A Shortlist of After-School Routines

Aug 15

As summer break winds down, I often crave returning to the structure that comes with the start of school and especially getting back into an after-school routine. But I need a few tools to help create and maintain that structure in our house, especially during the stretch from after-school pick up until dinner. Here are some things we’ve actually used over the years to help contain the after-school chaos.

1. Designated Dump Zone

We put hooks on the wall by the door we walk through. The kids know backpacks go up, lunch boxes come out (and go to the sink), and shoes go in their respective shoe bins. Controlling the stuff is half the battle for me.

2. Easy Pre-Chosen After-School Snacks

We have a couple of small bins in our pantry cupboard and an area of the fridge assigned to snacks. This eliminates coming up with five ideas on the spot the moment we walk in. It’s not revolutionary but a perennial favorite in our house is apples and peanut butter. A few other things I keep on hand to easily grab: Greek yogurt cups, turkey roll ups, hard-boiled eggs, and frozen edamame (all great protein sources too).

3. After-School Checklist

This provides a visual reminder where everyone can see it. But perhaps more importantly, it also means I don’t have to repeat myself 10 times. And who doesn’t love the feeling of satisfaction when you get to check off a box on a list?

4. Homework Area

In our house, homework happens at the kitchen table. Supplies are close by and everyone can help themselves. We don’t normally start homework immediately (unless they want to) but allow some time for that snack and decompression.

5. Quiet

Over time, I noticed that my kids respond incredibly well to quiet after school. Sometimes I want to ask questions, start listing out things we have to do, places we are going, or run through the rest of the daily schedule. But that imbues the house and mood with stress and an unnecessary sense of urgency. Staying quiet during after school leaves space for them to talk or unload, or just have some quiet themselves. We all feel more peaceful in a quiet environment after school. Sometimes the after-school routine isn’t about adding another thing to the routine. It’s about removing stimulation.

6. After-School Routine Charts

I have created multiple different after-school charts over the years and tailored them to our specific needs and ages (including picture icons for pre-readers). I always keep it simple, specific, and limit it to 5 items or less.

None of this runs perfectly every day and sometimes we just have enough time to drop everything, grab a snack, and get back out the door as we transition to another activity. That’s ok! The goal isn’t to make every afternoon run perfectly. It’s to have a structure we can fall back on when we need it. On many days we can rely on this list to take decision-making off our plates and bring structure and calm.

The Shortlist