Why is Routine Important for Child? 12 Reasons to Learn!

As an intelligent parent or guardian, you are always willing to improve your parenting skills.

You desire to give the best support to your child as they transition from infancy to adulthood.

To make the process as easy as pie, you need to establish a routine for them. 

But do you know how to create these routines for your child?

Don’t worry, I’ll tell you.

But, first, let’s examine these compelling reasons why routine is important for child.

12 Reasons why Routine is Important for Child

1. Offers Your Child a Sense of Stability and Security

When you establish a routine for your child, they feel secure and safe in their environment.

Children inherently obtain an understanding of daily procedures and events.

Thus, when a routine is in place, they do this:

• Learn what is expected of them as their environment has become more predictable.

Also, when your routine is effective, they feel comfortable, and trust you more.

Take-Home Point

• They trust you more
• Environment becomes more predictable
• Feel comfortable

2. Routines Impact Children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development

Toddlers and infants with an efficient routine interact more with people around them.

In the process, they slowly become more independent as they understand the detail of each routine.

Most parents admit that when routines are well predictable, flexible, and are fleshed with the right transition cue, they limit problems.

These problems include:

• Reduction in Tantrums
• Limits Hitting and Biting
• This isn’t limited to infants and toddlers; it’s the same with older children.

3. Routines Serve as Teachable Moments

Daily routines serve as learning opportunities for your toddler and infant.

For instance, their appreciation for hygiene will be deepened as they keep to the routine of washing hands.

It will also do the same as they brush their teeth.

Taking advantage of these routines, you can establish communication skills.

4. Learn the Importance of Time Management

Many adults struggle today to be time conscious. Why?

The concept of routine was not well ingrained in them when they were young.

But, how do you think a child who goes to bed at the same time each night feels?

Over time, he learns that time before bedtime is meant for winding down.

This eventually results in understanding how to use time wisely and not get wrapped up with any frivolities.

5. Routine Builds Excitement in Children

If the expectation is set already, they already anticipate what’s next after a phase.

Let’s pick an example.

A Family’s Routine:

• Once a week, we’ll watch a movie together as a family

What will be the result? Anticipation is built!

Apart from watching a movie together during this family time, you can:

• Bake cake together
• Go to the Beach
• Evening grill around your fire pit

6. Routines Help Instill Good Habits in Child

With their routine in place, beautiful habits are developed.

For example, completing assignments before dinner teaches self-discipline.

Also, sleeping at an exact time helps them stay organized, so they don’t go beyond that time.

Beautiful qualities routine will create in toddlers and infants are:

• Organization
• Self-discipline
• Time management
• Personal Hygiene  

7. Routines Eradicate Debates and Conflicts

When your children aren’t aware of who is responsible for a particular task, conflicts are likely to happen.

However, when it’s already in everyone’s weekly planner, this conflict is eradicated;

They already know who is responsible for the job, and the person will be prepared for it.   

Stress and anxiety are reduced; hence, the household becomes calmer and peaceful.

8. Routine in Child Bonds the Family Better

It is easier to understand how the family works when your child knows what is expected of him.

This understanding, in turn, strengthens shared interests, values, and beliefs.

If your family eats a meal together every Saturday morning, they notice a stark difference between other days.

Hence, they better realize that family time is remarkable.

Even when they are still small, they’ll pick on these traditions later on.

As they grow and you do regular and vital things together, your family bonds better.

9. Routine Helps Parent Remember Vital Things

If your child has adapted to the routine they grew up with; they relieve you of some stress.

You no longer have to scold them on clearing off toys after they are done.

You wouldn’t have to tell them about a dirty room, assignments, and other house chores.

All these takes make you focus on what’s more important.

What are some of the important things here?

They include and not limited to:

• Medicine (For self or child)
• Monthly Bill (All bills related)
• Teaching Kids (enhancing their intelligence)
• Major House Chores

10. Stability when Problems Set in

Your family should expect trial times. It’s what every family must face.

The impact of these problems will differ from family to family, and recovering is another ball game.

However, your family will thrive and be stable if you already have a functional routine for your children.

The impact of a divorce or change in the environment will not be beyond your child’s control.

Of course, there will be alteration in their activity, but there will be no need for significant worries as long as normalcy is established.

They will remain stable, calm, and reassured of love as they engage in activities that bring them together.

11. Routines Eradicate Power Struggles

When your child already has a routine to follow, there is no need to boss around them again.

Bossing around your child isn’t healthy for you and your child; it drains them!

You have no reason to yell before getting their tasks done; they are willing and anticipate it.  

With that, they will feel more valued as they aren’t forced to get some things done.

It’s more like they are adults; they feel accountable for anything they do.

Undeniably, there is more to gain than you’d lose if you develop a routine for your child.

12. Fun

Undeniably, if a parent does his or her part well, their children will find routine fun.

If the routine for your child is to arrange the dining table before, you can add something fun.

A parent might decide to play a lovely song before mealtime.

When your child knows that, at the hearing of that sound, they know they must quickly clear up the table so they could be set for dinner.

When this is part of their routine, even in school, they see the tasks as a stepping stone to something admirable.

However, are you just learning the importance of routine and want to learn how to get it done?

Below are tactical and straightforward caregiving routines for infants and toddlers.

Caregiving Routines for Infants and Toddlers

The benefits of routine for child are, of course, compelling.

But while you are trying to avoid stress and create a routine for your child, it mustn’t be complicated.

It has to be simple. Of course, beware; the earlier you establish this routine, the better for you.

That is why the following ideas and steps on creating a routine for children are the best approach for you.

Step I: Start with Important Times

Starting a routine with times your child holds dear is the best.

Instead of viewing it as a task, they see it as fun.

These are the critical times for kids where routine should start:

• Meal and Snack Times
• Naptimes and Bedtimes

These two are vital because they impact how well your child will be able to eat and sleep.

So, they must come first.

However, if you currently run a schedule like this for your kids, then you can level up to having a consistent routine.

If you’ve started with regular time for bed and nap time, then incorporate bath times.

Don’t be in a rush; do it systematically.

That leads us nicely to the next step on how you can establish a routine for your child.

Step II: Be Patient

Sticking to a schedule wouldn’t be an easy thing for your child at the start.

But with patience and Consistency, they will get adapted to it.

The stretch of your patience is dependent on the individual child, so no comparison.

If it’s taking longer than expected, don’t be frustrated and impatient. 

Success will come eventually if you are patient with your child during this process.

Step III: Add Flexibility to Each Routine

Flexibility with each routine will even facilitate how fast they get accustomed to this as a child.

This flexibility includes:

• 10-15 minutes of reading with the child before bedtime
• 10 minutes of story-telling before night time
• Preparing the table before dinner 

When they are being read to, they wind down and get pretty ready to sleep.

In fact, in most cases, they anticipate these moments before the actual time.

Step IV: Work toward Consistency

The whole idea of setting up a routine is to be sure your child keeps on with a pattern.

If consistency isn’t promised, it will be harder for them.

If you’ve established reading before bedtime, don’t abscond for a week.

Additionally, be sure your kids love the liberty of enjoying themselves with family friends during holidays or special events.

Hence, they build relationships with others and create allowances. 

Step V: Make Adjustment When Needed

At the start, it might not become apparent what is working or what is not.

But as you move on, the picture will become even more apparent.

You will see what’s working and what isn’t working for the child and the family.

So, pause and ask yourself: Why did we create this routine?

Is it to bond the family or to separate it?

The motive is to unite the family, so pay attention to the result you are getting.

If it’s healthy and positive for your child, you are on the right track.

But if it’s not, sit and analyze.

Basic Routine that you should teach your child:

• Time to be done for school in the morning
• House chores
• Playtime: family time and outdoor play
• Bath times, mealtimes, and bedtimes.

However, this approach might not be the same as what you will give a toddler or infant.

Check the following ideas that are sensitive and responsive to toddlers and infants when teaching them routine.

1. Allow Consistency

Design a routine that focuses their attention on play and learning. These lead to less destructive behaviors.

2. Caregiving Routine Should be offered when needed

You shouldn’t just be focused on going by the clock.

Allow your caregiving routine to your child be focused on their needs.

Do not fix a time for diapering, feeding, and sleeping. These routines should be given only when needed.

3. Interact when attending to them

You can offer support in all areas of your toddler’s life.

Take, for instance, when changing their diaper, maintain eye contact, talk, and smile with them.

During this routine care, you can offer social and emotional support as you give them one on one attention.

You can also point to things that are vital and important for them.

As you talk and exchange conversations, you will enhance their social, physical, and emotional growth.

Above all, you will be building their language and cognitive skills.

4. Create time for Free Play

When children engage in self-directed play, they learn about the world, learn new things, and build up new skills.

When Children come to play, it must be due to the desire to be together and not forced.

Toddlers should be allowed to experiment with things themselves fully.

5. Make Provision for Support and transitions

A well-structured routine for children must include support and flawless transition.

These transition times allow your child to learn many essential opportunities.

These are some of the transition times that a child’s care needs.

• Mealtimes
• Joining or leaving group (not for younger toddlers)
• Nap times
• Diaper toileting and changes
• Movement from indoors to outdoors
• Pick-up and drop-off times

Examples of Responsive Caregiving Routines for Toddlers and Infants in Schools

Toddlers and infants learn quickly from the world around them and the environment.

Thus, implementing these following actions in the learning environment should be tried to support responsive schedules.

These are:

Routines and Schedules must be flexible: Allow routines to be flexible and let them fit each toddler’s needs.

To be done, you might have to work with an individual family to investigate what fits their child best.

Hence, you will develop schedules that fit best for each child and implement them appropriately.

Talk and Sing about what’s been done: When you guide or teach infants, be sure to sing and talk about things you are doing.

Then, make sure you interpret the child’s experience aloud; they learn faster by doing that.

Post Photos and Pictures of Daily Schedule: By posting pictures and photos of the daily schedule, you are giving your toddler a vivid picture of what’s required of them.  

Review: It is essential to review the sequence of routines, experiences, and transitions with toddlers.

For instance, you could say something like, we had breakfast, and then we were outdoors.” Or, “we came in, and started learning.”

Speak Up: This is specifically between you and the family of your child.

Ask them what their expectations are for their children’s routine.

Experiences have revealed two types of expectations from family members.

For example:

• Some families expect that their toddler cooperates more readily with a series of routines.

• On the other hand, others expect independence in other areas.

Now, why is routine important in the classroom? Let’s examine them:

Why is Routine Important in the Classroom?

Of course, we have discussed a lot about the importance of routine for children.

However, how about implementing routine in the classroom?

In the classroom, routine is an excellent tool to organize and manage a classroom.

It is the ingredient needed to aid a student in focusing and learning better what they should do.

Of course, in an international school, things are pretty organized, and interruptions are limited.

However, it will take several weeks for any student entering this school to get into the system.

But to simplify these processes, below are a list of routines to establish in the first day in school.

For Elementary Grades

1. Starting the Day

Snacks, backpacks, coats, and every other clothing that isn’t allowed during school must be taken off first.

This should be done the moment the child enters the classroom.

After that, students can await morning meetings or start their morning work.

When you have a student in the second grade, allow them to attend to their task independently.

2. Ending the Day

When the day ends, 10-15 minutes before the bell rings, students must take their materials off.

They should keep their work for that day in their folder. Thus, they can clean off their desk and table.

You should only dismiss the class when it’s well organized.

That is when chairs are stacked well, their stuff is gathered, and neatly on the carpet.

3. Lining Up

In lower grades, there might be a difficulty for children to line up.

To solve this, advise each one to wait until they hear their name or roll.

When they hear their name, they stand up and line up.

They do this quietly, and you benefit from that.

For All Grades

1 Entering and Exiting Room

They should be told to remain silent whenever they are entering or leaving the classroom.

The goal is to avoid disturbing other mates when leaving early, during periods of transition, lunch, or even assemblies.

2. Using the Restroom

Before hoping out in the middle of any class, your student should inform you about there whereabouts.

It should be one student at a time. And only a teacher should give that pass.

Because it is only when a student location is known that safety can be ensured.

3. Fire Drills

When the sound of a fire alarm is heard, students must learn to stop what they are doing.

Then walk quietly to the door.

For older ones, they should be allowed to meet at a muster point.

For toddlers in elementary grade, they should only line up at the door.

A teacher must take attendance and report in an event of an emergency.

Besides, implement these procedures when teaching toddlers and infants classroom routine:

• Launch time
• Acceptable behavior when visitors enter the classroom
• What should be done during assemblies
• How, where, and when to submit homework
• Getting back to the classroom
• Handling classroom items
• Safe ways to operate a computer
• Things to do during assignments
• Moving to the next class
• Attending learning centers
• Getting ready for breaks

Final Thoughts

It takes a lot of time for children to grasp the concept of time and organization.

They learn correctly from those they live with and things that happen in their life.

And only when things happen in the right order will they have the right understanding of the world and feel more secure.

Thus, when you create responsive and consistent routines for them, they know what they are doing.

Additionally, it builds their confidence!

Now that you’ve known why routine is essential for a child and how to give your child routines, implement these.

Only when these points are well implemented will you attain excellent benefits.

You will be thrilled as a guardian, and your child will be blessed to be taught by you.