Creating Routines

March 3, 2026

The beginning of a new school year and the arrival of fall remind us of the importance of routines. While we always enjoy a break from the “same-old, same-old,” getting back into the familiar routines of fall creates stability and a sense of the familiar. For young children especially, those familiar routines are important to their overall healthy social and emotional development.

Tips for establishing and enforcing routines

  • Create visual reminders or a picture schedule for a typical day.
  • Plan structured activity periods; g., right after a nap, play a game.
  • Break routines into steps; g., getting ready for bed (bath, pajamas, brushing teeth, story time, singing).
  • Prepare the child for transitions from one activity to the next (“In 10 minutes, we will …).
  • Develop regular routines for daily activities, such as meals, bed time, story time, quiet time.
  • Be flexible and creative; try not to be rigid and unable to adjust to unusual circumstances.

Routines Help Children

  • Make sense of the world and learn how the world is organized.
  • Feel secure and safe when many things in their environment, including themselves, are constantly changing.
  • Develop their ability to regulate their own emotions and behavior.
  • Learn skills and internalize habits through
  • Learn self-discipline and develop personal
  • Set their internal body clocks (e.g., by eating meals and going to bed at the same time every day).
  • Have a sense of independence and autonomy when much of what happens is out of their control.
  • Engage in fewer power struggles, arguments, and conflicts with parents and caregivers.
  • Develop confidence and self-esteem as the various tasks are mastered.
  • Anticipate and look forward to what comes next.
  • Have continuity, consistency, and predictability in their lives—all very important in a world where much is predictable.

Resources

Structure: Why Kids Need Routines by Laura Markham. http://bit.ly/2mCGwqj

Creating Routines for Love and Learning. Zero to Three. http://bit.ly/2kwc7Jo

Transitions with Young Children. Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children. http://bit.ly/2kFFJEs

Contact

Programs and families can contact the program leadership directly at PAIECMH@pakeys.org with questions or concerns.

Additional Considerations

This project is supported by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning.