Routines are activities we do every single day – like eating breakfast or getting dressed. Simple every day routines are powerful and provide comfort to adults and families. The same goes for children and toddlers. Predictable routines help create manageable expectations for children and allow them to feel safe and secure. Check out how you can help children learn through everyday routines:
Help Children Learn Language Through Everyday Routines
Routines are a great way to build communication and language learning. Language used in routine is predictable! You can use this to your advantage to help teach new words and phrases and help your child understand how to follow directions. Here are some tips for teaching language in routines:
- Use natural and consistent language: Make sure you use language that you would normally use when moving through your daily routines. Try to say the same words and phrases each time for consistency.
“It’s time to brush your teeth.”
“First put your socks on, then put on your shoes.”
2. Use gestures and visual cues: Try using gestures such as pointing and visual cues such as holding up real objects when giving directions during routines. Here are some examples:
Hold up your child’s toothbrush and say, “Time to brush your teeth!”
Point to your child’s shoes when you’re asking them to put their shoes on.
3. Sing Songs: Songs are repetitive and fun, which are both great for learning language! Classic nursery rhyme tunes are wonderful for creating your own songs. For example, try singing while brushing your child’s teeth with this tune to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”- “brush brush brush your teeth, every single day, tops and bottoms, all around, to keep the germs away!”
4. Books: Books are a fantastic way to help build background knowledge when learning a new routine. In my house we have used books for learning simple routines like washing hands, eating meals, and getting ready for school.
Check out one of my favorite books for learning hand washing routines: Wash Wash Wash!
Help Children Learn Social-Emotional Skills Through Everyday Routines
Engaging in everyday routines helps children build social emotional skills such as self-confidence and self-control as well as emotional resilience. Here are some way you can help children learn social emotional skills through everyday routines:
- Give Your Child Choices: Choices are a great way to build several different skills: self-confidence, decision making, problem solving, cooperation, empathy, and more. For example, when a child is allowed to choose what shirt they want to wear, they use their critical thinking skills to select an appropriate piece of apparel. This builds confidence within them and also naturally helps them learn consequences. If they chose a long sleeve shirt on a hot day, they may be hot. Parent tip: If you want your child to make a choice but also gently guide their decision making be intentional about the choices you present to them (maybe you present only two short sleeved shirts on a hot day).
- Complete a Routine Together: Instead of having your child complete a routine by themselves do it together. Maybe you can help them set the table or put away their clothes. Completing a routine with your child can be a time to bond and help them gain independence and self-confidence.
3. Think Aloud: Thinking out loud is essentially talking through what you are doing in front of your child. This is a great way to show them how to handle frustrations and problem solve appropriately – especially during routines they need to do every day. “Whoops I forgot to put the top of my toothpaste. I better do that so it doesn’t make a mess.”
4. Use Puppets or Stuffed Animals: Puppets are a great way to introduce and talk about feelings: “Doggy is feeling frustrated but he is going to try again.” Beloved stuffed animals are also a great way to gain engagement in a routine such as teeth brushing or eating breakfast. Children often to love to have their favorite stuffy brush their teeth while they do!
