Morning Routine with 4 kids

It can be hard to do it all as a mom. Being home and trying to keep your head above water can be tough. Keeping a routine with your day and your kids will help loads to get more done. Having a routine will do wonders, children do so well when they know exactly what is going to happen through out their day.

Now I am a huge fan of the block schedule (see our post about it here), so my routine is bit more flexible but at the same time is consistent. Our kids know what will be happening in certain time frames.

When it comes to routines there is no one size fits all, what works for our family may not work for yours and that is okay!!!! There is no reason we all need to be the same. During this post, if you read something that would not flow into your life, then don't worry and skip over it.

This post is all about a flexible calm morning routine with 4 kids or more! our mornings look like.

Marbled Water

The day begins: 7:00 - 9:30

Our mornings officially begin around 7:00. That’s when I hear little feet padding down the hallway and the day unfolds in that beautiful, messy mix of breakfast chatter, school drop-off, and the sweet chaos that comes with having four kids — ages six to one.

Breakfast usually happens between 7:00 and 8:00. Whenever the girls wake up, we start the day in the kitchen together. I normally nurse the baby first before making something, though that will change once he’s weaned and we can roll straight into breakfast. When the baby was younger, my husband was such a blessing in these early hours — frying eggs while I did the girls’ hair. The kitchen becomes such a sweet place for connection, full of laughter, chatter, and coffee steam rising in the morning light.

While breakfast is sizzling, we often turn up some music and have a little dance party. It’s such a fun, joy-filled way to start the day, and the girls look forward to it — especially L, who always requests Jolene by Dolly Parton. Once breakfast is done and L is ready, my husband or I take her to school, and the house begins to quiet.

At 8:00, I start B’s first feed, which takes about an hour. During this time, the girls usually play nearby or flip through books. It’s a slower, more intentional hour — a pause before the rest of the morning unfolds.

When the feed finishes around 9:00, I take a few minutes to change his dressing and clean the tube parts. It’s become a natural rhythm in our day, woven into the fabric of our morning.

When we get home, the pace slows. The sunlight softens through the windows, and the rhythm of our morning shifts into something gentler. This is when we settle into our morning basket and Bible study time — one of my favorite parts of the day.

During this block, I usually read about a chapter of the Bible while P and F flip through their children’s Bibles beside me. B is either playing nearby or cuddled in my lap, happily chattering away. I know many parents prefer to do their devotionals alone before the kids wake up (and that can be wonderful!), but for me, it’s important that my children see me reading God’s Word. I want them to remember a mama who didn’t just tell them about Jesus, but lived it — in the small, ordinary moments of home.

I hope to raise strong Christians — children who seek truth and live it out with grace — and that begins here, with the quiet modeling of faith woven into our everyday routines.

While I read or tidy up the kitchen, the kids play with their morning baskets. These are simple baskets filled with books, toys, and quiet activities that I rotate each night after they go to bed. Keeping them fresh makes the baskets feel new each morning, sparking curiosity and creativity. Sometimes I theme them around our preschool lessons — like the week we studied frogs, when their baskets were filled with toy frogs, frog books, and a little frog-themed craft.

This block has become such a peaceful rhythm for us — worship music or a bit of classical playing softly, the hum of the dishwasher in the background, coffee in hand, and the gentle joy of a home slowly waking to life. It’s the calm after the morning rush, where work, play, and faith intertwine just right.

Beautiful River

Outside time/ Activity: 9:30-11

After our morning basket and Bible time, we ease into our next block — a space for creativity, exploration, and a little bit of mess.

If we have a sensory bin planned for the week, this is usually when I bring it out. I tend to change the contents once a week, keeping it fun and fresh. If it’s a bin that involves water or anything damp, I make sure to wash it out at the end of the week so it’s ready for the next activity. I rarely put together a second bin in the same week unless Lucy specifically asks — and sometimes she does!

On days when we don’t have a sensory bin, I’ll often set up a craft that ties into our preschool theme for the week. Much like the sensory play, we usually do one or two crafts a week. It’s enough to keep things creative and engaging without feeling overwhelming or messy every day.

At 10:00, I start B’s second feed, which, like the first, takes about an hour. While he’s feeding, the girls usually continue playing — either outside or with their activities — and I’ll take that time to sit with my computer, answer emails, and file things for upcoming hearings. Once the feed is finished, I take about five minutes to change his dressing and clean the tube parts before moving on.

And then there are mornings when we skip both and simply head outside. Those days might be my favorite. We’ll pull out the water table, chalk, bikes, or bounce on the trampoline — anything to let the girls move and soak up the sunshine. Both girls love being outdoors; sometimes we run and play, other times we just sit in the grass, read books, and breathe in the slow, golden rhythm of the morning.

While the girls are playing — whether inside with their bins or outside in the yard — I’ll usually take a few moments to sit with my computer and get a little work done. I’ll answer emails, organize notes, and file things for upcoming hearings. It’s never a long stretch of focus, but those small pockets of productivity really add up. There’s a quiet satisfaction in knowing that while the kids are learning and playing, I’m tending to my own responsibilities, too.

We usually stay outside (or finish our activities) until one of the little ones gets fussy or it’s time for lunch. There’s something grounding about this part of our day — the sound of giggles carried on the breeze, the sun warming our faces, and the reminder that not every moment has to be productive to be meaningful

Conclusion:

I like to have our routine, a bit looser than mapping it out every 15 minutes or every 30 minutes, I tried and I got too stressed when we fell a bit behind. I found if I gave us an hour to an hour and a half, and that worked so much better for us.

Routines are important for kids and parents, but mostly you need to make a routine that works for your family and your kids. Be patient when finding your routine because it may take time, when we had Lyra our routine changed because our family had grown. Give yourself grace and remember to be calm when in a new stage of life.

Block schedule has helped so much with adapting to B’s G tube and accommodating his needs while still giving the girls the attention they need and deserve. It adds a level of flexibility to a mom’s routines that I can’t find other places.

This is the routine that we have found works for us, I hope reading it helped your plan out a routine that works for you! This post is all about a flexible, helpful mom routines for a mom of 4.