Monday Motivation - Morning Routines

This week's Monday Motivation is all about Morning Routine!

If you missed the other weeks' Monday Motivation, click below!

Week 1: Classroom Library

Week 2: Managing Centers

Week 3: Word Walls

Week 4: Daily Schedules

So... I'm not a huge fan of having students do morning work first thing in the morning when they get to class. I never really have been.  I mean - don't you want to say hi to your friends and do things in the morning before you come in and just start laying down the work??  Some of my little friends don't even come in the room until RIGHT before (or after) the bell rings, so if there's morning work, they don't have time to do it and then they're already starting their day behind. Not the way I would want to start my day either.

Instead, I have some activities for them to be able to socialize while also waking up their little brains.

Here's a little look at what our morning routines are like...

We open our doors at 7:45, and students come trickling in until 8:00. At our school, it's been "a rule" that we stand at our door to greet the students (and sometimes parents that walk their kids) at the door... that way we start their day off with a smile! Even if it's not a rule, I really like to do it - there are times when I have things I have to get done during that time, but otherwise, I really like greeting my students at the door.

Since they're trickling in, I have a list of things for them to do while they wait for the late bell.

I made little visuals for them so they could remember/read since they can't really read yet...lol

Changing books means to change their book baggie books out - they know their level bucket they get books from. 

They put back their old and get 2 new ones.

They get out their snack and binder and put their backpacks in the bins... Pink for the girls, blue for the boys. I just happened to have those colors on hand - it worked out perfectly! haha

Their lunch goes in the lunch bin...nothing fancy. We "dump" it when we go to lunch and they walk by and get their lunchbag on the way out the door.

Then they head to their seat and put their binder on their desk, or in their desk....just so it's there so that when it's time, they all open it once and check their return to school said and I collect it all at once.  

At this point, they finish their work they have in their blue folder (unfinished work from throughout the week) and then they can get out their morning buckets.  Each group has their own bucket. To keep it "fresh," I change the contents in the bucket each week.

There are {small personal geoboards}...

{Foam Dominos}

There's also a Play-Doh bucket and a {Quisinaire Rod} bucket.

I have other buckets to rotate out.... 

In those buckets, I have the {Banangrams}, {DK Silly Sentences}, {Picture Stencils} from Oriental Trading, and {Imagination Patterns} from Oriental Trading.

I have all kinds of different themes for them to choose from - and I got the big ABC stencils to use for Word Work centers too.

I am so excited for these! The case doesn't fit into my buckets, but that's ok - they don't need to make them magnetic.

The kids are able to get out their jitters, and social bug in the morning, while getting their brains warmed up for the day. 

You can check out {THIS} post I did a few years ago on doing "Social Hour" in the morning.

I feel like it is SO important for kids to be kids... we have so much to cram at them throughout the day, they need to have time to learn how to socialize - to learn social skills. Kids need to have time to have freedom of creations.... I learn so much about my kids just by letting them be creative the stories they have to tell as they're creating things, and they're so proud of their creations! They need to learn how to socialize, solve problems, and explore - and to be kids.  You'd be amazed at what kids can learn just through the power of play!

Once the late bell rings, we then do our Calendar time and math board and get started on our day. 

Click below to check out how other blogger/teachers manage their mornings!