ASimpleHomeRhythm

Rhythmandroutinearethepillarsofourlifeinearlychildhood.Foryoungchildrentheyprovidethenecessaryforminwhichtofeelsecureandrelaxed.Withinthisformtheyoungchildthencanfeelfreetoexplore,learnandunfold.Itishelpfultomakeasimplerhythmforyourhometakingyourspecificneedsandcircumstancesintoconsideration.So,thereisnooneschedulethatfitsall.

Areasonablestartingpointwhencontemplatingyourdailyscheduleisaskingyourselfwhatcreatescalmforyouandwhatcreatesmoretension.Youdonotwanttobuildyourdailyrhythmaroundexpectationsthatmakeyoufeelstressedbutratherstartwithwhatmakesyoubeyourbest.Yourchildrenwillfeelthisandreactpositivelytoyourcalmandjoyfulapproach.

Inourearlychildhoodclassrooms,weliveourdailylivesflowingthroughourdays.Wemostlydonotneedawatchtotellus“whattimeitis.”Weintuitwhenitistherighttimetocleanupafterfreeplay,toendourartisticgroupactivities,torestandtositdownforsnack.Andtonosurprise,youcansetyourwatchafterus.Ifyoustartwithasimpledailyrhythmyouwillsoonreachthispointofflow.Thisisveryrewarding.

Hereisasimplerhythmonwhichyoucancreativelybuildyourown.Yourchildrencanbepartofmanydailydomestictasks.Theythenwillfeelintegratedintoyourfamilylifeandhappytolearnnewskills.Pleaseremember,lessisoftenmore.

Wakeup

Wakeupandgetdressed.Makethebeds(yourchildrencanlearntodothatindependently;itdoesnotneedtobeperfect).Makebreakfast(considerarhythmicalmenu)andcleanthedishestogether.

Morningwalkorplay

Gooutsideeverymorningandexploreyourneighborhood(keeplocalregulationsandsocialdistancinginmind).Payattentiontoseasonalchangesandfindlittletreasuresforyourfamilynaturecorner.Ifpossible,haveyourchildrenplaywithnaturalelementsbythemselveswhileyoucansitclose.

Snack

Tryasnackrhythmoreatthesamesnackeveryday.

Artisticordomesticactivity

Tryaweeklyscheduleofadifferentartisticactivityoneachdayoftheweek.Haveasewingbasketwithmaterialsyourchildrenfreelycanuse.Considerlittleprojectsthattakemanydaystocomplete.

Lunch

Prepareandsetthelunchtabletogether.Mealtimesarewonderfulforconversationsandlittlewordgames.

Restorquiettime

Takeapause.Youngchildrenstillnapandtheolderonescanactuallyreclineandclosetheireyes(youcantooifyouhavetime).Quietreadingisalsoanoption.Restrestoresandheals.

Snack

Justlikemorningsnack,youcantryadailysnackrhythmoreatthesameeverydayforsimplification.

Outdoortime,WalkorPlay

Gooutsideasmuchaspossibleinallkindsofweather.

Storytime

Tellanongoingstoryfromyourimaginationorreadbooks.

Dinner

Arhythmicalmenumaybehelpful.Dinnermustnotbeaheavyandcomplexmealforyoungchildren.Cleanuptogether.

Bedtime

Yourusualbedtimeroutinemayfeellikeanoldfriendthatstillstayswithyouduringtheseunusualtimes.Haveagoodnight!

ByAnkeScheinfeld,RudolfSteinerSchoolKindergarten