Routines: Morning, Day & Night
Morning Routines
How to Establish a Morning Routine
BackpackConnection_routines_morning.pdfEnglish
BackpackConnection_routines_morning_SP.pdfSpanish
Dressing Skills
How to help:
Practice undressing and dressing at times that are less rushed (typically bedtime).
Provide positive feedback and encouragement for trying and effort.
Work on taking off and putting on pajamas, which tend to be simpler and stretchier.
Use a strategy called backwards chaining; get your child started with a step of dressing and have them finish the step. For example, help your child get her feet through her pajama bottoms and then have her independently pull them up. Once your child is able to do this consistently, help her get just one foot through her pajama bottoms and then have her do the other foot herself.
Offer choices, such as, "Would you like to put on your shirt or bottoms first?"
Provide "first/then" supports for tasks that are less preferred, such as, "First, get in your pajamas and then you can pick a song."
Sequence of skills:
Child helps with dressing and undressing by putting her arms through the armholes, pulling pants down, etc.
Child undresses herself
Child puts on some clothing independently
Child dresses herself except for fasteners
Child dresses herself independently, with clothing on the correct way, doing fasteners by herself
Learn more about how to help your child be independent with daily routines by checking out this article: https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/.../TeachingYourChild_routines.pdf
Night time Routines
Check out this article from Sesame Street about building skills at bedtime
Establishing a successful bedtime routine.
BackpackConnection_routines_bedtime_SP.pdfBackpackConnection_routines_bedtime.pdfnight time routine.pdfTry using this visual schedule for your nighttime routine
Goodnight Songs and Videos
This Is The Way We Go To Sleep
Monster Meditation with Elmo
Lullabye Sleepy Head
Pretend Play with Routines
A fun way to practice participating in daily routines is by using dolls or stuffed animals! Children are often more willing to participate in these routines when they are helping or teaching their stuffed animals rather than completing the routine themselves. Try this activity during play time. Help your child select a favorite doll or stuffed animal to "teach" the morning routine. Look at a visual schedule together and follow the steps OR see if your child can remember the steps of the morning routine. and show his or her stuffy how to do the steps! Have fun!