As we live in quite a fast-paced and hectic world, routines save us. Having daily routines helps us be productive and achieve everything planned for the day and the week. We need them even if we have ‘just’ have work and training, for example. When you have kids and want to be a devoted parent, developing these routines together with them is quintessential. You don’t just keep every aspect of your life organised and manageable, but you also teach your kids some valuable lessons. Keep reading to learn more about creating a daily routine for preschoolers and balancing learning, play and rest.
We will start by covering the basics of daily routines and then move to the advantages of daily routines for kids and parents. Some advantages for kids include health and overall well-being, skills and responsibility and a sense of safety and belonging. We will also comment on the characteristics of good daily routines. There will also be a follow-up on examples of morning, day and evening routines for kids as well as vital components of daily and weekly routines.
Daily routines: The basics
Daily routines help us organise our day to accomplish everything: getting ready for work/preschool, eating nutritious meals, being active and spending quality time with our families. Routines help families because everybody knows what to do, when, in what order and how often. In that way, children learn what is essential for their family. Many families strive to create family rituals, which are unique routines your family does fairly regularly. Family rituals are beneficial as they strengthen your family bond, shared beliefs and values and boost the sense of belonging. You should start introducing routines early to develop this sense in your children.
Daily routines: Advantages for kids
When it comes to daily routines and advantages for kids, there are a few. The ones we will discuss in this article include health and overall well-being, skills and responsibility and a sense of safety and belonging.
Health and overall wellbeing
Being a part of daily routines benefits kids as they develop healthy habits. These include the simplest things such as washing hands regularly during the day, brushing their teeth in the morning and evening, at least being physically active and so on. In turn, children get less sick as they wash their hands regularly. Having predictable and well-known routines also reduces stress, which boosts the immune system. Creating healthy habits is essential at an early age because of their body clocks - it will help them sleep regularly even in their teen years.
Skills and responsibility
Another benefit of daily routines includes developing various skills and a sense of responsibility. Chores are a normal part of daily routines, and when everybody in the family does their part, keeping the house neat and clean is super easy. Also, children learn to be responsible and care for their room. They also learn basic skills, such as time management, essential for later life. Children also become more independent by performing chores without supervision. Even though children learn many valuable things in preschools, such as Insight Early Learning, it is also vital to keep up an engaging environment at home.
A sense of safety and belonging
Moreover, what children also acquire is a sense of safety and belonging. Routines are an integral part of a predictable home environment. Being predictable in this aspect of life can help children deal with inevitable changes such as puberty or life events like the birth of a new child, divorce, illness or a house move. Additionally, routines focusing on spending time together or having fun strengthen family bonds and foster a sense of belonging.
For instance, your daily schedule could involve engaging in bedtime story sessions as a family, enjoying shared meals together, or playing a friendly game with your child before their weekly soccer practice.
Daily routines: Advantages for parents
Besides the benefits for kids, having daily routines also benefits parents. Even though creating successful and functional routines takes time and effort, they save us time once established. As you know, our lives often feel busy and hectic. In such instances, having routines helps us feel more organised and in control. These routines also build your confidence as a parent, help you get through your daily tasks more efficiently, and free up time for other things.
Characteristics of good daily routines
To be considered efficient, daily routines must be well-planned, regular and predictable. In a well-planned routine, everybody is clear on their role, understands it, and accepts it as fair. As children get older, you should include them in routine planning. Good routines should be a part of daily life. For example, one such routine can be waking up to preschool together every morning. Additionally, a good routine follows the same sequence of events every day.
Morning routines for kids
When it comes to morning routines for kids, these are some usual ones:
- Waking up at the same time every day
- Going to the bathroom: washing face, brushing teeth, combing hair
- Making the bed
- Having breakfast
- Leaving to preschool/school
Day routines for kids
As far as daily routines are concerned, they involve:
- Having rest
- Doing the chores/homework
- Engaging in some free play
- Being physically active (going to the park, going for a swim or a bike ride) or having a training session
- Snacking
Evening routines for kids
Evening routines are what we end our day with, and they involve:
- Having dinner
- Preparing preschool/school bag for tomorrow morning
- Preparing clothes for tomorrow morning
- Taking a bath/shower, brushing teeth and combing hair
- Reading a bedtime story
Daily and weekly components of routines
The daily components of a well-rounded routine for young children include free play, literacy, math, and outdoor play. Free play encourages child-directed exploration, while literacy time involves reading, singing, and letter learning. Math time incorporates calendar activities and counting through play. Outdoor play is essential for physical and cognitive development. Additionally, snacks, meals, and rest time should be included. Weekly components can include invitations to play, crafts, science investigations, cooking, pretend play, dancing, and acts of kindness. These activities can be tailored to specific themes or skills and offer independent exploration and creativity opportunities.
Having efficient routines in everyday life makes our lives so much simpler, and we can use every part of the day productively without wasting any precious time.
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