how do consistent routines help children's development and learning?

Answer 1

Children like to know where they stand as it were and so when things are done in a routine format, children learn to sequence. This develops their social skills and helps them deal with sharing, turn taking etc. Children relate better to social situations when they know what is going to happen next, i.e arrive at school, take off coat, greet teacher, say goodbye to parent, sit at desk or go to play area, break time and so on.

These routines in turn help their writing/language skills as they go on further into primary school. If a child does not learn to sequence then how can they tell a story in their own words?

Answer 2

Oh I really want to answer this one. I spent alot of time with this question. Researching, thinking, observing. Here is my conclusion.
First lets define some terms. There is a difference between routine and stability. Children need stability. However routine is a gray area. Stability is the foundation from which children can branch out and grow. They need someone or something that they know will always be there for them and a person they can run back to when the world gets to scary. This is observed in an infant who will crawl away from the mother to explore but then if something scary or unpredictable happens back to mommy they will scury.
Routines can be boring for some children and children acutally seek change if they are secure in a stable enviornemnt. Moving around a lot will set them back and going through family changes may also.
Routines can be helpful if they are everyday occurances that may be forgotten or disrupted if not set in a routine . For example, brushing teeth every morning, reading a book every night at bed time, having the same bed time, organization in the house and routines that make life easier are all good for children. When my children were babies I sang to them every night and as they became toddlers all i had to do was sing their song and to sleep they would go. This is a nice routine. But don't allow routines to get in the way of sponanious fun. Some days our routines go out the window. Some night my kids are too riled up to fall asleep with a simple song and instead we play and talk untill they are calm. Children need to learn the whole range of possiblites.
If you really want to discuss this furthur please do send me an email.

Answer 3

I do not like routines for my children and do not raise them in that way. I believe it's better to be flexible. If something happens to change a child's routine that has been raised that way, such as a death or minor event, the child can not cope.
My children are all very smart and well-adjusted so I feel I made the right decision. In fact when I compare my kids to my friend's kids of the same age, my children always adjust better to knew things, such as school, or library time, etc.
To me, routine is boring, as long as my kids know I am here and that I love them, they are confident with their world

Answer 4

Children learn by repetitive actions. They are stable when they have consistency and routines with which to make a frame of understanding. Markers also help so they have key pointers of what is about to happen such as specific times e.g story time and then bed. Teddy and telly tubby time. Stability and security and a familiar adult is the name of the game.

Answer 5

Consistent routines establish patterns that an infant, toddler and children learn to recognize as a particular behavior. They learn to identify certain cues to each situation.

Answer 6

Routines teach kids that things happen in order and are continous. Repetition is a law of learning, it both teaches and instils that principle. Also if they have a set routine then they tend to be more settled because they wont be wondering what's gonna happen next, this allows them to concentrate more on other things.

Answer 7

once a concept has been laid down in the brain that provides an initial understanding. repitition simply makes it more and more familiar, and as they say practise makes perfect. if you imagine a toddle navigating a step. it will take them a few minutes to find a way to step down without falling. the next time they try they will be faster having learned a technique. a routine works because it cements an method or concept in the brain (in the memory) and the sense obviously communicate with the brain so that it realises something is familiar and that it worked last time.

Answer 8

Consistsent routines teach children because they are doing the same thing over and over. It helps them feel safe too, they always know what's going to happen next.

Answer 9

jbirdj and smileybaby seem to have sussed this out pretty well. As a teacher I am aware that children listen and react best when they they feel secure about what is going to happen. If things are wild they get a bit wild. As someone said (Smileybaby?), the trick is to get a workable mix of routine and stimulation. Trust to your instinct, it 'll work.