Back-to-School time can feel like a big rush — all of a sudden summer is over and you have to hunt down backpacks, buy school supplies, start packing lunches again, and change your daily schedule.

One thing that makes this transition easier — especially for preschoolers — is a strong routine. Once September is over, it’s all to easy to relax and think that after a month, the routines will take care of themselves.

But preschoolers are constantly learning — and unlearning, and relearning. Here’s 3 of the most important routines we work on during back-to-school time — and all through fall and spring.

1. Hand washing.

Emphasizing the importance of hand washing can help make sure kids are not only keeping their own hands clean, but stops them from spreading germs around school. Use plain soap, not anti-bacterial: anti-bacterial soap can create so-called “super germs,” and plain soap is just as effective for generally healthy people.

Washing hands when we arrive and before we leave anywhere helps make sure germs aren’t coming with us. Practice washing hands with your preschooler before you leave home or as you arrive at school, and again when you’re home for the day.

2. Bathroom.

For most preschoolers, the time they weren’t potty-trained was not that long ago. Reminding them to use the bathroom before they leave for school will help make sure they come to school ready to learn, and can spend as much time as possible in the classroom with their teachers and friends. (Bonus: they’ll wash their hands!)

3. Transitions: “First this, then that.”

One of the most frustrating things for many preschoolers is waiting: patience is a new skill that they are learning each day.

Because their bodies are so active, they are constantly moving, constantly thinking, and constantly talking. One activity runs head-on into the next, which is why transitions is something we have to practice.

We use “first _____, then _____” to help preschoolers recognize patterns and make a mental break. Understanding one activity as it relates to another helps them build context, and repetition is a key tool for learning. It can be a useful tool in helping preschoolers verbalize the patterns they see and have to follow: “First dinner, then dessert.” “First put on shoes, then go outside.”