Just a routine operation

The Importance of a Routine for School Children

Routines are essential for everyone, but they are especially important for school children and teens. A straightforward, consistent routine can help them feel more organised, prepared, and in control of their lives. It helph them to sleep better, eat healthier, and manage their stress levels. Not to mention a positive impact on our stress levels!

The benefit of sticking to a routine

• Reduces stress and anxiety. When children know what to expect, they feel less stressed and anxious. This is especially important for children who are starting school for the first time or who are going through a major life change.
• Improves sleep. When children have a regular bedtime and wake-up time, they are more likely to get enough sleep. This is important for their physical and mental health.
• Helps with time management. Learning to manage time is an important skill for school children. A routine can help them to learn how to plan their day and get things done on time. Things don’t need to be regimented, but understanding what happens when can in itself help fight procrastination and delay.
• Promotes independence. As children get older, they need to learn to take more responsibility for themselves. A routine can help them to develop the skills they need to be independent, such as getting dressed, making their bed, and packing their own lunches.
• Boosts self-confidence. When children are able to follow a routine and achieve their goals, it boosts their self-confidence. This is important for their overall well-being. Moreover, that feeling of success is something that they’ll want more of; driving the routine to become a good habit.

Implementing a routine

If you want to help your child establish a routine, here are a few tips:

• Start small. Don’t try to change everything at once. Start by establishing a simple routine for the morning and evening.
• Be consistent. Once you’ve established a routine, stick to it as much as possible. This will help your child learn to expect certain things at certain times.
• Be flexible. Things don’t always go according to plan, so be prepared to be flexible with your routine. If there’s an unexpected change, talk to your child about how to adjust the routine. In our revision planning, this is a key part of the process – the WRAP session. Review and adapt according to how things have gone.
• Make it fun. If routines are all about work, or chores the the whole thing will feel like a massive ‘downside’. When planning routines be sure to build in social and fun activities too – especially for younger learners.

Establishing a routine can be a challenge, but it’s worth it for the benefits it can offer. With only a little effort, a well-embedded routine can make all the difference to how well your child achieves.

Top tips

Here are some additional tips for creating a routine for school children:

• Involve your child in the process of creating the routine. This will help them feel more ownership of it and be more likely to stick to it.
• Make the routine flexible enough to accommodate changes in schedule or unexpected events.
• Be patient and consistent. It takes time for children to get used to a new routine.
• Reward your child for following the routine. This will help them stay motivated.

Why not check out our range of planning tools which can help you to map out the coming week in an engaging and easy-to-follow way.