the changes. Consider drawing or printing pictures of the steps and posting them (in order) somewhere prominent. That way, they can look at their “schedule” and see what comes next.

6. Prepare for it

Although the previous five steps help, for sure, no matter how much you discuss it, practice it, and ease into it, changes in routines can still be hard for some kids. So, be prepared – not only logistically, but also emotionally. Know that some or all of your kids might be anxious about the changes, and prepare yourself to be patient and understanding of their struggles. Prepare yourself and your kids with some calm-down strategies. And finally, prepare yourself, physically, by getting plenty of extra sleep before, during, and after the transition.

SHARE WITH US: Those are a few ways to help kids deal with changes in their schedules and routines. What tips or advice would you add for helping make the transitions as smooth and seamless as possible? Share them in the comments below!