What does a typical morning look like for your family during the school year? When I come home from my workout group at 8 am, Henry is just getting dressed and ready for breakfast. We’re often in a rush as Jared and I help pack his lunch, get Edie up, fed, and dressed as well. Sometimes if we’re on the ball we all get a few special minutes together to eat before running out the door to school. It’s such a great way to start the day. 

There have been all sorts of studies that show the benefits of eating together as a family for breakfast: better school performance, healthier body weight, and general improved family relationships. It just starts the day off on such a great note.

I’m partnering with Cheerios and their Family Breakfast Project to help challenge more families to slow down their mornings and focus on just a few minutes together as a family around the breakfast table for 7 consecutive days.

Today I’m sharing a way to make those family breakfasts together more fun with this cute printable Cheerios activity placemat. There’s a underwater scene, a cityscape, and a jungle scene. Cheerios are strategically placed on small circles in the design, like on fish bubbles, fruit on the tree, or wheels on the train, to complete the image. A fun way to get breakfast started in the morning!

Keep reading to get the three different place mat designs and instructions on putting them together…

Photography by Liz Stanley. Illustrations by Becca Ricks. Thanks to Henry’s friend Harper for joining us for a fun breakfast!
This post is in partnership with Cheerios Family Breakfast Project. Check out fun ways to connect more with 7 days of family breakfasts right here.

Instructions:

Step 1: Download the underwater scene, the cityscape, and jungle scene, and print them out onto thick paper. We used watercolor paper. Cardstock would work too.

Step 2. Invite the kids in to personalize their placemat with markers or watercolor.

Step 4: Measure out contact paper at least an inch wider than your placemat. Cut two pieces.

Step 5. Sandwich the placemat between the two sheets of contact paper, be careful to unroll the contact paper careful to avoid creases. Trim the edges.

Step 6: Set out with a bowl of Cheerios at your next family breakfast for a fun activity. Tell family members to cover any small circles on the placemat they find with Cheerios to complete the scene.

What do you think: could we bring back family breakfasts? How do you feel about challenging your family to have a family breakfast for 7 consecutive days? Find great tips, ideas, and steps to make it happen for your family right here.