The importance of the regime in the education of older preschoolers.

Regime or freedom?

Each country has its own attitude towards the regime. For example, in Holland children are put to bed at about 7 pm, Indians finish their evening meal only at 10 pm, and in Brazil a child can “feast” with his parents until 1 am. And yet, according to the work of recent years, if the family has a well-established routine and practices early bedtimes, the likelihood that the child will be obedient is much higher.

Research shows that a clear and strict routine does not affect a child's success in school. But it increases the baby’s social adaptability and calmness.

• New arguments in favor of the regime were published in a study by British scientists (Millennium Cohort Study). About 10,000 babies and their mothers took part in the survey, and at each age stage - 3, 5 and 7 years old - the results were similar: children who went to bed late and/or did not follow the schedule were more irritable and often hyperactive, and those who Those who went to bed according to a clear schedule turned out to be much calmer and socially adapted. Moreover, if the regime was absent at 3 years of age, but introduced at a later age, the child’s behavior invariably improved.
• These days, you can often find parents who regularly go out late at night with their younger children. The advantages of this situation are completely obvious: mom and dad do not suffer from isolation and lead a busy life, and children get used to communicating with different people and gain new experiences. In addition, a free schedule allows you to adapt to the individual characteristics of the child: some need more time to sleep, others less.
• No matter how free-thinking the idea of ​​a free schedule may seem to strict parents, in fact, almost all children develop their own specific schedule already in the first weeks of life. Parents with a free-roam philosophy simply follow their baby's natural biorhythms rather than setting a strict sleep and meal schedule. In this case, adults learn to be attentive to the child’s needs, catching changes in his mood and well-being in time and responding to them.
• There is no official sleep standard; you can easily determine it for your child yourself if you allow him to sleep in the morning and afternoon as much as he wants. Many doctors claim that this norm for a child from one to 4 years old is on average 12–14 hours a day, although, of course, much depends on the individual characteristics of a particular child.

In the case of a strict regime, the problem is that sooner or later every second or third child living according to such a schedule decides to rebel. This is real statistics cited by Western sleep experts.

How to accustom your baby to a routine?

To accustom your child to a routine, you need to follow the following simple recommendations:

• You can start accustoming your child to the regime after discharge from the maternity hospital. A parent needs to plan, first of all, his life, taking into account walks and meals. But be prepared that not everything will go smoothly right away. Most often, children enter the regime by 3 months.
• it is necessary to introduce some new stages gradually during complete health and at the moment of satisfaction from the fulfillment of urgent desires;
• it is necessary to take into account the age of the child, the nature of feeding, the time of year, state of health, personality characteristics;
• strive to maintain the regularity of events and their sequence;
• introduce rituals that prepare the child to perform a particular action. They facilitate the introduction of new components of the regime.

Choosing your approach to the regime

Both a free sleep mode and a clearly established one have their pros and cons. Each parent decides for himself what is best for him and his child. How to choose the mode that is optimal for you?

• Strict regime. The child sleeps, eats, plays and walks at strictly defined times. Thanks to such predictability, internal discipline is developed and the habit of time planning is formed. Not to mention the fact that it is much more convenient for parents, especially in the first, most difficult years of a child’s life. However, a strict regime does not take into account the individual characteristics of the child and does not always correspond to his biorhythms. In addition, in this case, deviations from the daily routine negatively affect the baby’s mood and well-being. At the psychological level, a strict regime suppresses the will and desires of the child, which is not very conducive to the formation of personal independence. Free regime. This regime develops as a result of observations of the child, his characteristics and needs. Since the baby already in the first months of life shows a preference for a certain time of waking up and falling asleep, the diet, walks and games are formed on the basis of this key indicator. Thus, parents select the optimal time for sleep, feeding and walking in accordance with the child’s biorhythms, and the daily routine, one way or another, is quite orderly.

The only difference from a strict regime in this case is that the daily routine is not built on the basis of average standards proposed by specialists, but based on the individual needs of a particular baby.

The child is formed as a self-sufficient, independent person who understands that his interests are respected, which means he has value in himself, and not through obedience. The baby grows up in a comfortable environment where his physical and psychological needs are not left unattended.

Such a schedule may cause some inconvenience for parents and other family members involved in caring for the child, and also does not facilitate smooth adaptation to kindergarten with a more strict daily routine.

Are there any disadvantages to the daily routine?

The disadvantages of a daily routine, or, more precisely, objections to following a strict daily routine, are as follows:

• kids often get out of their usual routine, disrupting the sequence and timing of events. Their sleep and nutrition are easily disrupted by external factors (weather, physical or mental discomfort, changes in the type and method of feeding);
• children can intuitively follow their needs. This is the basis of the objection to forced obedience to a schedule;
• Strict adherence to the daily routine, ignoring individual living conditions, personality traits and age can lead to rigidity of thinking, inability to adapt to changes in the environment, deprivation of individuality and also to health problems.

Guidelines when choosing a mode “for yourself”

A strict regime does not contribute to the development of a child in complete harmony with himself and the outside world.

A free schedule, on the contrary, is psychologically comfortable for the baby. Of course, in some situations it may be necessary to wake up your baby at a certain time. A good solution in this case would be to wake up in the REM sleep phase (active eye movements, body twitching, forced breathing). From the deep sleep phase (even breathing, no movement), the child will emerge dissatisfied, nervous and capricious. If it is difficult to put the baby to bed in the evening, parents need to make sure that by the desired bedtime he is tired from an evening walk with active games.

The individual characteristics of the baby, his biorhythms, character, temperament, as well as the needs and capabilities of the parents - at the intersection of these initial data, a reasonable compromise must be sought.

Without going to the extremes of a strict regime and a “no regime” regime, let’s talk about the advantages of a clear daily routine, because they still exist.

It has been noticed that a child who has a thoughtful, correctly drawn up daily routine:

• Cheerful and active;
• Balanced and in a good mood;
• Perceives and assimilates information better;
• Open to learning new skills;
• Socially active and friendly towards others.

An important argument in favor of the regime is the following observation: if a child adheres to a routine daily routine from an early age, it is later easier for him to adapt to the regime adopted in kindergarten and school.

Experts say that in the first years of life a baby is very sensitive to even small deviations from the established schedule. With a lack of sleep or increased physical and mental stress, his mood and behavior change. As the cerebral cortex matures and its functions improve, the child’s ability to adapt increases, but this does not mean that the daily routine can be canceled.

Maintaining a well-established daily routine at home helps the baby adapt to constantly changing environmental conditions more safely, calmly and without overwork.

If you decide to stick to the regime, when creating your daily routine, remember:

• The schedule should be flexible, reasonable and as focused as possible on the interests and needs of your child;
• The upper and lower limits of periods of wakefulness should be determined not by norms, but by the characteristics of your child’s particular nervous system, including its flexibility and performance;
• Sleep should be distributed throughout the day so that the baby’s nervous system receives complete rest;
• The periods of sleep, wakefulness, feeding, games and walks are established in such a sequence that they do not contradict each other, but, on the contrary, flow harmoniously into one another.

What does it mean to be awake?

This is not just a period when the child does not sleep. The wakefulness of a preschooler attending kindergarten is filled with a variety of useful activities:

• walks (in winter - about 3 hours, in summer - up to 6);
• study of the surrounding world;
• physical activity;
• speech development classes;
• work activity;
• classes or games on mental development (mathematics, learning to read, logic, development of attention, memory), moral education;
• creative activity;
• music lessons;
• teaching writing skills.

Such activities directly contribute to the development of qualities that a child will definitely need at school: initiative, perseverance, concentration, activity, motor skills, curiosity, and the ability to withstand a certain amount of time at work.

For younger schoolchildren in kindergartens, up to 10 different classes are provided per week, for older students - up to 14.

At the same time, activities aimed at teaching children are planned between 9 and 12 o'clock in the morning, between 16 and 18 o'clock in the evening. This is due to the level of performance and activity of preschoolers during the day. The most unfavorable period for learning is between 12 and 16 hours.

When drawing up a lesson schedule, the degree of difficulty is also taken into account. The more complex ones include mathematics, speech development, studying the world around us, while the simpler ones include drawing, modeling, appliqué, and design. The most complex ones are planned in the first half of the week, when children are more productive, and the simple ones - in the second half. Static activities are combined with dynamic ones (walking, gymnastics, music classes).

Educational activities are structured taking into account age capabilities. The duration of one lesson for younger preschoolers is about 15 minutes (there should be no more than 2 per day), for older ones - up to half an hour (2-3 developmental classes are held daily).

Don't overdo the sections or circles. For a kindergarten-preschooler, 1–2 clubs are enough. He should have time to rest and communicate with his family. Excessive developmental workload will lead to overstrain of the nervous system, sleep disturbances, and a decrease in the body's immune defense.

1 year old child's daily routine

The second year of a child’s life is marked by significant changes in mental and physical development: he continues to improve his speech skills and has already mastered walking, bending, squatting, and overcoming obstacles, although his movements are still poorly coordinated. Endurance is still low: the child gets tired quite quickly.

The baby is becoming more and more independent and enjoys mastering self-care skills: washing hands, brushing teeth, washing his face. All this requires giving the baby some time for self-care.

The performance of the child’s nervous system increases, which expands opportunities for cognitive and mental development. Simple developmental activities lasting a few minutes can already be included in the daily routine.

• Dream. The average daily sleep duration of a child after 1 year is 14–16 hours, of which 10–12 hours are spent on nighttime rest. Periods of wakefulness can already reach 3.5 - 4 hours in a row, daytime sleep is still two times a day - 1.5 - 2 hours each. By the end of the second year of life, the baby will switch to one-time sleep with periods of wakefulness lasting 4 - 4.5 hours. Readiness for one-time daytime sleep is obvious when the child can maintain a good mood all day, sleeps soundly, and does not become overtired in the evening. If the second one is refused sleep occurred too early, the baby will have noticeable mood swings, decreased appetite, bursts of hyperactivity, and moodiness. These signs may not appear immediately, but only after some time when fatigue accumulates. In this case, if the night's rest cannot be extended, it would be reasonable to return the second sleep for a while. Periods of wakefulness include walks, meals, games and rituals of grooming and preparation for sleep. We write more about sleep here.

Offer your baby healthy and tasty “Agusha Fall asleep” products, which are designed specifically for use before bedtime. This is live drinking yogurt with apple flavor and natural lemon balm extract, cottage cheese with strawberry, banana flavor and natural lemon balm extract, as well as porridge with prebiotics and cereals: milk-buckwheat and milk-rice with apple and pear, which will help your baby get into a healthy mood. and sound sleep.

• Walks. A child of this age takes walks twice a day, after breakfast and afternoon snack, lasting 1.5 - 2 hours. If the weather is good, it is important to keep your baby active, improving his motor skills and coordination. An afternoon walk, especially if it includes outdoor games, is essential for a good night's sleep.
• Games and activities. After 1 year of age, a baby’s attention span is still small; he cannot concentrate on one activity for a long time. Therefore, it is better to organize reading books, modeling from plasticine, exercises with insert frames and other developmental activities during the day so that they are short (10 minutes) and varied with other activities: walks in the fresh air and games (ball, cubes, pyramids, sorters and other baby-loved toys without a high intellectual component).
• Nutrition. The breaks between meals in babies after 1 year are approximately 3 hours, by 2 years - 4 hours. Breakfast should be served within an hour of waking up, the last feeding for the night should be no later than an hour before bedtime. At 1 year old, a child has 5 feedings a day, by 2 years old - 4 times a day. The feeding regime is structured in such a way that after feeding the child does not go straight to sleep, but stays awake for a while and only then falls asleep until the next meal. This rhythm of the day ensures a cheerful state and high cognitive activity, and most importantly, gradually accustoms one to understand the cyclical nature of the time of day, accompanied by certain rituals.
• Hygiene and rituals. Hygiene procedures are carried out in the morning, before afternoon tea and at night. Washing, washing hands throughout the day, brushing teeth in the morning and evening - with the help of parents, the baby gradually learns to cope with these activities on his own. Rubbing, showering, bathing - these activities still take place with the active participation of an adult. Bathing at night becomes part of the evening ritual of going to bed. Usually from 1 to 2 years of age, parents begin to gradually accustom the child to the potty. Even if the baby has not yet started using it for its intended purpose, potty sitting can be included in the list of daily rituals and offered after sleep, every 1.5 - 2 hours while awake, before a walk and upon returning from it. Prepare the child for bed It’s better in advance, stopping noisy games, dimming the lights, performing all the necessary rituals (planting on the potty, washing, bathing, a bedtime story and other preparations that you will develop over time and become traditional). To develop a routine, going to bed both during the day and at night should be done at the same hour: this way the child will form a conditioned reflex for a certain time. Subsequently, the baby will feel tired at bedtime and fall asleep easier.

Baby's daily routine - parents' work

If everything is more or less clear with feeding (you need to feed, you can’t overfeed), educational games are also in perfect order (young people start going to early development centers at the age of one and a half years), then such important components as proper sleep and physical activity in the fresh air are often omitted air. Namely, these two aspects provide a solid foundation for the development and health of the child.

To provide the child with adequate physical activity, the parent must:

• schedule time;
• overcome fear of weather and colds and try to walk with your child in any climatic conditions (with the exception of frost minus 15 (minus 20 for children over 5 years old) and wind over 15 m/s);
• choose clothes that will simultaneously protect from weather conditions and provide the child with the opportunity to actively move.

To ensure proper rest for the child’s nervous system (and the parent’s as well), you need:

• do not wait until the child goes to bed on his own (fatigue in children often manifests itself as overexcitement, which leads to motor and emotional disinhibition), but gently prepare the child for rest, taking into account the time required by age for wakefulness. To do this, you can introduce so-called rituals (certain sequential actions, quiet games, reading books, bathing, singing);
• exclude active types of games and gadgets before bedtime;
• provide adequate physical activity during the day so that the child does not become overtired or tired;
• try to ensure that going to bed and getting up in the morning are not too different on weekends and weekdays;
• try not to skip daytime sleep;
• avoid turning on the TV in the background during the day
• limiting the time spent using a computer and TV to 15 minutes a day for children over 3 years old.

Example of a 1 year old child's daily routine

Experts recommend, starting from the age of one year, to gently and gradually bring the baby’s daily routine to the one accepted in preschool institutions.

Based on the need for two naps during the day, we can recommend the following daily routine for a baby aged 1 year:

• 8:00 — rise and morning procedures
• 8:15 – breakfast
• 8:30 - games and educational activities
• 10:00 - second breakfast
• 10:30 - walk
• 12:00 - first nap
• 13:30 - games
• 14:00 - lunch
• 14:30 - games
• 15:30 - second nap
• 17:00 - afternoon tea
• 17:30 - walk
• 19:00 - dinner
• 19:30 - games
• 20:00 - evening procedures, getting ready for bed
• 21:00 - sleep

Something like this might be the daily routine for children who are ready for the transition or have already switched to one nap during the day:

• 8:00 — wake up and hygiene procedures
• 8:15 – breakfast
• 8:30 - games, activities
• 10:00 - second breakfast
• 10:30 - walk
• 12:30 - lunch
• 13:00 - afternoon nap
• 15:30 - afternoon tea
• 16:00 - games
• 16:30 - walk
• 18:30 - dinner
• 19:00 - games
• 19:30 - evening procedures, getting ready for bed
• 20:00 - night sleep

Sample daily routine for a preschooler

• 7.00 – 8.00 – awakening, morning exercises, water procedures, washing;
• 8.00 – 8.40 – breakfast;
• 9.10 – 10.00 – games and educational activities;
• 10.10 – 12.00 – walk and games in the fresh air;
• 12.30 – 13.20 – lunch;
• 13.30 – 15.30 – daytime nap (with the window, window or veranda open);
• 15.00 – 16.00 – free time for quiet games and preparation for afternoon tea;
• 16.00 – 16.30 – afternoon tea;
• 16.30 – 17.30 – educational games;
• 17.30 – 19.00 – walk and games in the fresh air;
• 19.00 – 19.30 – dinner;
• 19.00 – 21.00 – get-together time, quiet games;
• 21.00 – 21.30 – bathing, getting ready for bed;
• 21.30 – 7.00 – night sleep.

· The importance of daily routine in the life of a preschooler.
· The daily routine is of great importance for the health and physical development of children. Constant time for eating, sleeping, walking, playing and studying - what I. P. Pavlov called an external stereotype - is a prerequisite for the proper upbringing of a child.

· Daily routine is a clear routine of life during the day, providing for the alternation of wakefulness and sleep, as well as the rational organization of various types of activities. A correct regimen that corresponds to the child’s age-related capabilities improves health, ensures efficiency, successful implementation of various activities, and protects against overwork. Delays in eating, sleeping, and walking have a negative impact on the nervous system of children: they become lethargic or, conversely, excited, begin to be capricious, lose their appetite, have trouble falling asleep and sleep restlessly. The cheerful, cheerful and at the same time balanced mood of children largely depends on strict adherence to the regime.

· One of the important distinguishing features of education in kindergarten from home education is the regime in kindergarten. In kindergarten, everything is subject to a pre-established routine. And this is a definite plus. After all, such systematicity accustoms even the most eccentric little one to neatness, precision, and order. What can we say about nutrition? Any nutritionist will confirm that eating the right foods at the same time promotes the growth of a healthy body.

· Any activity is a response to an external stimulus, carried out reflexively. It is the result of complex processes in the cerebral cortex, is accompanied by a huge waste of nervous energy and leads to fatigue. In a child accustomed to a strict routine, the need for food, sleep, and rest occurs at certain intervals and is accompanied by rhythmic changes in the activity of all internal organs. The body, as it were, adjusts in advance to the upcoming activity, so it is carried out quite efficiently, without unnecessary waste of nervous energy and does not cause pronounced fatigue.

· One of the means of physical education is the correct implementation of a regime compiled for each age group of children, taking into account their psychophysiological characteristics. If the regime is carried out correctly, then children are calm, actively engaged, play, eat well, fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly, and wake up cheerful and cheerful. The younger the children are, the less independent they are, the more important it is to maintain the principle of gradualness when carrying out all routine moments. It is important to make seasonal changes to your daily routine. In winter, due to the weather conditions and the large number of activities with children, the child’s time outdoors during the day is somewhat reduced. Therefore, a walk is of particular importance, which is extremely important to carry out systematically at least 2 times a day. In summer and other warm periods of the year, the daily duration of children’s stay in the fresh air increases, since the number of classes is reduced to one and almost all routine processes are carried out on the site, if possible. Most of the activities with children are physical education, music, familiarization with the environment, etc. – should also be carried out in the fresh air.

· In the first three years of life, the daily routine changes several times. It should be subordinated to the main tasks of raising children of preschool age: to promote proper growth and development, health promotion, development of basic movements, and the formation of speech function. The daily routine of preschool children should also be built taking into account the characteristics of their higher nervous activity, which is still characterized by slight exhaustion of the cells of the cerebral cortex and a certain instability of nervous processes.

· Good performance during the day is ensured by a variety of activities and their alternation. From a physiological point of view, this is explained by the ability of the cerebral cortex to simultaneously work and rest. All physiological processes in the body, having their own biological rhythm, obey a single daily rhythm - the change of day and night. During the day, the child’s activity and performance are not the same. Their rise is noted from 8 to 12 o'clock and from 16 to 18 o'clock, and the period of minimum performance falls on 14-16 o'clock. Therefore, activities that cause pronounced fatigue in children are planned in the first half

· day, during hours of optimal performance. Research has shown that classes on speech development, literacy, mathematics, and familiarization with the outside world are more tiring than modeling, drawing, and design. Physical education and music reduce or relieve fatigue.

· Performance is ambiguous throughout the week. On Monday it is low. This can be explained by the child’s adaptation to the kindergarten regime after a two-day stay at home, when in most cases the usual regime is significantly disrupted. The best performance indicators are observed on Tuesday and Wednesday, and from Thursday it deteriorates again, reaching its lowest performance on Friday and Saturday. Consequently, by the end of the week there is a gradual and steady increase in fatigue. To a certain extent, this is due to the long duration of the sedentary state of children engaged in quiet games and educational work. In total, 75-80% of the time spent in kindergarten is spent on sedentary activities, while the child has an inherent need for active movements. Increasing the motor component and rational distribution of activities during the week, especially tiring for children, can be considered among the measures to prevent fatigue.

· The duration of periods of wakefulness in preschoolers is limited to 5-6 hours. This implies the need to alternate wakefulness and sleep. A child, accustomed to living according to a routine from early childhood, willingly follows it. It doesn’t occur to him that he can refuse to go to bed when it’s time. If he went to bed at 9 o'clock in the evening and no later than half an hour later fell asleep soundly, then in the morning there is no need to wake him up, he himself wakes up cheerful and cheerful. The child has enough time to get dressed calmly, and parents do not have to rush him. During the day, they do not waste time on repeated invitations, persuasions to sit at the table or go for a walk. The day in the family begins and ends calmly, all conflict situations related to adherence to the regime are excluded. Parents completely use the evening hours for their business. If the rhythm in the clock is repeated day after day

· eating, sleeping, walking, various activities, this has a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system and how all physiological processes occur in the body. In preschool institutions, the regime is fully implemented. But at home (for children both not attending and attending kindergartens), it is not always observed. It has been noticed that the lack of a proper daily routine on weekends affects the child’s condition in kindergarten on Monday: some fatigue, lethargy (or, on the contrary, increased excitability) are felt, the baby tends to sleep much more during the day than on other days. If a child attends a kindergarten, his home regime on weekends and holidays must correspond to the preschool regime. The established daily routine should not be disrupted without a serious reason. If possible, it should be preserved even when the child’s living conditions change (for example, if parents send him to relatives for a while or take a long trip by rail with him). In certain cases, deviations from the regime are allowed within 30 minutes, but no more. The accuracy of the daily routine largely depends on how the baby himself regulates his behavior based on developed habits and self-care skills. Experience shows that strict adherence to the established routine day after day gradually develops the child’s active desire to carry out the routine independently, without prompting from adults, without coercion, and this contributes to the formation of such important qualities of behavior as organization and self-discipline, a sense of time, and the ability to save it.

· Most preschoolers attend kindergarten, where they receive age-appropriate meals four times a day. The home diet of such an “organized” child should complement, and not replace, the diet of the kindergarten. For this purpose, teachers post the daily menu in each group so that parents can familiarize themselves with it. Therefore, when taking your child home, do not forget to read it and try to give your baby at home exactly those foods and dishes that he did not receive during the day. On weekends and holidays, try to stick to the kindergarten menu.

· Over the course of 4 preschool years, the routine changes slightly. The daily amount of sleep decreases somewhat, mainly due to daytime sleep. But we must not forget that a child still needs more sleep than an adult. A child under 5 years old is supposed to sleep 12.5-12 hours a day, at 5-6 years old - 11.5-12 hours (of which approximately 10-11 hours at night and 1.5-2.5 hours during the day). The time allotted for night sleep is from 9-9 hours 30 minutes in the evening to 7-7 hours 30 minutes in the morning. Preschool children sleep once during the day. They are put to bed so that they wake up at 15-15 hours 30 minutes. It is not advisable to organize a daytime nap later - this would inevitably lead to a later bedtime at night. A six-hour wakefulness in the afternoon is exactly the period of time during which the child will play enough to feel the need for rest. The characteristics of a child’s sleep are largely determined by the conditions of upbringing. The need to go to bed is sometimes perceived as a nuisance; the child asks permission to play more, watch TV. Having received a refusal, he goes to wash and undress in a bad mood, fidgets for a long time, does not fall asleep, and in the morning he has to be woken up, depriving him of some of the necessary rest. Systematic lack of sleep negatively affects the child’s mood, leads to his whims, and has a harmful effect on the state of the central nervous system. The habit of following a routine developed in early childhood will help the child fall asleep quickly without any additional influences. If a child is playing something or is busy with some activity, you should warn the baby 10-15 minutes in advance that you need to go to bed soon. And when this time comes, insist that the child does not linger. The gradual switch from play to sleep is facilitated by the child’s habit of undressing on his own. By the age of three, a child can undress almost independently and neatly fold his clothes. Over the following years, these skills are improved. On weekends, the child should take a walk, get some sleep, in a word – relax. Try not to get out of the usual rhythm of life, do not disturb the usual daily routine. By adhering to such simple rules, you and your baby will not waste wonderful minutes of time, happily using them to be together, take a walk, and play.

Ideally, the following daily routine is recommended for a preschooler:

• the maximum duration of continuous wakefulness is 5.5–6 hours;
• sleep - 12.5–12 hours (of which 2–2.5 hours are naps during the day);
• four meals with an interval of 3.5–4 hours.

It is very important that the regime at home coincides with the regime of the preschool institution. Find out what your child's daily routine is like in kindergarten. You may be surprised - he himself will tell you what you are doing wrong at home and help you adjust your routine.

And we end this small reminder with a table that shows the main stages of a preschooler’s day depending on his age group.

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Daily routine for a 2 year old child

• Dream. At this age, a child should sleep 12–13 hours a day, of which 10–11 hours at night and 1.5–2.5 hours during the day.
• Wakefulness. A 2-year-old child can stay awake actively, without overwork, for 4.5 – 5.5 hours. As always, these averages can be adjusted to suit your individual needs. In addition, after illness or against the background of high fatigue, the child’s periods of wakefulness may be reduced, and the time of necessary sleep, on the contrary, may increase. Longer sleep allows you to restore strength, increases the body's protective barrier and relaxes the nervous system.
• Walks. As before, children spend part of their waking hours outdoors. The baby continues to work on coordinating movements, which become more dexterous and accurate. Physical activity becomes more varied, the child is now generally more mobile than at the age of one to two. To prevent the baby from becoming overexcited (which always affects mood, speed of falling asleep, quality of sleep and its duration), parents should regulate the child’s vigorous activity on the street, offering him activities of varying intensity: running, playing in the sandbox, climbing slides, riding on a swing. But it is also impossible to limit physical activity with your prohibitions (even if they are related to safety issues), since this imperceptibly but steadily leads to a decrease in the child’s emotional tone, bad mood, dissatisfaction with the world around him, the baby gets tired faster, becomes whiny, and irritable.
• Games and activities. Nursery-type preschool institutions include in their schedule no more than 10 lessons per week (development of speech, movements, didactic games, music or dance minutes) lasting no more than 10 minutes. This schedule can be used to build your home schedule of developmental activities. Drawing, reading books and looking at pictures, construction sets, story games, dolls and houses for them, farms and animal figurines, puzzles, insert frames - this is a favorite set of games and activities for all children of this age, which in themselves can be educational if an adult will include a cognitive element in them and “modify” them a little (for example, compose a story based on a picture in a book).
• Nutrition. In the third year of life, a child’s diet becomes more and more varied and in many ways approaches the adult diet (of course, if the family adheres to the principles of healthy eating). The daily regimen for this age includes 4 feedings a day with an interval of 3.5 - 4 hours (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner). Some children find it difficult to withstand such long breaks without food. In these cases, healthy snacks are acceptable: a glass of baby kefir or baby yogurt.
• Hygiene and rituals. Teaching hygiene skills continues to be the most important routine at this age. Formed in time, they become good habits for life. Washing, washing hands, brushing teeth, using a napkin and utensils during meals, being neat at the table - the baby can already independently regulate all these actions.

The main components of the daily routine of children of different ages

The child’s daily routine should include the following mandatory elements:

• meal time. A child, depending on his age, must eat a certain number of times a day. The intervals between feedings are also important;
• time to sleep. The nervous system of a child, compared to an adult, is at the stage of formation, so exhaustion occurs faster, requiring recovery. Also, a small organism spends more energy on all vital processes than an adult. The need for sleep decreases as the child grows.
• time spent in the fresh air. It may include walking, sleeping, playing;
• time for compulsory educational activities. In a children's group and at home from a toddler age;
• free time. It becomes important when the baby already knows how to do something on his own. At this time, the child himself chooses his type of activity. Free time is important for processing received information and realizing creative abilities.

Example of a 2 year old child's daily routine

The daily routine for a two-year-old child can be based on the daily routine of a child who switched to one nap after the age of 1.5 years.

• 8:00 — wake up and hygiene procedures
• 8:15 – breakfast
• 8:30 - games, activities
• 10:00 - second breakfast
• 10:30 - walk
• 12:30 - lunch
• 13:30 - afternoon nap
• 15:30 - afternoon tea
• 16:00 - games
• 16:30 - walk
• 18:30 - dinner
• 19:00 - games
• 19:30 - evening procedures, getting ready for bed
• 20:00 - night sleep

Daily routine for a 3 year old child

A child of this age is very active and physically quite resilient. A thirst for knowledge, an interest in the world around him and a passion for change awakens in him: the baby is still unable to hold attention to one activity for a long time; he constantly changes types of activities. It is important to properly organize the daily routine so that, on the one hand, the inquisitive and enterprising little one does not get bored, and on the other hand, to avoid excessive physical and mental fatigue.

Usually this is the age of entry into kindergarten, which means that the child is included in the regime of the preschool institution where he goes.

For a smooth adaptation to kindergarten, it is good if you manage to find out the daily routine in the preschool institution where your child is sent, and begin to bring your schedule closer to it several months before actually entering kindergarten.

The time of morning rise and afternoon rest, hours of feeding and developmental activities, as well as walks on the street - according to these parameters, you can plan your day at home. In this way, you will ensure that your baby has a smooth transition into a new social situation and will minimize the consequences of stress associated with it.

Pediatricians also advise children who do not attend preschool institutions to adhere to the daily routine established in kindergarten, since the daily routine there is based on physiological, psychological and sanitary-hygienic standards designed for preschool-age children.

• Dream. It happens that a baby refuses daytime sleep closer to 3 years (and sometimes soon after two). In this case, daytime should be organized so that the child spends it in a state of calm wakefulness (for example, looking at pictures in a book): this will allow the nervous system to rest and avoid overwork.
• The daily sleep duration of a 3-year-old child is 11–13 hours.
• Wakefulness. Each period of wakefulness takes 6 – 6.5 hours. For babies who get tired easily, weakened children, periods of wakefulness can be reduced to 5 - 5.5 hours by lengthening sleep. The range of attention of a 3-year-old child has expanded significantly compared to a one-year-old baby: now the baby can do the same thing for 20 - 30 minutes. But it is still necessary to ensure that the types of activities alternate rationally. All previously favorite games are preserved, and the activities of the artistic and aesthetic cycle become more diverse: for example, in addition to plasticine and paints, the child can begin to master scissors and make appliques, fold simple origami models, try to extract more rhythmic melodies from musical instruments.
• Walks. The twice-daily walks that the child has already become accustomed to in previous years are retained. True, due to greater perseverance, it may now be somewhat more difficult to take the baby outside. Don't give up and go for a walk, especially in the early evening. It is advisable not to skip this walk: it is especially important due to the baby’s growing fatigue towards the end of the day. Fresh air will relieve nervous tension and physically prepare the child for an easy bedtime that will be calmer and longer.
• Games and activities. After 3 years, a child can already participate in developmental activities within half an hour. It is still important to distribute them correctly throughout the day. Not only the child’s inclinations and wishes are taken into account, but also a timely change of activities. This switching avoids overwork and keeps the baby in a cheerful and good mood.
• Nutrition. The baby has 4 meals a day, 1 - 2 light snacks are acceptable for children who cannot withstand four-hour breaks between meals.

Follow the “30 minute rule”: meals should not last longer than this time, even if the child’s plate is not yet empty, eating is not a game.

• Hygiene and rituals. After 3 years of age, a child can already take a bath and shower on his own, although it is still a little difficult for him to deftly use a towel, and therefore may require adult help. At this age, it is very important to monitor hygiene after using the potty. Children may not attach much importance to this nuance, and parents should carefully and unobtrusively monitor this important skill of maintaining cleanliness after using the toilet. The main task of parents at this age is to stimulate active independent activity in children, to develop and consolidate existing skills and abilities through constant repetition .

ABC of the regime

There are rules in all areas of our lives, and they also exist in observing the regime. As we said above, there is a diet for preschoolers, physical activity, sleep, games, and activities.

Diet. If we are talking about proper nutrition, then the regime is most accurately followed in preschool institutions, so it is worth focusing specifically on the organization of nutrition in kindergarten:

• at least 4 times a day;
• a hot meal at least 3 times a day;
• according to daily caloric needs: breakfast 25%, lunch 40%, afternoon snack 15%, dinner 20%;
• according to the daily calorie intake: 5 years - 2000 kcal, 6 years - 2200 kcal, 7 years - 2400 kcal;
• by quantity - you should not give a portion larger than the child usually eats (it is better to add a supplement).

The menu should include meat and dairy products, bread, vegetables and fruits every day.

In terms of time, the mode is built like this:

• breakfast at 8-9 o'clock,
• lunch at 12-13 o'clock,
• afternoon tea at 15-16 hours,
• dinner at 18:30-19:30 hours.

Meal times should be the same on weekdays and weekends.

It is advisable that the last meal be an hour and a half before bedtime.

Mode of physical activity and rest. Every day a child makes many movements, so physical activity means not only physical education, but also active games, sports, movement and relaxation. And here, too, there is a regime that ensures proper physical development.

• The peak of physical activity should occur in the first half of the day.
• Weekly physical activity for children 5-7 years old is 6-8 hours per week, according to SanPiN.
• Morning exercises are required.
• Physical education classes in a preschool institution - 3 times a week: children 5 years old - 25 minutes, children 6-7 years old - 30 minutes.
• Outdoor active games while walking (in bad weather they are replaced by a full set of exercises indoors).
• Physical education minutes between mental activities.
• Exercising after a nap.
• Moderately active games on the second walk.

Moderate physical activity should be observed immediately before breakfast, before mental activities and in the evening before bed.

Sleeping mode. A proper sleep schedule helps restore your baby's mental and physical strength that was spent on the active part of his day. Not only his psycho-emotional state, but also his physical health depends on how a child’s sleep is organized. Healthy sleep means strong immunity. And now, in order.

• Sleep duration for preschoolers: 5-6 years old - 12 hours, 7 years old - 10-11 hours. But much is individual - depending on temperament and workload, the required time for sleep may increase.
• Morning awakening should occur at 7:00-8:00, it depends on biorhythms and family habits, but you should not wake up later.
• Daytime sleep in children 5-6 years old lasts 1-1.5 hours. At 7 years old, a baby may refuse to sleep, but active children need about 1 hour of sleep.
• Evening bedtime depends on the presence of additional physical or emotional stress. It is recommended that children aged 5-6 years go to bed at 20:30 - 21:00. At 7 years old it is possible to shift the time of falling asleep by half an hour.

Mode of exercise (mental activity) . Both kindergarteners and children who do not attend kindergarten are not deprived of developmental activities in preschool age. But like any other activity, the time and number of classes must be correctly distributed and systematized. In other words, the home regime should not differ much from the regime in preschool institutions. The organization of classes in the general daily routine is as follows:

In the morning after breakfast - two or three multidirectional classes. Duration of classes according to age: 4-5 years - 20-25 minutes per type; 6-7 years - 30-35 minutes.

If the walk is cancelled, you can add another creative activity or educational game.

Example of a 3 year old child's daily routine

• 7:30 - wake up, morning toilet
• 8:00 - breakfast
• 8:30 – classes, games, gymnastics
• 10:00 - second breakfast
• 10:30 - walk
• 12:30 - lunch
• 13:00 - afternoon nap
• 15:30 - afternoon tea
• 16:00 - games, activities
• 16:30 - walk
• 18:30 - dinner
• 19:00 - games
• 20:00 - evening procedures, getting ready for bed
• 20:30 - night sleep

A child's adherence to a certain routine teaches him to be organized and makes life easier for him and his parents. It will be much easier for a child who adheres to the regime to adapt to the conditions of kindergarten in the future.