Gentle guidance Routines are not only comforting for threes, they also serve as cues as to what is expected of them. Hearing your familiar call that dinner is in five minutes tells your child that he should start putting away his toys. When your child knows what will happen next and what is expected of him, he will be better able to participate and to act independently - an important developmental step. Planning ahead Fours also respond to continuity and need to know that they can count on what s going to happen next. Participating in regular rituals helps them gain a sense of order.
Routines also help fours to plan ahead and think about what they want to do next.
What you can do Rituals and smooth transitions help threes and fours focus on what they re doing. Here are some ways to set up dependable routines. Create a morning goody-bye ritual. Develop a special pickup routine. For example, you can look at what your child did that day, read a favorite book together, or select a book to take home overnight.