Routines. Oh, how that word reminds us of our own parents nagging us on the “proper” way of doing things. We tend to think that “routines” are something grown-ups enforce to make their children more behaved and well-adjusted. But there is more to routines than just moulding a child’s behaviour.
As it turns out, routines are an important part of a child’s emotional development. Enabling a routine takes away the uncertainty from doing certain repetitive tasks. This frees the child to be able to devote themselves to more important childhood tasks, namely exploring, playing, and learning.
What is a routine and why is it so important?
In the context of this article, we aren’t talking about having a 9-to-5 schedule. In this case, we are referring to a procedure, process, or pattern of action that is used repeatedly to facilitate the accomplishment of specific goals or tasks. In simple terms, it is about instilling a series of actions a child should do for certain scenarios, such as what they should do after finishing their meal, preparing for bed, or meeting family and friends.
Let’s give our after-meal routine at Bright ELC for example. After every meal, our educators guide the children to clean and tidy up after every meal. Other routines also include being patient and waiting their turn or helping others in their daily activities. While routines are key in teaching children about proper responsible behaviour, it also helps them feel confident and in control of the situation.
Over time, these routines give the child a guide from which they will be able to perform tasks with certainty. In effect, building their confidence and providing them with a sense of familiarity with certain situations. Thus setting them up to learn more and better respond to the world around them.
How routines help your children learn?
Everyone has a certain emotional threshold, without a set routine, your mind will be running helter-skelter, trying to figure out what to do or what comes next. This can be emotionally draining and very distracting. Imagine going from day to day without knowing what is going to happen next!
By establishing a routine, children can learn how the world around them is organised and the sequence of actions to successfully interact with it. In doing so, they know what to do in a particular scenario and what comes next. This lets them familiarise themselves with an organised environment and frees up their mind to pursue their curiosities and learn more.
When it comes to skills, routines have shown to be immensely beneficial in helping them relate action with its intended results, develop motor skills, and form the basis of making simple calculations that will be applicable to their daily lives. These skills will go a long way in helping children understand lessons and handle more complex scenarios better.
Teaching routines in Bright ELC
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn”. Routines are something that has to go beyond a playroom setting. At Bright ELC setting routines start from the moment your child walks through our doors.
Our educators will be present to welcome your child as a routine to ease your child into our childcare setting. Their time together starts with a welcome and a greeting to gain a sense of familiarity and connection.
From there, our educators will be present to guide children through different routines that are specifically set up for each room with achievable tasks that cater to a child’s age group. Some of these routines are setting up tables for mealtime, watering the garden plants daily, and tidying up the rooms and keeping away the toys when playtime is over.
Over time through participation and involving themselves with these routines, each child gains a sense of our centre’s routine and how to accomplish their tasks. Through this positive and organised learning environment, children of all ages will be able to put their minds to discovery and learning.
