Turn Getting Dressed Into Play (Instead of Interrupting It)

One of the hardest parts of the morning for me wasn’t actually getting my toddlers dressed.

It was feeling like I was constantly interrupting them.

They’d finally be happily playing together.

The dinosaurs would be putting on a show.

The little people would be lining up with their money for popcorn.

They were completely immersed in their little world.

And then I’d walk in with a pile of clothes and say,

“Come on, time to get dressed.”

Almost instantly, the mood changed.

They didn’t want to stop playing.

I didn’t really want to stop them playing either.

But even if they’re not playing, the day is moving on.

And although I have absolutely been that mum who’s left the kids in their pyjamas until lunchtime on a lazy weekend, I also know routines are important for little ones.

The alternative usually looked like a frantic rush five minutes before we needed to leave—me barking instructions and throwing T-shirts around the room in the hope they’d somehow magically end up on the right child.

Spoiler alert… they don’t!

Until I realised…

What if getting dressed became part of the game?

Stop Pulling Them Away From Play

Toddlers don’t wake up thinking,

“I can’t wait to put my clothes on!”

They wake up wanting to play.

So instead of asking them to leave their game behind, I started bringing the clothes into it.

Sometimes Teddy needed help getting dressed first.

Other mornings we’d open our clothes shop and “buy” each item before anyone could wear it.

Sometimes it would be a clothes rummage through an empty cardboard box filled with balls or scarves.

The game changed depending on what my toddlers were already interested in.

Nothing fancy.

Nothing that needed setting up beforehand.

Just tiny playful ideas that meant getting dressed wasn’t separate from play—it became part of it.

You Don’t Need to Be a Pinterest Mum

If you’re imagining elaborate role play with handmade props, don’t worry.

That’s not what I mean.

Most of these games take seconds to think of.

They’re designed for real mornings when you’re still drinking cold tea, trying to find someone’s shoes and wondering whether everyone’s actually brushed their teeth yet.

Play doesn’t have to be perfect.

It just has to be enough to change the mood.

Keep the Connection Going

This is more important to me than I ever realised.

There’s always so much to do away from the kids in the morning.

Making breakfast.

Clearing it away.

Getting myself ready.

Packing lunches (because honestly, by the time they’ve gone to bed I’m too exhausted to think about making sandwiches for tomorrow!).

The list goes on.

So when my two-year-old says, “Mummy, play with me,” I get that horrible feeling of guilt because I genuinely want to.

I just don’t feel like I have time.

That’s why turning the non-negotiables into play has made such a difference for us.

I’m not finding extra time to play.

I’m using the time we already have in a way that feels more connected—for both of us.

Want More Playful Ideas Like These?

That’s exactly why I created Morning Rescue Games.

Inside are 50 playful games to help with the trickiest parts of the morning:

✔ Getting dressed

✔ Breakfast

✔ Leaving the house

✔ Car, pushchair and school run journeys

Some are quick little games you can pull out in seconds.

Others are longer imaginative ideas for mornings when you’ve got a bit more time and want to keep the play going.

Every game is designed for real family life.

No craft supplies.

No complicated setup.

No perfect routine required.

Just simple, playful ideas that help you get everyone out of the door while keeping the connection that matters most.

If you’d love mornings to feel less like constant interruptions and more like time enjoyed together, Morning Rescue Games is ready whenever you are.