Care, Habits and Routine Training .1 Introduction

Chapter 5

foundation of healthy growth. Children learn the routines of everyday life through care services which are structured in line with their developmental needs. As a result, they will develop good habits and self-care skills. These objectives are closely related to children’s future achievement in formal learning and adaptation to social life.

The contents of the above activities will be elaborated as follows :

5.2.2 Care services

The following services should be included in a pre-primary institution to cater for children’s physical needs :

1. Health inspection a. Objectives

The pre-primary educator should pay attention to children’s health condition before starting the day’s activities to ensure that children are in good health, have no symptom of infectious diseases and are suited for group activities.

b. Points to Note

The pre-primary educator should observe if there is anything peculiar with children’s appearance. For example, whether they are fresh and energetic, and whether any part of the body is hurt or shows red patches. The pre-primary educator should also touch children’s foreheads and hands to check if they have a fever or whether a clinical thermometer is required to confirm this. Further enquiries on children’s health

the institution. In addition, attention should be paid to children’s health condition throughout the day in order that appropriate arrangements could be made to take care of children. The pre-primary institution should also check on children’s weights, heights ad immunisation records regularly to ensure that they enjoy good health and receive immunisations as scheduled.

c. Guidelines for Implementation

The pre-primary educator should note the following points in conducting health inspections for children :

i. Natural and friendly manners should be adopted so that the whole learning process can be conducted under a pleasant atmosphere, and children should be guided to pay attention to their health and to have a proper understanding of the health inspection process in order not to create any fear among children.

ii. Acticles for use in health inspections should be sterilised and kept clean.

iii. Health records should be kept accurately and in detail for further reference whenever necessary.

iv. If a child is sick or shows any symptom deviant from the normal development, the pre-primary educator should inform the parents and should not give any unprescribed medicine to the child. In case of emergency, the child should be sent to a doctor for diagnosis so that the child

Referral services may be provided if necessary.

v. When the sick child is still in the institution, he/she should be isolated from other children so as to avoid the spreading of infection. The pre-primary institution should provide a room or a resting place for the child to rest and wait for his/her parents to take him/her home. The child’s secretion and excreta should be carefully disposed of.

The things which have been used by the child should be sterilised and cleaned thoroughly. The pre-primary educator should take good emotional care of the sick child.

Detailed records should also be kept afterwards for filing and for the information of the child’s parents.

vi. If unusual wounds are found and child abuse is suspected, appropriate actions should be taken in accordance with procedures concerning child abuse announced by the Government.

2. Meals

a. Objectives

Snacks or meals are given to children at regular intervals so that they can be provided with a balanced diet and the needs of their physical growth can be satisfied. Moreover, through the guidance of the pre-primary educator in providing a proper balance of different kinds of food, children would develop an interest in food, and a good habit of eating at regular intervals.

Guidelines for Implementation

The pre-primary institution should note the following points in preparing meals for children :

i. A balanced diet should be provided and fresh food should be chosen. Processed food such as canned meat, and fish-balls, spicy and fried food or food containing monosodium glutamate, should not be taken. The menu should be prepared in advance and in line with the recommended composition provided by the Hospital Authority. All kinds of food must be cleaned and well-cooked. The style of cooking should be varied, with the colour, smell and taste of the food taken into consideration in arousing children’s interest in food.

ii. Children should be given enough time to eat in a pleasant environment. Soft music can be played to encourage a relaxed atmosphere.

iii. The institution should try to learn about children’s eating and drinking habits from their parents and, as far as possible, to provide consistent guidance, e.g. in giving them an appropriate amount of food, encouraging them to eat more, allowing children to take rice, meat and vegetable together or separately, assisting and encouraging children to feed themselves, teaching them table manners, etc..

iv. The pre-primary educator may briefly introduce the food to children before meals to encourage the interest and knowledge in food.

v. Children should have direct access to drinking water to encourage them to drink more.

3. Resting

a. Objectives

Full-day pre-primary institutions should arrange an afternoon naps for children to take a break so that they can regain their energy and develop a good habit of taking rest.

b. Guidelines for Implementation

The pre-primary educator should note the following points in arranging a nap for children :

i. The environment for the afternoon nap should be kept quiet and comfortable, e.g. curtains should be lowered to darken the room and good ventilation should be maintained.

ii. Individual beds and bed clothes should be allocated to children. Beds should be so arranged with space between them to enable the pre-primary educator to walk through and take care of children.

iii. The pre-primary educator has to help children calm down emotionally. Soft music or story-telling may help children fall asleep. In case children cannot fall asleep or

desirable to force them to sleep.

iv. Children should be encouraged to take care of themselves according to their ability, e.g. taking off their shoes and clothes and putting them in order before going to sleep, and trying to put on their shoes and clothes after the nap.

v. Children may be awakened by soft music or a gentle stroke after the nap. When they wake up, they may be taught to do some simple and relaxing exercise, or to sing some nursery rhymes, etc., to calm them before the commencement of other activities.

vi. Children should be properly clothed according to the change of weather and room temperature.

5.2.3 Habits

1. Objectives

Children have a strong urge for independence and want to accomplish things by themselves. They enjoy sharing the work of adults. One of the aims of the pre-primary curriculum is to help children develop good habits and acquire independence. In this regard, the pre-primary educator should devise suitable activities for children to learn to look after themselves, such as acquiring some knowledge of self-care, hygiene, table manners and safety, etc. in achieving the following objectives :

a. To satisfy the physical needs of children.

b. To help children develop good personal hygienic habits.

d. To enable children to work independently.

e. To cultivate their self-confidence and sense of responsibility.

2. Guidelines for Implementation

Children need to acquire and enhance their skills through concrete experience and repeated practices. Therefore, in guiding children to acquire the skills of self-care, the pre-primary educator should : a. Understand the developmental characteristics of children and

employ the approaches and equipment which will suit their ability to allow them to enjoy the learning process with a sense of accomplishment;

b. Have a careful and detailed planning, clearly work out the steps and approaches to be adopted before giving guidance to children;

c. Allow sufficient time for children to learn and not offer immediate assistance when a child fails to meet the expectations lest he/she will be deprived of the opportunity and the right to practise;

d. Admit the limitations of children’s ability. Each step taken during the conducting of activities should be judged according to the ability of children and guidance should be offered so as to minimise children’s chances of encountering failure. If necessary, help them complete the most difficult part of the task;

e. Be aware of individual differences and should not expect all

f. Show positive response to children’s good performance by praising them verbally or by smiling or nodding;

g. Set a good example, such as maintaining good hygienic habits and a clean and tidy appearance; and

h. Keep in touch with parents to learn about children’s habits at home and guide children with patience in accordance with their ability.

3. Content of Activities

Children should be taught within their capability, to take care of themselves, learn proper social manners (for example, speaking softly), develop healthy habits and take care of their own safety.

This will not only cultivate their sense of independence, but also develop their fine motor skills and improve their eye-hand co-ordination.

4. Guidelines on Methods Conducive to the Forming of Good Habits a. Encouraging Self-care :

Children’s individual needs should be attended to and facilities for personal use, e.g. storage shelves, art racks and clothes hangers, etc., should be provided. Sanitary ware, such as stools and sinks, should suit children’s heights and needs.

Personal sanitary items like towels, combs and toothbrushes, should be within children’s reach.

b. Small group learning :

Certain activities which require children to experience and practise for themselves, e.g. doing up buttons and folding

according to children’s ability so that every child can have enough time for frequent practice.

c. Providing opportunities for repeated practices :

As far as possible, try to incorporate the skills children are learning into their daily routines, e.g. having snacks, toiletting and taking meals, etc. so as to provide opportunities to practise the skills repeatedly. As time goes by, children will master the skills and gradually regard such life skills as part of their responsibilities.

d. Guiding children to observe general safety rules and table manners by making use of games, stories, nursery rhymes and pictures, etc.. For example, children should know that dangerous substances may endanger their health or life, as well as activities and places which may be hazardous.

e. Incidental teaching :

When teaching children how to wipe their mouths, tears or running noses, etc., the pre-primary educator should preferably provide them with a mirror so that they can see what they are doing.

f. Using labels as an aid :

The pre-primary educator may attach colour-coded labels to toys and toy cabinets and ask children to put the toys in the cabinet bearing the same label.

g. Working out clear and systematic working procedures :

educator should then teach children how to do it step by step.

h. Making use of a duty roster (can be in a pictorial form) to enable children to take turns in performing tasks such as watering flowers and feeding small animals.

5.2.4 Routine Training

Routine training, as the name implies, is concerned with the discipline and rules of daily life, i.e. the basic procedures and practices one has to follow in dealing with people and handling matters :

1. Objectives :

a. To help children learn how to do things in an orderly manner.

b. To encourage children to build up self-confidence.

c. To train children to exercise self-control, to be co-operative and observe rules.

d. To help children look after themselves.

e. To cultivate their sense of responsibility.

2. Guidelines for Implementation :

a. Organisation of activities must be in line with the institution’s facilities and use of space.

b. Rules should be set in accordance with the abilities and needs of children.

c. Detailed planning is required before routine training.

Appropriate procedures should also be worked out for implementation on a step-by-step basis.

d. The pre-primary educator should explain to children the

may be drawn up through negotiation so that children willingly accept and follow them.

e. The pre-primary educator must constantly remind children of such rules and give them sufficient time to learn how to follow them.

f. The pre-primary educator has to be sincere and patient in giving guidance to children, take note of the ability of individual child and observe children’s reactions in activities, giving them proper assistance when necessary, and setting an example for them to follow.

g. The pre-primary educator has to be consistent in enforcing the rules if desired results are to be obtained.

h. The pre-primary educator can make use of various interesting approaches to guide children to observe such rules.

i. The pre-primary educator should praise and encourage children who observe the rules.

j. If some children are found to have failed to observe some of the rules, the pre-primary educator should check whether the rules are too harsh for children so that the rules can be modified accordingly. Meanwhile, extra guidance should be given to children concerned so that they gradually learn to follow the rules.

k. There should be frequent contacts with parents to let them know about the significance and scope of routine training given to children. More optimum educational outcomes can be achieved through better communication between the home and the institution.

3. Scope of Activities : a. Daily routines :

As children may have some apprehension about going to pre-primary institution for the first time, pre-primary institutions should organise some orientation programmes for new corners. These programmes will familiarise children with the daily routines so as to prepare them psychologically for the sequence of activities. This will not only help children alleviate their anxiety and acquire a sense of security, but will also enable them to develop the concept of time from their own daily experiences. The pre-primary educator can make use of pictures sequenced from left to right to present the daily programme. The pre-primary educator can introduce each session of activities to children and brief them on the activities indicated by the picture following. This procedure will familiarise children with the daily schedule, and will help them form the habit of reading horizontally-aligned characters as a preparation for future reading.

b. Rules and politeness :

In the interest of children’s own safety, and in view of their

necessary to formulate a set of rules which they are expected to observe appropriate for their abilities. These rules can cover such areas as queuing, listening, tidying up and being polite, where both verbal and non-verbal forms of expressions are included. Children would be pleased to discuss with adults the rules to be observed. These rules should be introduced to children gradually. Before children are required to follow a specific rule, the rule should be explained to them clearly and concisely. Meanwhile, various methods should be used to help them comply with the rules.

4. Examples of Implementation :

As young children (in particular children attending pre-primary institution for the first time) do not have a high comprehensive power and are rather self-centred, it is not easy for them to understand why they have to observe rules. Besides setting a good example, the pre-primary educator should also exercise patience in giving guidance to children so that they will have sufficient time to familiarise themselves with the rules. The pre-primary educator can also make use of stories, nursery rhymes, conversation, sharing, discussion and incidental teaching. Cues for children could be in the form of :

a. Displaying posters/pictures which remind children of the rules and regulations;

b. Introducing nursery rhymes which encourage good behaviour;

e. Conducting campaigns such as “walking gently”, “keeping clean”, “punctuality” and “good behaviour”, etc.. The good behaviour of children should also be extolled and encouraged.

Such campaigns should be promoted throughout the whole institution and be regularly reviewed.

5. Allocation and utilisation of space and resources :

The pre-primary educator should exercise caution in the utilisation and allocation of space so as to reduce the risk of accidents and help children observe the rules :

a. The pre-primary educator should pay attention to the allocation of “quiet” and “active” activity centres when designing the physical arrangement of the classroom and outdoor activity space. The areas for riding tricycles, waiting, running, jumping, and playing with sand and water, should be properly marked to prevent children from being knocked down by tricycles whilst running or jumping, and to prevent the sand from being mixed with water. The “reading corner” should not be set up next to the “home corner” to prevent children from being disturbed while reading.

b. The number of participants for the activities of a given interest corner should be specified. Certain items of equipment should be provided, where possible, to facilitate compliance with the rules. For instance, if a “home corner” is limited to 4 players at a time, then 4 labels may be placed outside the corner so that each player can use one on entering the corner.

the number of participants, but will also help children observe the rules of fair play and avoid unnecessary disputes.

5.3 Play Activities