Children also like routines – in fact they thrive on them. They feel much more confident and safer when they have predictable and familiar routines. That is not to say that everything must be regimented and there is no room for change or surprise; these things are important too. However, there should be some degree of daily, weekly and annual scheduling, with routines that allow both children and adults in the setting to understand what will happen so they can feel comfortable, secure, and can access the learning that you provide.
What Are Routines?
There are many things that we can think of as routine in our daily lives. They include:
- Waking up times
- Getting washed and dressed
- Mealtimes
- Daily commute or journey to the setting
- How personal belongings are stored and kept safe
- Approach to a ‘to do’ list
- Getting out and putting away toys or craft items
- Playtime schedules and breaks
- Collection and end-of-day
- Housework or chores
- Bath times and bedtimes
When everyone knows and understands the routines, things tend to go more smoothly because people know what is expected of them, how they fit into the bigger picture, and what other people are expected to do as well. It doesn’t matter if one family’s or setting’s routine is different from the people next door, as long as everyone involved understands their own.
In addition, there are routines that play out over longer periods. For example, there are routine cycles for term times and holidays, or summer and winter sporting events, as well as annual ones like religious celebrations like Diwali or Christmas,
When it comes to establishing routines in your setting, you will have several things to consider including:
- The reason for setting up the routine
- The skills and qualifications of your staff
- The number of people/children involved
- Who will do what?
- Safeguarding and health and safety requirements
- Timing and logistical elements such as whether things need to be done by a certain time
- Any special needs that people/children have
Why Routines Are Important
When babies are born, their routines are usually dictated by physical needs – eating, pooping and sleeping, and these things are usually child-led but managed by the primary caregiver. As children grow older, they develop the ability to think more independently and can follow familiar activities and routines themselves. This helps to give them a sense of belonging, independence and self-confidence. They also begin to learn the ‘rules’ of socialisation and start to understand how they fit in with other people, learning to work together and achieve common goals.
Having established and familiar routines helps children:
- Feel safe and secure
- Feel in control of their environment
- Understand what is happening and what will happen next
- Remember to do important things e.g. clean teeth
- Engage fully in play and learning experiences
- Transition more easily from one activity to another
- Manage their emotions better
- Create good habits
You may have noticed how unsettling it can be for children if there is an emergency, or a change of routine due to an unforeseen circumstance. Some children with special needs such as autism in particular, may be extremely distressed if their routines change. Some children can display challenging behaviours if they feel dysregulated due to sudden changes in routine. Consistent routines can also help children’s physical well-being too since they can support the body’s natural rhythms around sleeping, eating and waking, synchronising with the body’s need to be active or calm at different times.
How To Create Effective Routines In Your Setting
Remember that a routine and a schedule are different things. A schedule shows the main events that will happen in the day, such as drop off, playtime, lunchtime and collection. A routine will set out the steps needed in each part of the schedule, such as how children will be greeted, put their coats away and where they will go immediately afterwards. Consistent schedules and routines are needed for the setting to run smoothly.
When creating routines, it’s important to:
- Create routines that have a purpose and are clearly laid out and recorded in writing
- Consider the setting’s layout and try to make this as intuitive as possible so that it works with the routines you are trying to set. For example, place the coat hangers near the door or in the classrooms so that children are not expected to travel large distances to hang up their coat
- Make roles and responsibilities clear
- Review routines regularly and adjust as necessary
- Give children (and adults) positive feedback when they attempt the routines. Remember that the children will be learning so they may not get everything perfect the first few times but praise their effort over the outcome
- Create visual clues to help children, such as hand-washing posters, clear direction signs or visual timetables
- Offer rewards and incentives
- Ensure staff are modelling appropriate behaviour and responses
- Teach the routines you want them to understand, and re-establish your expectations especially after weekends, holidays or long breaks
- Involve parents and communicate any problems or challenges to them – for example trying to prevent unsafe parking, or making sure that the setting knows if there is to be a change of person collecting the child
- Inform everyone if there are necessary changes to established routines or one-off emergencies. Remember to factor in the child’s ability to manage their own stress and emotions, and see things from their perspective
- Be patient
And Finally… Be Flexible!
“Rules are meant to be broken” as the saying goes, and no one likes to feel so regimented that there is no room to manoeuvre, so make sure that you are also flexible and adaptable in your routines too. Spontaneity and creativity are skills to develop so allow these in your setting too. If a fox, rare bird or deer graces your outdoor space one morning, you could allow the children time to wonder at the nature that came to visit and to put the toys away in ten minutes!
