Developing Routines

Routines are an important way to help young children to develop concepts and skills that are the basis of literacy.  Meaningful experiences are a critical foundation to learning.  By structuring activities in a clear and predictable manner, children can learn:

• an understanding of objects and their functions (e.g. cup, toothbrush, shoe)
• anticipation
• sequencing
• cause and effect
• attributes such as wet/dry, up/down, soft/hard
• positional concepts (back/front, above/below)
• tactile skills
• eye-hand or hand-hand coordination
• communication skills

At the most basic level, these routines should be part of the child’s natural activities, including bathing, eating, dressing.  The child should be actively engaged in the steps of the activity, such as helping to turn on the water for the bath, finding the towel and soap, etc.  Learning to identify and gather the objects necessary for the routine helps to make the experience more meaningful.  By following a predictable sequence, the child learns what will happen next and can begin to initiate the next step.  As the child grows and develops, routines can be expanded.