Selecting the right educational path is one of the most critical decisions for a child’s early development. As parents explore their options, Montessori education frequently stands out due to its unique approach to learning.

Knowing what is going to happen next is the key to enhancing children’s security and emotional stability. Not only does it reinforce their trust that caring adults will provide what they need, but it frees up their emotional tank and allows them to do the important “work” of childhood including playing, exploring and learning, said House on the Hill Principal, Marilyn Ow. 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour What is a routine and how do you use them for positive outcomes? Routines are like instructions that guide a child’s actions toward a specific goal, and they can be used for many reasons, but two of the most important are ensuring children’s health and safety, and helping children learn positive, responsible behaviour. You can support children to learn to manage their behaviour when you: View children as capable and competent and approach situations from a strengths-based perspective. Ensure they feel secure and let them know that you are there to help and support them. Provide positive reinforcement, encouraging a strong sense. For example, at House on the Hill, the children wash their hands before they have a snack. Once they have finished their snack, the children take any leftover food and their bowls to the cart and then wash their hands. Our simple handwashing routine is a simple yet effective example of how routines can positively impact young children’s development. Why are routines so important for young children? Within early years settings it’s crucial that all teachers have a good sense of routine and how that routine benefits children. Research has shown the importance of routines and evidence linking routines to positive developmental outcomes in children, covering: Security and Stability: Routines provide a predictable framework for the day. Children know what to expect, which reduces anxiety and fosters a sense of security. This allows them to feel safe exploring and learning within that framework. Self-Regulation: Consistent routines help children develop self-regulation skills. They learn to anticipate transitions and manage their emotions accordingly. Following routines builds a sense of accomplishment, boosting confidence and self-esteem. Social-Emotional Development: Routines create a predictable social environment. Children learn to take turns, share, and cooperate within the established structure. This fosters positive social interactions and emotional intelligence. Cognitive Development: Routines help children develop memory and sequencing skills. They learn to predict what comes next and can mentally prepare for transitions. This repetitive structure strengthens cognitive pathways. Academic Skills: Consistent routines establish a foundation for future learning. Children become accustomed to focused activities, transitions, and following instructions. This prepares them for more structured academic environments. Physical and Mental Health: Predictable routines promote healthy sleep patterns and eating habits. Knowing what to expect throughout the day reduces stress, contributing to overall well-being. How do routines help children learn? Routines provide children with a context for learning. Through effective use of routines and transitions, children learn how their world is organised and what they need to do in order to interact successfully in it. For example, after they wake up, they need to get dressed and have breakfast before getting ready to go to preschool. Once they arrive at school they will: Say goodbye to their parent/caregiver. Walk through the door to get their temperature checked and wash their hands. Say good morning to the teachers. Walk to their classroom, put their shoes and bag in their respective cubby holes, and remove their water bottle to take into class. Next is free play before sitting down together as a group. Routines provide children with a sense of continuity throughout the day and let them know what to expect next. When planned properly, routines also offer opportunities for children to learn methods associated with math and sequencing, including: Following an ordered sequence of activities Determining relationships between elements Counting Making simple calculations Participating in common daily routines can also have a powerful effect on children’s language development, with many day-to-day activities providing excellent prompts for discussion. Teachers and parents can name items being used in the routine, discuss each action as it is being done and talk about what comes next. How does House on the Hill demonstrate this within our school? Arrival time has become a significant part of our school’s everyday morning/afternoon routines and acts as a significant means of support for both families and children with their transitions between home and school. When children arrive in the morning it can make them feel calm and reassured to see a familiar teacher’s face as well as some of their favourite activities. Self-help skills are also encouraged throughout the school, particularly as your child progresses into older rooms. Learning to prepare their own healthy snacks, setting the table for meals and washing up their own plates after eating are some of the ways we help children develop a sense of agency. Mealtimes in the school provide a solid base for children to begin engaging in positive interactions with each other as well as carry out meaningful conversations in which they can get to know each other more. In essence, routines are incredibly important for young children. As children grow and learn, routines help them to develop a sense of security and feel safe in what we often refer to as a stable learning environment. In other words, routines help integrate children’s learning with an “organised connection.” When children are in a good routine, not only do they feel confident and in control, but they also learn to develop positive social skills and a sense of satisfaction in being able to do things for themselves.

4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour Helping children with self-awareness and confidence   Developing self-confidence and self-awareness enables children to develop relationships, express their emotions and desires and become resilient, self-confident learners. It is good to know this is something that can be nurtured from birth. At House on the Hill, we play a role in supporting children to have a strong sense of self and be in touch with their emotions and bodies. “Making friends and having respect are important skills that should be encouraged to support children’s social interactions”, said Marilyn Ow, Principal of Mount Sophia School. “At House on the Hill, we focus on how to increase self-esteem and self-belief in children under five, as well as help children to make friends and form relationships with their peers and educators,” she said. “If children have a strong sense of self they are less likely to experience negative social interactions and more likely to have positive relationships.” Children use relationships with their caregivers to form their “sense of self” and it is through positive caregiver relationships that children learn that they are valued and important in this world. Children with a stronger sense of self have: Improved self-esteem. Decreased stress and anxiety. Decreased depression. Increased persistence, particularly for challenging tasks. Improved problem-solving skills. Teachers and Educators are in the perfect position to support children with their emerging social interactions, improving their self-esteem and helping them connect with the world. Making and keeping friends may sound easy for us adults, but for young children, this may be something new and difficult. Just like supporting a child to walk or to learn to write, our role at House on the Hill is that of behaviour coach to support the child to learn the steps involved in making and keeping friends. By promoting and teaching social skills to young children, this will positively impact their behaviour, learning and health outcomes. House on the Hill has a strong focus on teaching children emotional regulation and confidence through a mindfulness program that supports children to connect with themselves. Teaching children to be more aware of their physical reactions and able to link them to their behaviours is helping them develop the confidence they need to deal with challenging social situations in later years. “When children are more in sync with their behaviour and reactions, they are more confident and more likely to stand up for themselves if they experience something they don’t like,” she said. For example, if two children want to play with the same toy and one of the children snatches the toy away, an educator will talk the children through the experience as it is happening. “Often a common and immediate reaction to this scenario is for the other child to push or snatch the toy, so an educator will narrate the experience and explain to both children what has just happened. By giving them the words, the children can express themselves and it also models a way of managing the situation,” she said. This helps the children to connect their emotions to the event that occurred and the language that describes that event: Acknowledge the feelings – “You must have felt really sad and hurt that Tom snatched your toy away.” Describe the situation – “I can see that you are missing one car from your park. Tom is also trying to line his cars at the traffic light” Provide the solution – “Let’s try showing Tom what you are trying to do with all your cars first. Then he can have your car when you’re finished with it.” What can you do to support your child at home? Parents can try this approach at home when they get frustrated or angry. Children then see and hear adults they trust in similar situations, helping them to understand that it happens to everyone and even people they care about. They also learn from adults about how to respond to these situations. Boost your child’s self-esteem by being a positive role model at home. Help children learn to complete tasks themselves, giving them a sense of achievement and pride. Acknowledge effort and refrain from giving harsh criticism. By helping build your child’s self-esteem, you let them know how valued and important they are. Talking about strengths and challenges can help children gain self-awareness. Getting children involved in something they like and are good at can raise self-awareness and confidence. By allowing your child to make decisions about how to behave in social situations you are giving them the understanding that they have responsibility for their interactions. It is also helpful to provide opportunities for choices during routines and play.

4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour Keep Calm and Help Children Learn Calm and peaceful parenting is a distinctive positive approach in which the aim is to promote harmony and respect in a family’s daily life. This method places emphasis on less conflict and creating more cooperation by understanding the root cause of children’s behaviour. By teaching children to be calm, we need to role-model calmness ourselves. Most of what children learn about emotions comes from us. How we respond to our own worries, stress and frustrations will guide the children to learn to manage different everyday experiences and challenges. As you experience challenging emotions and situations, demonstrating how you bounce back will help your child relate better to respond to their own issues with optimism, calmness, and confidence. Calmness helps reduce children’s “alarm reaction” (fight-flight-freeze) and allows them to feel safe and secure enough to think rationally and learn a better way of behaving and coping while building trust. When your child is calm, they will have more focus and concentration to be more engaged in activities they are interested in. Consistency is also critical. It’s what sets the tone and will immediately put your child at ease in their environment. Children need to feel safe to learn Children need to be given the right environment for learning. Our Teachers at House on the Hill have adopted the approach of calm and consistent Montessori environments, recommending a balance between intentional and child-led learning, in an environment that is safe and predictable. Montessori environments are structured differently than classrooms in traditional preschools and childcare centres. The method integrates practices that lean into children’s natural tendencies, weaving classroom and behavioural management into regular, everyday practices. “To understand the children’s behaviour, we need to know the trigger or functional need of the child to feel and behave the way they do. We provide them with the safe environment to express their feelings and make them feel validated”. “By acknowledging their feelings, we help them to relate to their big emotions and let them feel connected with us. We continue to describe and talk about their situation to address their functional need and provide solutions for them to support them”. Ms Marilyn Ow, Founding Principal of House on the Hill Central to this approach is having a predictable and consistent environment that facilitates the development of your child. Helpful Tips For Keeping Calm Environments Importance of Calmness: Children learn by example: Adults need to model calmness to teach children how to manage their own emotions. Calmness promotes learning: When children feel calm, they are more receptive to learning and problem-solving. Calmness fosters trust and security: A calm environment helps children feel safe and secure, essential for learning and development. Montessori Approach: Balance between structured and child-led learning: This provides children with both opportunities for exploration and guidance. Predictable and consistent environment: Helps children feel safe and secure, allowing them to focus on learning. Modelling appropriate behaviour: Adults demonstrate how to interact effectively, manage emotions, and solve problems. Tips for Creating a Calm Environment: Stay calm yourself: Recognize your stress triggers and take steps to de-escalate. Establish routines: Consistency reduces anxiety and creates a sense of security. Practice self-regulation: Children learn to self-regulate by observing calm and consistent adults. Be patient and understanding: Respect children’s capabilities and avoid placing unrealistic expectations. Let go of small issues: Focus on what truly matters and avoid creating unnecessary tension. Teach children coping mechanisms: Help them understand and manage frustration in a healthy way. Open communication: Discuss emotions openly and help children learn to express themselves constructively. By incorporating these principles, parents and Teachers can create a calm and nurturing environment that fosters children’s emotional well-being and learning.