Daily Routines That Actually Work
Children with ADHD thrive in environments where routines are clear, consistent, and flexible enough to meet their unique needs. This module focuses on building effective daily routines that reduce conflict, support independence, and build confidence. We’ll look at four high-stress areas for families: mornings, homework time, sleep routines, and everyday transitions — and break down practical strategies that are evidence-informed and easy to implement.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Understand how ADHD impacts attention, time perception, and task-switching throughout the day
- Create visual, step-by-step routines for key parts of the day
- Use tools like timers, movement breaks, and environmental cues to support transitions
- Reduce emotional escalation during common friction points (e.g. getting ready, switching off screens, bedtime)
- Reinforce routines positively to build habits over time
Morning Routines
Goal: Start the day with less chaos and more calm Common challenges include difficulty with waking up and staying on task, poor time awareness and distractibility, and emotional outbursts or sensory overwhelm. Strategies to address these issues include using visual routine charts to externalise expectations, such as pictures or checklists showing steps like brushing teeth, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. Providing one-step instructions helps by breaking tasks into smaller, manageable actions instead of broad commands. Maintaining consistent wake-up times, even on weekends, supports resetting the body clock. Preparing the night before by laying out clothes, packing bags, and planning breakfast can reduce morning stress. Using timers or alarms, including visual timers or songs, helps indicate transitions between activities. Finally, limiting distractions by keeping screens off until the routine is complete supports better focus and smoother mornings.
Homework and Study Time
Goal: Encourage focus and reduce resistance Common challenges include avoidance, procrastination, and low frustration tolerance, as well as trouble starting or completing tasks. Sensory distractions or mental fatigue after school can also make focusing more difficult. Strategies to help address these issues include using short work bursts such as the Pomodoro technique, for example, working for 10–15 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. Setting up a designated homework space that is quiet, clutter-free, and has minimal sensory triggers supports better concentration. Starting with connection by sitting together for the first minute or two can help the child “co-regulate” before expecting focus. Incorporating movement breaks, such as bouncing on a ball, stretching, or walking between tasks, can reduce restlessness. Offering choice, like asking, “Would you rather start with spelling or maths?”, helps build ownership and motivation. Finally, celebrating effort through praise, stickers, or verbal reinforcement acknowledges progress and completion, rather than just correctness.
Sleep Routines
Goal: Wind down the ADHD brain for restful sleep Common challenges include racing thoughts or restlessness at bedtime, as well as sleep resistance, frequent night waking, or trouble falling asleep. Overstimulation from screens, light, or noise can also make it harder to settle down. Strategies to support better sleep involve creating a calm, predictable routine with three to four quiet steps before bed, such as taking a bath, putting on pyjamas, reading a story, and turning out the lights. Using visual timetables can help your child check off each step as they complete it. Avoiding screens for at least one hour before bed is important, since blue light suppresses melatonin; instead, encourage quiet play or reading. Sleep aids like white noise machines, weighted blankets, or night lights can provide sensory comfort. Practicing bedtime scripts by using the same calming phrases every night helps reinforce the bedtime ritual. Finally, validating night-time worries by offering reassurance—without getting into long discussions—can help ease anxiety while saving deeper conversations for earlier in the day.
Transitions Between Activities
Goal: Make moving from one activity to another easier and less stressful Common challenges include difficulty stopping preferred activities, especially screens, and resistance to starting new tasks or moving to different locations, such as going to school or leaving the park. Emotional outbursts often occur during changes in routine, adding extra stress for both the child and the adults supporting them. Strategies to ease transitions include giving advance warnings, such as saying, “Five more minutes, then it’s time to stop,” and using visual countdown timers whenever possible. Offering transitional objects, like a favourite toy or fidget, can provide comfort during change. Using visual schedules helps children see what’s coming next, which reduces anxiety. Naming the emotion and offering tools—for example, saying, “It’s hard to stop playing. Let’s take a breath together”—validates their feelings and models self-regulation. Building in buffer time allows for delays and gives extra time between activities to prevent rushing. Finally, celebrating smooth transitions with specific praise, such as, “You stopped and moved to dinner so calmly — well done!” reinforces positive behaviour and encourages confidence.
Take-Home Tools
- Editable visual routine charts (morning, homework, bedtime)
- Sample reward chart to build motivation
- List of timer apps and ADHD-friendly task organisers
- Parent cheat-sheet: What to say during transitions