Morning tubs are a fantastic way to kick off the school day! These bins, packed with fun, hands-on activities, help students transition into the classroom with ease. If you’re looking for a stress-free way to start your mornings—or want to shake up your routine—this guide to setting up classroom morning tubs has you covered.

What Are Morning Tubs?

Morning tubs are bins filled with engaging activities that encourage play and exploration while developing key skills like fine motor coordination, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Unlike traditional morning work, these activities feel like a treat for your students while giving you precious time to check in with them, take attendance, and prepare for the day ahead. Setting up classroom morning tubs gives you a simple, organized way to incorporate meaningful play into your morning routine.

Step-by-Step Guide to Organizing Morning Tubs

  • Choose Bins: Start by choosing bins or containers that fit your classroom needs. You don’t have to buy anything fancy—use what you already have! Clear storage containers, plastic shoe boxes, or even baskets will work. The key is making sure they’re big enough to hold the materials, easy for little hands to carry, and sturdy enough to last through the school year.
  • Label Everything: Even if you have clear bins, it’s helpful to label them. You can label with numbers, pictures, or even themes to keep things clear for your students. When you label your bins, students will have an easier time finding their tub, and it helps keep your classroom running smoothly. Laminated labels are a great option to keep them from getting worn out.
  • Fill the Tubs: Now for the fun part—filling your tubs! Gather materials that are engaging, easy to manage, and help build important skills. Some favorite materials include:

Don’t be afraid to get creative! Once, a parent donated some small sock puppets, and the kids loved making up stories, putting on little shows, and even reading with them. Think about what your students would enjoy and what will hold their attention.

For more ideas, check out my blog on Low Prep Fine Motor Activities.

How to Introduce Morning Tubs to Your Students

The key to setting up classroom morning tubs successfully is teaching students the routine early:

  • Demonstrate how tubs work. On the first day of school (or whenever you introduce morning tubs), take a few minutes to explain how they work. Show students how to find their tub, where to take it, and how to return it when they’re done. A quick walkthrough goes a long way in setting up the routine!
  • Practice the routine. Before students start using morning tubs on their own, take some time to let them practice. This helps prevent confusion and ensures everything runs smoothly. Go over the basics: how to grab a tub, use the materials, and clean up when they’re done. Be sure to give clear feedback, so students can fix any mistakes and feel confident using the tubs independently without needing extra help.
  • Set expectations. It’s important to set clear expectations during morning tubs from day one, so students know what’s expected. Here are a few that have worked well in my class:
    • Use soft voices – This helps keep the classroom calm and focused.
    • Stay in one spot – Once students pick a tub, they should stay there without moving around the room.
    • Be problem solvers – Encourage students to handle minor issues on their own. One strategy that worked wonders in my class was using rock, paper, scissors to settle small disagreements, like who gets a certain color of play-dough. Instead of needing me to step in, students quickly resolved the issue themselves, and it worked most of the time!
  • End on a high note. Make sure students know the clean-up process, too! Teaching them how to properly clean up their materials and return the tubs to the right place will help maintain order and reduce chaos. Setting a timer for clean-up time can help keep things moving.

The Benefits of Morning Tubs in the Classroom

Morning tubs bring structure and joy to the start of your day. Here’s what makes them a hit:

  • Flexible options. Whether you want to target fine motor skills, STEM concepts, or creativity, you can customize morning tubs to fit your goals.
  • Stress-free mornings. Students are engaged, leaving you free to handle other tasks.
  • A variety of benefits. From improving fine motor skills with activities like these task cards to fostering collaboration, morning tubs help students grow in multiple areas.

Here’s the Gist

Setting up classroom morning tubs is an easy way to make mornings more productive and enjoyable—for both you and your students.

If fine motor development is your focus, don’t miss my blog on Fine Motor Morning Work Stations for more tips.

And for no-prep ideas to fill your tubs, take a peek at my Fine Motor Skills Task Cards.