Routine are predictable activities that happen during your day but they are NOT the same thing as your schedule. These two words are used interchangeably a lot but they are far from the same thing. Let’s break it down.
Example of a Daily Schedule:
- Wake up
- Breakfast
- Indoor Free Play
- Morning Outside Time
- Lunch
- Nap
- Snack
- Indoor Free Play
- Afternoon Outside Time
- Dinner
- Bath
- Bed
Now let’s see an example of a ROUTINE for ONE of those parts of our daily schedule.
Example of a Mealtime Routine:
- Wash Hands
- Pray
- Eat
- Take Dishes to Sink
- Wash Hands and Mouth
- Wipe Down Table
Does that make more sense? Although they are two different things, routines are a vital part of your schedule. Like a schedule, routines provide children with a sense of structure that encourages independence and makes them feel safe since they understand what is expected of them during their day. They can also prevent meltdowns from happening! Did you hear that? Less meltdowns, who doesn’t want that?
Growing up, my mom was the queen of routines. This woman had a routine for everything, even down to diaper changes! Yep, you heard me right! Diaper changes. Her routines were definitely structured but also the MOST fun. She would lay us down and give us something to hold onto (a toy or a wipe). Then she would change our diaper while singing us songs we liked or ones she would make up on the spot about wiping our poop butts! She could and still can make up a song about literally anything. Once she was all done, she would have us stand up and ask us questions about the pictures on the wall while she pulled our pants up. This was a way to sneak a little learning in there too. She still does this one with her grand-babies now. They count the fishes in a picture and she asks the colors too. I mean, the queen of routines, right?
My mom’s diaper routine shows that routines are also an opportunity to integrate a lot of learning into your child’s day without even trying! In her example, she introduced new words through her made up songs and probably snuck some rhyming words in there because mama McCoy likes to do that. She also did some math with counting, identifying objects and shapes, and naming colors. That’s a lot of learning in such a small amount of time!
Now do you see why routines are such an important part of a child’s day? Now it’s up to us to provide those routines for our kiddos!
Need help coming up with routines for your day? Leave a comment below. I would love to help!
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