{"id":549,"date":"2016-05-09T22:39:18","date_gmt":"2016-05-10T02:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parenttraining.chip.uconn.edu\/?page_id=549"},"modified":"2025-09-10T01:50:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T05:50:16","slug":"day-in-the-life-part-ii-integrating-learning-activities-into-daily-routines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/parenttraining.chip.uconn.edu\/index.php\/day-in-the-life-part-ii-integrating-learning-activities-into-daily-routines\/","title":{"rendered":"Module 5: How to Use Daily Routines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n
\n

In this module, we are going to give you lots of examples that show how you can teach basic skills while doing your family\u2019s daily routines. These routines include waking up and going to bed, mealtimes, bath time, dressing and changing diapers, daily errands and chores, and play time inside and outside of the home.<\/p>\n

We will give you ideas on how to teach important concepts, using games or activities during each of these daily routines. Choose the games and activities that you think your child will like the most. Focus on prompting and reinforcing social interaction with you, with other adults, and with other children as you move through the day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

If you like, you can make a summary of suggested games and activities for each room in the house and keep a list in each room. For example, you can keep the suggestions for mealtime activities in the kitchen. You can keep the suggestions for waking up and going to sleep in the room where your child sleeps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

In addition to the ideas included here, we describe more activities in a book, The Activity Kit for Babies and Toddlers at Risk: How to Use Everyday Routines to Build Social and Communication Skills<\/a>, published by Guilford Press in 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

After the story about Mari, below, that shows you examples of teaching through the family’s morning, we’ll talk about the common parts of the child\u2019s day, one by one. At the end of each section, you will find a link to the next. We\u2019re going to give you suggestions about how to teach important ideas, using 5 to 10 simple games for each of these daily activities. We hope that once you try some of them you will begin to think of more teaching ideas on your own.<\/p>\n

But just remember, as you work your way through this module, that teaching anything<\/em><\/strong> takes time. And establishing routines can take a little extra time<\/strong>. Be patient! You won\u2019t know whether your child enjoys these routines until she is familiar with them.  As you try out the various suggestions, you can make your own daily routines based upon the ones that your child seems to like best.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Games For Bedtime<\/a><\/p>\n

Games For Diaper Changing And Dressing<\/a><\/p>\n

Games For Mealtimes<\/a><\/p>\n

Games For Learning While Doing Errands<\/a><\/p>\n

Games For Chores And Cleanup<\/a><\/p>\n

Games For Bath Time<\/a><\/p>\n

Outdoor And Indoor Play<\/a><\/p>\n

Music Play<\/a><\/p>\n

Module 5 Vignette: Marianna\u2019s Busy Morning<\/h3>\n

It was early on a Thursday morning and Marianna’s (Mari\u2019s) mother had a busy morning planned. She had read through the ideas in Module 5 of Opt-In Early. She thought many of the ideas would work well for her and Mari, who was almost three years old. She had taken pictures of their apartment building, the local supermarket, the playground at the park in their neighborhood, and the building where their weekly early intervention group was held on Thursdays at 10:00 AM.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

She printed and laminated the pictures along with a picture of her car<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 and some of Mari\u2019s favorite foods that they would shop for later that morning.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was just about 6:30 AM when she heard Mari waking. She gave her a minute or two to wake up and walked into Mari\u2019s room just as she was beginning to sit up in her new toddler bed. Mom picked Mari up and gave her a cheerful good morning greeting and a big hug and kiss. Then Mom pointed to several things in the room, starting with Mari\u2019s teddy bear. \u201cGood morning, Teddy!\u201d she said as she pointed to the teddy bear. And then she pointed to a stuffed giraffe and said, \u201cGood morning, giraffe!\u201d Next, she pointed to Mari\u2019s stuffed dog and said, \u201cGood morning\u201d and paused to see if Mari would fill in the blank. \u201cDoggie!\u201d said Mari smiling. \u201cGood job talking, Mari! Good morning, Doggie!\u201d said mom, giving Mari another squeeze and a little tickle.<\/p>\n

Mari was still in diapers at night and during outings, but they had started to do some toilet training sessions during the day. So, mom brought Mari into the bathroom and prepared to take off her diaper. As she did this, she sang a little song, Time to Take the Diaper Off<\/em>, sung to a tune she picked (or any tune that you know). Her mom emphasized the words \u201cdiaper\u201d and \u201coff.” She paused periodically during the song for Mari to fill in a word or two.<\/p>\n

It’s time to take the diaper off,<\/p>\n

Diaper off,<\/p>\n

Diaper off,<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to take the diaper off,<\/p>\n

Diaper off!<\/p>\n

When the song was over, she removed the diaper with a flourish saying, \u201cdiaper is\u2026.\u201d Then she paused and waited for Mari to say \u201coff!\u201d <\/em><\/strong>She cheered for Mari and then showed Mari the wet diaper saying, \u201cDiaper is wet<\/strong>.\u201d Then she rolled the diaper up tightly. Before she reattached the sticky tabs to keep the wet diaper rolled tightly, she gently took Mari\u2019s hand and guided her pointer finger to touch one of the tabs. She moved Mari\u2019s finger on and off of it a few times. \u201cSticky,\u201d she said. \u201cIt feels sticky<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d Then she asked Mari to say the word \u201csticky,” giving her the \u201cS\u201d sound as a prompt. Mari tried and did manage the \u201cS\u201d sound. Mom praised her warmly but didn\u2019t press for another try. She decided to wait until the next diaper change.<\/p>\n

She handed the rolled-up diaper to Mari and pointed to the wastebasket saying, \u201cThrow it away please.\u201d Then she said. \u201cBye-bye diaper!\u201d Mari waved bye-bye to the diaper and said, \u201cBye-bye!\u201d<\/p>\n

Then mom put Mari on the toilet and sang another little song as she sat there. She was surprised to hear a little tinkle sound and praised Mari warmly as she helped her wipe. Then she put a pair of cotton training underpants on Mari and they headed to the kitchen, still in their pajamas, to make breakfast.<\/p>\n

Mom had planned to make scrambled eggs with sauteed onion, pepper and tomato. This was a favorite of Mari\u2019s. Mari had a small, pretend play kitchen that Mom kept in the kitchen of their apartment. She took an onion, a green pepper and a tomato from the refrigerator and showed them to Mari, one at a time. Each time, she labeled the item and then worked on matching skills by asking Mari to find the toy onion, pepper, and tomato in turn. Then it was time to chop. Mari\u2019s toy fruits and veggies were made in two pieces with Velcro connecting the pieces. They also came with a plastic toy knife and Mari enjoyed cutting the fruits and veggies and putting them back together again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lakeshore Learning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mari played with her toy fruits and veggies while mom diced and sliced the real veggies and then broke some eggs into a bowl. She used a little bigger bowl than she needed because she planned to have Mari help stir the eggs. She thought a bigger bowl might help avoid a mess. Then she told Mari she needed some big girl help. She stood her up on a chair and kept a gentle hold on her while Mari happily stirred the eggs. Then mom said, \u201cmamma\u2019s turn.\u201d Mom then stirred the eggs for a little while and then said, \u201cMari\u2019s turn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it was time to cook the eggs, she led Mari back to her pretend play kitchen. They found Mari\u2019s pan and wooden spoon. Mom asked Mari to watch her while she stirred the pretend eggs and veggies in Mari\u2019s toy pan. Then she gave Mari the spoon and mom went back to the stove to cook their eggs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then it was time to eat. Mom placed only a spoonful or two of scrambled eggs in Mari\u2019s bowl. She also placed more of the eggs, with the small serving spoon, in a clear glass bowl, just out of Mari\u2019s reach. Mari could see the eggs but couldn\u2019t quite reach them. She wanted to give Mari plenty of chances to ask for more eggs. Mari could already feed herself with a spoon and fork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She ate the eggs and then looked at mom. Mom prompted her to point to the bowl of eggs and said, \u201cOh! Mari wants more eggs!\u201d She spooned more eggs into Mari\u2019s bowl and held it up just out of Mari\u2019s reach as if to hand it to her. Mari pointed to her bowl and mom handed her the bowl as she said the word, \u201ceggs.” They repeated this routine twice and the third time, Mari said the word \u201ceggs\u201d as she pointed to the serving bowl. Mom was so happy and praised Mari with warm enthusiasm for saying \u201ceggs.” \u201cWow Mari!\u201d she said as she spooned more eggs into Mari\u2019s bowl. \u201cYou said eggs<\/em><\/strong>! Mari wants more eggs<\/em><\/strong>! Mmmm! Yummy eggs<\/em><\/strong>!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom let Mari watch some short YouTube videos with songs about clothing while mom cleared the table and did the dishes. There are many such videos available. Here are some to check out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n