Care routines

A care routine provides a predictable pattern for children to follow through the day. For example, always having breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time each day, or making sure to always go to bed by 9.00pm! Routines are very important for children, as they stop them from feeling overtired, hungry or bored – and they help them to feel secure.

Children have lots of care needs that routines can help to meet. Click through the slider below to learn more.

  • Sleep and rest

    It is really important that children get enough sleep. Without sleep, children will not be able to grow and their bodies won’t be able to repair anything that is wrong. Not sleeping enough can lead to feeling grumpy and tired, and can make it difficult to concentrate. Children of different ages will require different amounts of sleep, but a sleep routine will benefit children of all ages.

  • Food and drink

    Children need food and water in order to grow, feel energised and think clearly. Although children of different ages will have different food and drink requirements – for example, newborn babies survive on breast or formula milk alone – all children benefit from having a food and drink routine. Set meal times, and planned breaks for drinks and snacks, are particularly important once children reach school.

  • Personal hygiene

    Children need to maintain good personal hygiene, such as bathing regularly or washing their hands, in order to stay healthy and avoid getting ill. Children of different ages will have different hygiene needs, but an effective hygiene routine can help children of all ages to stay happy and healthy.

  • Using the toilet

    Children need routines about going to the toilet, such as always trying to go before they go to sleep, or before they go to school, to help avoid accidents. Once children reach school, they are usually able to use the toilet themselves, and know to ask an adult if they need to go. However, establishing routines can help children to become toilet trained, as well as supporting good hygiene. Hygiene is just as important when caring for children in nappies. There should be procedures in the setting around hygiene measures and it is important to follow these to keep the child healthy and to also minimise the spread of infection.

  • Health and safety

    Care routines, such as lining up before you go back into school after a break, can play an important role in children’s health and safety. These types of routine allow early years workers, and parents, to make sure their children are safe. Similarly, routines around expected behaviour can support children’s social and emotional development.

As you can see, care routines can play an important role in children’s holistic development. Care routines are also important because they help children to feel in control of their lives, and give them stability.

A child’s day doesn’t need to be planned down to the minute, but having a broad plan of what will happen and when is a must in an early years setting. A good starting point is talking to parents to find out about a child’s natural routine. This will help you to recognise signs of hunger or tiredness for example. Routines in different situations do impact on this, so it is always a good idea to have some structure to the day in the early years setting. This should not be so rigid that it interrupts play and learning, but should allow for the physical care needs of each individual child to be met.

Now let’s move on to learn more about sleep and bedtime routines.