Care Routines
By Kathryn Beaney
Care routines such as meal times, toileting and handwashing are an important part of the day.
As well as ensuring that the children’s needs relating to health and wellbeing are being met, care
routines also play a valuable role in relation to holistic development.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Care routines provide an opportunity for the key person to spend some one to one time with the child,
building upon their relationship and trust. This will support the child in feeling a sense of security within
the setting and will encourage confidence. A child who feels secure and confident is a child who is ready
to learn.
Children will imitate the people who they are close to, therefore the key person becomes an important
role model for the child, and they will support the child in practicing and learning new skills that will lead
to independence. Self-efficacy develops as the children become more able to do things for themselves -
coupled with a positive relationship and praise, a child’s self-esteem will be promoted. It is important that
children are encouraged to be independent and given choice.
Through care routines children start to manage their feelings and behaviour as care routines often involve
some waiting, for example, a baby may need to wait for her food to be warmed up, or a toddler may need
to wait whilst you open lunch boxes for other children. This waiting often needs to be supported by the
adult who may talk or sing to the child, but it also helps the child to regulate their own behaviour.