In-home childcare or centre-based, a key goal for teachers is to create a nurturing environment, and routines and structure play an important role.
In-home childcare or centre-based, a key goal for teachers is to create a nurturing environment, and routines and structure play an important role.In a childcare setting – home-based or centre-based, routines refer to a predictable sequence of events or activities that occur regularly throughout the day. Routines provide a sense of order, consistency and familiarity for children, helping them feel secure and understand what is expected of them.
Structure, on the other hand, is the overall organisation and framework within which activities and routines take place. It involves setting clear boundaries, rules and expectations for behaviour. Structure helps children understand what is acceptable, promotes a sense of safety and fosters positive social interactions.
Here are some benefits routine and structure bring to a child’s life.
- Promotes order and security – The predictability of a day and familiarity of a centre-based or home-based childcare environment allows the teachers to create a harmonious environment. Knowing what’s coming in a day helps children feel secure and brings them a sense of stability. This is particularly useful to help children transition from home to childcare easily..
- Mat time, art activities, outdoor play and even helping with household chores like gardening provide an opportunity to hone a child’s cognitive, social and gross motor skills. These structured activities are ideal for holistic development of a child.
- Further learning and development is also supported by routines that are good for memory retention as well as core development skills such as attention, self-control and planning.
- Following a set schedule teaches children self-discipline, responsibility and time management from an early age. By adhering to routines, children learn to prioritise tasks, manage their time effectively and understand the concept of waiting. All these skills are great to for academic and career success as they foster independence and responsibility.
Routines and structure promote effective learning. Children have ample opportunities to explore, play and learn in a well-organised and stimulating environment.
At Home2Grow we recognize the importance of these and our educators work towards set routines and a structure even in a flexible home environment so that children are set up for success both in the present and in the future.
