Mornings with kids can always be a little hectic, but there’s a new trend on TikTok that can help things go a little smoother. Moms have been putting together “morning baskets” for their little ones. They can include a variety of items from toys to books to educational games, but all contained in one basket for easy access. And because the items inside are customizable, they can work for any child, regardless of age or interests.
Keep reading to see why these baskets can make all our mornings easier while giving our kids enriching fun.
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Keeps Kids Off Screens
One of the major benefits to a morning basket is that it provides a way for kids to stay occupied without using any screens. “I found that morning was the time that I was giving into screen time the most,” TikToker @marissalace said in a video. But that all changed when she started giving her daughter a basket to start the day.
Prevents Decision Fatigue
According to ScienceDirect, research has found that having fewer toys allows a child to better focus while playing. Morning baskets cut down on decision fatigue because they only hold a few items for a child to pay attention to at one time.
Build Positive Habits
Kids thrive on structure, and something like a morning basket helps start their day with a positive habit. Whether parents do it before or after breakfast, their little ones will understand the flow of the day better. They’ll have a consistent activity that they understand how to execute — and what a fun way to begin every day.
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Lets the Parents Focus
TikToker @chelsey.peek gives her kids their morning baskets after breakfast so she can focus on cleaning up the kitchen. And @samanthabagley uses the baskets to entertain her toddler while she’s caring for her baby in the morning. Anything that can give us a couple of minutes to get things done is a huge win.
Combat Morning Stress
In a TikTok video, Rachel Partridge said she started using the baskets to help her handle difficult mornings with her toddler. “She wakes up with a million requests, and I’m just still trying to wake up and process everything so I get annoyed really quickly,” Rachel said. Implementing the baskets kept her toddler occupied during those previously stressful mornings.
Doesn't Require New Purchases
The amazing thing about a morning basket is we can make it with the toys already around our house. If kids have a lot of toys, they probably have a few they haven’t paid attention to in a while. We can mix some of those forgotten items with some of their favorite toys and create new(ish) basket combinations. Of course, we can buy small items to add, but we definitely don’t have to.
Item Ideas
Parents can place whatever items they choose in the baskets, but for some inspo TikToker @lifeofazka shared some of her kids’ favorite ones. Things like wooden blocks, magnetic tiles, crayons, and more kept her little ones occupied. Parents can also try books, educational games, sensory items, or activity pages.
Encourages Independent Play
By strategically stocking the basket with things like problem-solving toys or coloring books, we’re giving our kids activities they can do alone. Of course, we’re always welcome to join in on their morning basket with them. But we can also take advantage of the time it keeps them busy to get things done ourselves.
Switch It Up
To keep kids from getting bored with the same items in the basket day after day, we can rotate items in and out. These can be new items or just other toys from around the house. TikToker @abigaellanai said in a video that she tries to note which items her child consistently does or doesn’t reach for. Then she can tailor the following baskets to those preferences.
Batch Prep
An easy way to rotate through items is by creating a couple of different baskets to periodically switch around. TikToker @joce_mariee batch prepped a week’s worth of different baskets in one day. It’s sort of like meal prepping but for toddler playtime.
Try a Theme
Another way to keep a child’s interest is by giving baskets themes. For example, in a TikTok video, @raisingreverie packed a couple of color sorting activities, coloring pages, crayons, and the book Cantando De Colores to create a rainbow-themed basket.
Helps Keep Things Tidy
Any of us who has tried to organize a home understands the importance of a good container. Just the fact that a morning basket is contained to a basket helps it not add to any house clutter. And if kids are focused on playing with the toys in the basket, they’re less likely to make a mess of other areas of the house by leaving toys everywhere. (I used to do that with my Lego bricks as a kid. My poor parents.)
Tons of Excitement
Kids will start to look forward to their morning baskets, evoking a similar mood to the one we see the night before Christmas. Only unlike with Christmas, parents don’t have to wrap these toys and the items don’t even need to be new. Just the act of varying the basket over time will keep things fresh and so exciting for little ones.
Seasonal Options
Another fun way to vary basket contents is to have certain items that only show up for certain seasons. Growing up, my mom had several wintery books that she only set out in December, and my brother and I were much more interested in those than the books we saw every day in our house.
Beyond the Morning
The title of this activity may be “morning basket,” but we can use the idea well beyond the morning. Perhaps we have a road trip basket that we pack with car-friendly activities to entertain kids during a trip. Or maybe we have an after-school basket for our older kids so they don’t come home and immediately ask to watch TV or go on their tablets. The options are endless.
