Routines for going to and coming home from in person school

We are back to school and we are in person. I have taken our new mudnook/mudroom set up in a way that allows our children to being to learn independence, me to easily navigate supplies and papers, and we are all less stressed and happy. These going to school and coming home from school routines have made things run smooth.

The mudroom is not nearly as cute filled with all the chaos, but it allows us to have organized chaos as we go into the school year.

Going to school

• Check the calendar for specials or special events/dress up days.
• pick a healthy snack
  • We have a designated area for all school appropriate snacks so they can pick from there. It eliminates the fights as well as helps you keep inventory.
• make sure water bottle is full. (our bubblers/drinking fountains are closed due to the virus)
• Load own backpack from gold basket: folder, snack, water bottle
• Shoes
  • While they put on shoes, I lay out coat so they can put on their own, lower backpack so they can put on on their own, and bring mask down.
• Coat
• Backpack
• Mask

Coming home from school

• Head to the mudroom
• Put mask in basket (so I can check if it is clean)
• Empty backpack into basket (including water bottle)
  • The iPad is Nolan’s assistive talker device. He puts this in the basket so we know where it is to help him communicate when needed.
• Hang coat
• Shoes in box

As the parent, I then go through all the folders (though it is encouraged to have the kids talk about their folders when they get home, I still have them put the loose papers they show me back in the gold basket so I can sort it into hang up, keep, fill out, and recycle.

• If they have homework I would pull that out and put it on the table.
• If they have paperwork, I put it on the island to fill it out.
• I leave the empty folder in the basket so we always know its location
• Completed homework goes in the folder in the basket
• Completed forms go in the folder in the basket
• Special events, dress up days, etc are put on the month calendar (color coded by kid)

Shop the routine

School supplies can be found in our in person back to school must haves post.

Stella’s lanyard is Ryan&Rose (not affiliate link). Masks: My favorite kids mask come from small shops: Goose and Mills (Nolan S and Stella XS) & Gabbowlous boutique (child).