A routine is a process or procedure that is used repeatedly.
For children and young people, routines bring a sense of security and normalcy. Routines help children and young people understand expectations and help reduce behaviour problems. When children feel secure they participate fully in activities and are able to learn from both play and daily routines.
Children and young people often fear the unknown and while some changes are learning opportunities, they may be a cause of stress and anxiety for children and young people and could impact on their well-being.
Consistent routines where children and young people are supported with eating, sleeping, play and rest promote good health. Children can learn from involvement in daily routines as they can from play activities. From a young age, children learn what to expect at different times in the day and then start to take part in these routines which leads to them gaining a sense of achievement. In this way, children and young people are gradually able to take responsibility and develop skills that will give them confidence e.g. dressing themselves. Giving children praise as they develop new skills through routines supports self-esteem.
Routines such as mealtimes, hygiene procedures and physical play support children and young people to develop healthy lifestyles and make positive health choices in the future that will support both physical and mental well-being. Routines help establish important hygiene habits such as cleaning teeth, brushing hair and handwashing. Social skills taught during routines such as saying good morning, goodbye or taking turns at registration support well-being.
Proses neu weithdrefn a ddefnyddir yn dro ar ôl tro yw trefn arferol.
I blant a phobl ifanc, mae trefn arferol yn rhoi ymdeimlad o sicrwydd a normalrwydd. Mae trefn arferol yn helpu plant a phobl ifanc i ddeall disgwyliadau ac yn helpu i leihau problemau ymddygiad. Pan fydd gan blant ymdeimlad o sicrwydd, byddant yn cymryd rhan yn llawn mewn gweithgareddau ac yn gallu dysgu drwy chwarae ac arferion dyddiol.
Yn aml, bydd plant a phobl ifanc yn ofni yr anhysbys ac, er bod rhai newidiadau yn gyfleoedd i ddysgu, gallant achosi straen a phryder i blant a phobl ifanc, a gallent effeithio ar eu llesiant.
Mae arferion cyson lle y caiff plant a phobl ifanc gymorth i fwyta, cysgu, chwarae a gorffwys yn hybu iechyd da. Gall plant ddysgu o gael eu cynnwys mewn arferion dyddiol yn yr un modd â gweithgareddau chwarae. O oedran ifanc iawn, bydd plant yn dysgu beth i'w ddisgwyl ar wahanol adegau o'r dydd ac yna'n dechrau cymryd rhan yn yr arferion hyn sy'n arwain at roi ymdeimlad o gyflawniad iddynt. Drwy wneud hyn, bydd plant a phobl ifanc, yn raddol, yn gallu cymryd cyfrifoldeb a meithrin sgiliau a fydd yn rhoi hyder iddynt, e.e. gwisgo'n annibynnol Mae canmol plant wrth iddynt feithrin sgiliau newydd drwy arferion yn cefnogi hunan-barch.
Mae arferion fel prydau bwyd, gweithdrefnau hylendid a chwarae corfforol yn helpu plant a phobl ifanc i ddatblygu ffyrdd iach o fyw a gwneud dewisiadau iechyd cadarnhaol yn y dyfodol a fydd yn cefnogi llesiant corfforol a meddyliol. Mae trefn arferol yn helpu i sefydlu arferion hylendid pwysig fel glanhau dannedd, brwsio gwallt a golchi dwylo. Mae sgiliau cymdeithasol a addysgir yn ystod arferion, fel dweud ‘bore da’, ‘hwyl fawr’ neu gymryd tro wrth gofrestru yn cefnogi llesiant.