Structure and Routines in Everyday Living

Young children may attend a structured program, such as a preschool, during certain days of the week or seasons of the year. Early education programs use routines for circle time, snacks, and playtime. When a child knows what will happen, they feel confident and empowered to do what is expected. All children, especially those with disabilities, benefit from consistency. Routines make transitions manageable for children who have difficulty with change. Schedules help children understand past, present, and future events.

When not attending a structured program, children stay home. While home life can feel more relaxed, young children thrive on routine in predictable environments. This tip sheet offers suggestions for adding structure and routine to time at home. A plan needs to work for the family using it. Begin with something simple; build on it over time.

Keep the beginning and end of the day predictable

Keep morning routines similar from day to day. Children wake up, eat breakfast, and get dressed at the same time on weekends as during the week. These events cue a young child that the day is beginning.
Keep bedtime routines such as bathing, reading books, and brushing teeth the same each day of the week. These events tell a child that the day is over and it is time to rest.

Build a schedule

Some parts of a day may already be scheduled (for example, swimming lessons on Saturdays). With a child’s attention span in mind, organize remaining time into chunks. Depending on the activity, 15-minute, 30-minute or 60-minute blocks may work for your family.

Balance the types of activities in a schedule

Pair a high-energy activity (a bike ride) with a calm activity (reading together).
Pair an independent activity (coloring) with an adult-led activity (sorting laundry).
Pair an inside activity (a board game) with an outside activity (chalk drawing).
Pair a personal care activity (washing face and hands) with a learning activity (drawing shapes).

Adults use visual tools such as calendars and clocks to keep track of their day. Young children also need tools to mark time and events.

Create a visual schedule. Photographs, clip art, or line drawings found online provide images. For example, a photograph of a child’s plate and cup can represent “lunch.”
Use index cards or photographs for individual components of the schedule. Each image represents one event. For example, a morning schedule may include an image for park, books, snack, and blocks.
Post the schedule in a common area and at a child’s eye level, such as on a refrigerator door. A child may remove components of the schedule as they complete activities. (When lunch is finished, the child places the picture for lunch in the “all done” basket.)
Tell a child when a change is near (“In five minutes, we’ll clean up snack and get out the large blocks.”)
Select a cue for transitions. For example, ring a bell or sing a song like “Clean Up, Clean Up” as one activity ends and the next begins.

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