The role of rituals and routines in young children

The introduction of rituals and routines at home before a child starts formal schooling can play a big role in helping a child adapt to the school environment. This is the advice offered in the second episode of the Learning Early Series, an online video series for parents who are about to embark on that next big step in parenting: being the parent of a school-going child!

Teachers at Early Learning Centres or primary schools use rituals and routines extensively as these induce calmness, relieve anxiety and offer structure to the day. Parents can learn a lot from teachers and the way they communicate and engage with children through routines. This episode explains some of these rituals.

The video can be viewed here:

137 Comments

- - catgrrl3 said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    4:52 pm
i like reading this . thanks for the article

- - meimei said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    11:48 am
Great advice. Thank you 🙂

- - catgrrl3 said
  - 27 Oct 2013
    11:01 pm
always great to set up routines early

- - nswelise said
  - 26 Oct 2013
    12:43 pm
routines are so important especially bed time!

- - rainbownerds said
  - 15 Oct 2013
    5:53 pm
Routines are great thanks for sharing the adivce

- - coppin85 said
  - 15 Oct 2013
    10:51 am
Great information! Great video 🙂

- - meltingmoment said
  - 15 Oct 2013
    9:57 am
I think routine is great for kids. Helps as they get older.

- - catgrrl3 said
  - 04 Oct 2013
    11:34 am
getting them into a routine early helps so much 🙂

- - bankstownbrats said
  - 30 Sep 2013
    4:57 pm
Thats a great idea as my son starts school next year

- - tanya goulding said
  - 29 Sep 2013
    3:39 pm
As I go back to work next week I worry that it may throw routine out a little , kids will have to try to adapt to a new routine, I’m hoping it will work well!

- - omgjag31 said
  - 19 Sep 2013
    9:21 pm
Without routine my family would never function
- kelly laundess replied
  
  24 Nov 2013 , 4:25 am
  Mine would be the same.
- - rachkap said
  - 15 Sep 2013
    2:40 am
Great advice – thanks for sharing

- - kjgarner said
  - 12 Sep 2013
    11:46 am
Its always good to have a routine in our family with 3 little girls

- - omgjag31 said
  - 10 Sep 2013
    9:46 pm
my two year olds routine is in the middle of changing as her care has changd. This is making life a little hard

- - traceyi said
  - 21 Aug 2013
    7:51 pm
babies & children are creatures of routine. the cope / manage better that way.
- tahlia w replied
  
  30 Aug 2013 , 11:38 pm
  makes it easier on everyone
- - traceyi said
  - 17 Aug 2013
    8:26 pm
I think they adjust & cope better with routine
- earthlydelites replied
  
  19 Aug 2013 , 7:54 pm
  its so true a routine is so important
- - lynzstevo said
  - 07 Aug 2013
    11:05 am
I think its important for kids to have a set routine. Thanks for this great info 🙂
- a-edwards replied
  
  09 Aug 2013 , 7:45 am
  yes i very much agree
- - kymaree said
  - 06 Aug 2013
    10:05 pm
Good advice, thanks for the article.

- - melmick2012 said
  - 06 Aug 2013
    8:50 pm
My kids work really well on routine 6:30 bed time every night as soon as they have a sleepover or are up 1 hr longer then there normal routine it takes me nilly a week to get them back to normal routines are defiantly a winner in my household

- - sallty said
  - 06 Aug 2013
    8:01 am
Very interesting. We have clear night routine but some of our days are pretty flexible. I’ve been wondering whether to try and structure them a bit more as preparation for school.