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Reading aloud is not only extremely enjoyable, it can also play a very important role in a child's development. Reading aloud has many positive effects on the emotional, cognitive and social development of a child. So start at a very young age!

Reading aloud has a positive effect on language development

Many parents start reading aloud when their child starts talking, usually around the age of 2 to 2 ½ years. What is not very well known is that passive language development (understanding spoken language, but not being able to talk themselves) starts much earlier than this.

 Research has shown that starting to read aloud from +/- 8 months has a positive effect on the child's language development in later life. Reading aloud exposes a child to a wider and more diverse range of words and increases insight into spelling and text comprehension. There is also a link between being read to and later interest (and pleasure) in reading.

How do you choose a suitable book?

How do you choose a suitable book from the multitude on offer? First of all, choose a book that you like and that is a good read (some books are better than others), but also one that is appropriate for your child's age and interests. Reading books about major changes in your child's life (e.g. moving house, the birth of a brother or sister, going to school) is a great way to bring this up.

Some book tips for reading aloud to children between 0-4 years:

- The Little Whale, Benji Davies

A touching, loving story about friendship with endearing illustrations.

- Coco kan het, Loes Riphagen

An encouraging book about courage, self-confidence and being able to do more than you think.

- The tiger is sleeping, Britta Teckentrup

A fun interactive book where the child really participates in the adventurous story.

- Kikker is bang, Max Velthuis

The stories of Frog make different emotions discussable in a nice and accessible way, like in this book the emotion 'fear'.

Did you know that....

children can become members of the library from birth? The library's youth subscription is also completely free for children up to the age of 18. The subscription offers endless reading, watching and listening pleasure!

Would you like to know more about reading aloud and more great book tips? Listen to episode 14 of the Opvoedingscast in which Amber and Laurie tell you why reading aloud is important for young and old, what reading aloud means and how to make it fun for yourself. And of course, book tips are shared!

Whether you're good at hockey, swimming, archery or athletics; it's all there (and more!) during the Olympic Games. This year the Olympic Games are not only in Tokyo, but also at CompaNanny. Because this year the BSO Summer programme is all about the CompaLympics!

The CompaLympics
At the BSO's it's all about the Olympics for 6 weeks. Our Nannies organise different kinds of activities and games, just like the Olympic Games. 
Moving and discovering different sports and cultures plays a central role.

Daylight saving time (DST) is almost here! Which means it is easier to get up, but harder to fall asleep. Why? Because our body’s internal clock revolves around daylight.
Simply keeping the same schedule when putting your child to bed will not, unfortunately, work. Because the hormones in the body that regulate sleep are still in tune with wintertime, and it takes one week (on average) for children to get used to the new times. So here are some tips to help make this process easier.

Tips

• Make sure your child gets enough sleep during the day (especially in advance)
• Open the curtains straight away in the morning, so that the natural light comes in
• Go outside first thing each morning and be sure to get some exercise early on
• In the evenings, create a dark environment inside, to follow your routine by drawing the (blackout) curtains and dimming the lights; dusk activates the sleep hormone
• Also remember to adjust your mealtimes to DST as soon as possible, as the digestive system is linked to sleep rhythm
• Pay attention to the bedtime ritual and pay extra attention to your child’s sleep signals

Step-by-step
If your child is really having a great deal of trouble adjusting their sleep rhythm to DST, then you could also work towards it in steps: Shift their bedtime by 10-30 minutes each day (depending on your child’s age and tiredness). For example: If your child normally always goes to bed at 7:30 pm but can’t get to sleep earlier than 8:30 pm after DST has come into effect, then put your child to bed at 8:15pm the first evening, at 8:00 pm the day after that and so on until you have worked your way back to their usual bedtime.

And last but not least
Remember that every child is different and reacts differently. Be flexible, even with yourself, and don’t worry if it takes a little more time. Ultimately, your child will always make up for any lack of sleep they experience.

Would you like to find out more about sleep signals, bedtime rituals and how to ensure a good sleeping environment? Then read our other blog or book a visit to ask all your questions.

Your child is one! And has already developed into an individual with a very distinct character and a lot of knowledge – albeit on a subconscious level – about language and communication. From now on, their focus is mainly on practicing speaking real words. Read on to learn more about how language development continues.

13-14 months
During these months, children are getting better at communicating, they learn more sounds and also use them in combination with gestures. Your child mainly learns from what you say and often already understands what short sentences, such as “Give it to daddy”, mean.
When you talk a lot, this gives your child the opportunity to learn plenty of new words. Although they are not yet able to say these words themselves, all the words and matching images are stored in their long-term memory. However, this memory is still under development and repetition is necessary to help train it.
 

15-16 months
From the age of 15 months on, children become increasingly more adept at using language to communicate what they want. Your child is likely to use short words, facial expressions and body language more and more to convey something. For example, think of “no” as they push away their plate of food, or “that” if they want to take something.
Difficult words cannot yet be properly uttered by most children at 16 months. Do not try to correct your child when they use a wrong word, but instead respond enthusiastically and use the correct word yourself in your response. For example, say “Oh yes, I see, an aeroplane!” instead of “No, that’s not a ‘pane’, that’s an aeroplane”.
Reading simple books with pictures out loud to your child is a good way to help them with language development. They often know exactly what word is going to come. Singing songs is also good for your child’s language development. Songs about body parts are especially popular around this age, because children can indicate where, for example, their nose is.
 

17-19 months
By the time they are 18 months old, children know an average of 20 words. You will therefore probably notice that your child can also make themself heard more and more. Your child’s vocabulary will expand further to an average of 30 words towards 19 months of age. They are now learning about six new words a day. They don’t necessarily use all of these words directly themselves, but they are stored in their memory. Your child also notices that their ability to talking is improving and therefore likes to chat all day long.
Some letters in words can still be difficult to pronounce, especially letters that require muscles in the back of the mouth, such as ‘r’ and ‘k’. If your child doesn’t seem to talk as much as other children of this age, don’t worry. Some children are still busy practicing during this phase and first store all their language knowledge in their memory. Parents/guardians are often surprised that their child suddenly has a vast vocabulary, when they said next to nothing at first.
 

20 months
During this period, your child’s vocabulary continues to grow, and expands to at least 50 words around the 20-month mark. They are mainly nouns, such as ‘house’, ‘car’ and ‘cat’. You may also notice that, at this stage, your toddler starts to categorise words and use a particular word for everything in that category. For example, they will say ‘car’ for all vehicles, or ‘cat’ for all animals. Most children also practice more and more with two-word sentences, such as ‘daddy car’ during this period.
Due to their expanding vocabulary and their interest in applying language even better, children of this age want to be involved in the conversation. Your child may therefore try to attract attention when you have a conversation. Be aware of this and involve your child in the discussion. They will love it and learn a lot from it. 

21-22 months
Your 21-month-old toddler is now busy training their memory. A picture of a cow is not only recognised in that one book, but also in other books or even as cuddly toys and is often accompanied by “moooooo”. The two-word sentences are also slowly being tested further. For example, your child will increasingly say things like “baby now?” or “cat gone”.
Children are also increasingly focused on interaction, both non-verbal and verbal. And where your child used to be mainly interested in adults and how they use language, the interaction now extends to other children as well. More and more often they have short conversations together, often crouching, looking at each other with their heads tilted. Your child will therefore enjoy practicing the names of other children together with you during this period.
Although your child learns a lot in terms of language, it is probably not enough as far as they are concerned. They still cannot express themselves as well as they would like and this can cause them to feel frustrated, which can be accompanied by tantrums.
 

24 months
The average number of words a 24-month-old knows is 100. And new words are added every day. Self-awareness also grows further through language during this period. For example, your child will use the word ‘me’ more often and will also understand what it means.

Communication starts long before a baby can talk. A baby’s first form of language is crying, which is the most efficient way to connect. Your baby uses different cries to try and convey exactly what is going on. But what else can you expect with regards to your baby’s language and communication? Here, we guide you through the different phases of language development.

Two to three months
At around two months old, your baby will start using sounds. They begin to train the tongue and jaw muscles by making vowel-like sounds such as “ooh” and “aah”. When your baby is about three months old, he or she get progressively better at actively seeking, or stopping, contact with you. They do this by looking at you and by lowering their eyes or turning their head.
During this initial period, it is very important for your baby’s emotional security and growth to cuddle and stroke them often. Talking to him or her a lot also makes them feel calm and instils confident. For example, explain what you are doing while changing their nappy.
 

Four months
As they reach four months of age, your baby will make more and more new cooing sounds, as different guttural sounds expand and your child practices with his voice. By talking back to your baby and responding to their cooing sounds, your baby will become comfortable with communication and you will stimulate their language development.
Around this period your child will also recognise faces well. Furthermore, it is increasingly important to use a lot of facial expressions in your interaction with your baby, as your baby will learn to understand emotions from this.
 

Five months
From the age of five months, the sounds your baby makes become more consistent and varied. The sequences get longer (think: “babaababa”), because the jaw muscles, tongue muscles and vocal cords become stronger and they are practicing hard for speaking with words later on. Your baby will now remember and reapply any new sounds that they make, too. They will also recognise voices well now.
Interact with your child a lot; this helps them learn to communicate with others and they become familiar with the social nature of language. During this interaction, be sure to also give your baby time to respond to you when you smile or talk to them.
 

Six months
At around the age of six months, your baby starts to communicate progressively better with sounds. While crying is still the most effective means of communication, your baby is also practicing facial expressions, gestures and sounds. Babies are increasingly conscious of actively seeking contact in every possible way. By laughing, reaching out with their arms, blowing raspberries, moving their tongue and lips, and sputtering and cooing.
There will be more variations in the noises your baby can produce by allowing their muscles, vocal cords and breathing to work together. The sounds are also becoming clearer and more attuned to adults. As a result, they start to sound more and more like words in the mother tongue.
 

Seven months
From about seven months, babies start to hear even more distinctions in the tone you use in your speech. They can now recognise whether you are happy, surprised or angry. Your baby will also manage to produce different pitches and volume levels.
Around this age, children also develop a sense of attachment and become clingy, which means your baby prefers to be around mum or dad all the time. Even you walking to the other side of the room can cause them to cry greatly, because your baby thinks you have left them for good. And your child will not understand you when you explain in words that you will be coming back, because they are not sufficiently trained in language and communication to do so yet. But you can practice with this by, for example, playing peek-a-boo games. By doing so, you will help your child to reduce their separation anxiety in a playful way. 

Eight months
Around eight months of age, your baby really starts to practice communication in a socially accepted way. They listen when you talk and babble themselves as you listen. By listening, your child becomes increasingly familiar with language. Children increasingly do their best to imitate your sounds, which then stimulates them to produce even more sounds.
Repeat the sounds your child makes yourself; this stimulates them to try even more sounds. Talk a lot with your child yourself, so that they come into contact with different sounds and can practice interaction. Read lots of books with simple words and pictures and do so on a regular, repetitive basis. This will help your child connect words with images.
 

Nine months
Babbling with two-syllable sounds continues to develop and by about nine months, most children have their own words for familiar people or things. They point to a person or object and say a sound, and they will always use that sound for that same person or object. By mentioning the name of the person or object, you will teach your child to make the connection with that word. For example, by saying: “Do you want your dummy/pacifier?”
At around this age, babies also gain more control over the muscles in their face and therefore spend a lot of time practicing facial expressions. They test these expressions with their environment and learn through the reactions of those around them to understand which expressions go with which emotions. 

Ten to eleven months
Most ten-month-olds still can’t say many intelligible words, but they already understand much more than adults often think. They are still occupied with practicing sounds and noises, and the sounds and noises that they make are more and more like the speech of adults. They are no longer gibberish, but are clear tones and speech sounds. Your child will often imitate you in the sounds you make and also mimic lip sounds such as “brrr”. Perhaps they will also start singing along to music at this stage. Not with words yet of course, but with melodic sounds and different tones and volume levels.
Around the age of eleven months, your child’s ability to concentrate expands and they also start to use long-term memory more often. This will be evident in them having less interest in the repetition of sounds and more interest in new sounds. Your child will often listen attentively to people talking. By doing so, they will learn words and the patterns of a language. It becomes increasingly easy for them to remember which words have what meaning, what the intonation of each word is and how they themselves should use the word.
 

It is very important for the language development of your two-year-old that you communicate with them a lot. Your toddler is still learning about words and their meaning, as well as interactions and the social aspects of language. Here’s an overview of what happens in the language development of toddlers between the ages of two and four years of age and how you can stimulate it.

2-2,5 years

• Children have a vocabulary of around 200 words, but they already understand about 300 words.
• Children still imitate a lot of words, so it is extra important that you watch what you say around your child. There are some words that children still make mistakes in, for example they say “tate” instead of “cake”.
• Children practice with three-word sentences and also learn to apply the word ‘no’ when they want something to stop.
• Children now know their own name, the names of some other children and some body parts.
• Children can already make themselves understood in general, but still mainly convey their feelings non-verbally, for example by walking away, pointing or hugging.
• Children do not yet know all the words, but adults understand well; as their ‘teacher’ you are their example.
• During this period, practice animal names with your child and the sounds that they make.
• You can focus on different colours and practice pronouncing colour names.
• Sing songs to your child and encourage them to sing along; articulate the words well and enhance them with your facial expressions.
• You can play games with facial expressions, for example by showing an emotion, naming this emotion and asking your child to imitate it.

2,5-3 years

• Children are now making more and more sentences of more than three words and are therefore slowly learning to apply grammar.
• Children are learning to understand what words like ‘me’ and ‘you’ mean.
• Children are starting to learn the concept of time and that there is a past, present and future and will also start using words related to time.
• Children are becoming increasingly clear in their language use, but still find some words difficult, especially if they contain lots of consonants. For example, they say “kool” instead of “school”.
• Children may start stuttering at this age because they want to form longer sentences and say a lot in a short space of time, or are so enthusiastic that they stumble over their own words.
• Give your child time to finish their sentences.
• If your child says wrong words, it is better if you repeat the sentence in the right way yourself than to correct your child directly. For example, if your child says, “I runned in the park with mummy”, respond with “Isn’t it lovely that you ran in the park with mummy”.
• You can help your child remember what they did last week, for example, to stimulate thinking about the past and practice telling a story.
• You can ask for details when you are reading a book together, such as “Where do you see a chick?”

3-3,5 years

• At around this age, children are already using an average of 1,000 words as well as an increasing number of complete sentences.
• During this period, children ask a lot of questions, out of curiosity and eagerness to learn. “Why?” is a particularly popular one.
• Children are focused on new words and will try them out one by one.
• Children can already tell long stories, including about what happened in the past.
• Children understand that they have to talk differently to, for example, their brother than to their father or mother.
• Children experiment with language and challenge those teaching them so as to understand what can be done with language. For example, they know to speak in a sweet manner and voice in order to get something done for them, or to say things like “I wish I could have a cracker”.
• Respond to your child and answer the questions they ask, even if they ask “Why?” all day long! It is important that you listen to them so that they trust you and know that you are taking them and their questions seriously. This is how you teach them respect and help them to understand the world.
• You can practice talking about the past even more by, for example, asking what your child ate yesterday or who was at their birthday.
• Involve your child in conversations and activities; they will feel included if they are allowed and invited to contribute to, for example, plans for the day, and will also learn from it.

3,5-4 years

• Children are now really starting to speak the same way as adults, including in the way children convey their ideas and feelings.
• Children are now applying the different forms of time correctly.
• Ask your child counter questions – this makes them think, remember the answer better and stimulates creativity and solution-oriented thinking. For example, when your child asks, “Can I have a cracker?”, you can respond with, “How many crackers have you already had?”
• You can slowly start to make it clear to your child that there is a difference between made-up and real. Do this without negating feelings or questioning claims; instead, focus on the fact that it is good to tell the truth and that they themself are responsible for this (and not, for example, an imaginary friend).
• Help your child practice naming colours or counting and copying/repeating patterns or sequences.
• Always be clear in your communication. You are the example after all!

The main focus in parenting these days is on positive contact and language. Which includes giving your child plenty of compliments. And so, with today being National Compliment Day, we are taking this opportunity to talk about paying compliments to your child.

Why you should compliment your child
Compliments stimulate positive behaviour and self-esteem in a child. On the one hand, your child will behave in a certain manner more often when they notice that they are getting approval and appreciation for it. On the other, approval and appreciation also increases your child’s self-esteem. And when your child feels confident, they will easier dare to attempt things, they will be more likely to have the courage to push boundaries by looking for the next challenge, and they will be more likely to involve other children. All of which are good for their development.
Without this confidence, children (just like adults) do not dare to embark on something new and are more likely to give up, because they are convinced that they will fail. Compliments also provide insight into themselves and the world around them, which is important when it comes to growing up to become a resilient and self-confident individual!

Can you give too many compliments?
Focusing on what your child is doing right is better than focusing on what your child is doing wrong, right? That’s why we, as adults, tend to shine a light on every time a child succeeds, every time a child listens well, or every time a child shows courage. After all, you want to let every child feel that they can become whatever they want, from a hairdresser to an astronaut to an artist. But where is the line between reacting positively and complimenting excessively?
Research shows that excessive compliments are counterproductive. Especially when your child does not have much self-esteem to begin with. Excessive compliments place high expectations on them, which children then feel that they must continuously meet. Ultimately, this leads to them avoiding challenges. Which means they do not push boundaries and do not develop to their optimal ability. Giving lots of compliments can also mean that children no longer value a compliment or that they become dependent on them.
However, if children receive few, or no, compliments, they will eventually start to question themselves because they are never told that they are doing well. And therefore, it is difficult to find a good balance.

A process-oriented, product-oriented or person-oriented compliment
Process-oriented compliments concern the commitment and effort that a child shows. Product-oriented compliments mainly focus on the result and the accomplishment. Person-centred compliments emphasise the personal qualities of a child, such as intelligence, friendliness or talent.
Research shows that when you give a person-oriented or product-oriented compliment, for example “You’re so clever!” or “That went well”, children do not gain more self-esteem. In fact, it can cause them to become insecure and more focused on possible failure. As a result, they will not choose to do things that they can learn from, but things they are already good at. Which ultimately will thwart their development.
However, when children are complimented on their behaviour, commitment and effort, for example “You’ve really done your best”, their self-esteem actually increases. They aren’t upset by the fact that something didn’t work out; they are happy because they get approval and appreciation for their endeavours. These children are more inclined to take on harder challenges, with the belief that they will eventually succeed. It doesn’t matter if something doesn’t work out, because the focus is on their efforts. And this also stimulates resilience. 

The best way to compliment

• Give a compliment at that moment in time, and not later. This ensures that your child understands what the compliment is for and they can link the exact situation and behaviour to it. It is difficult for young children to recall a situation, and therefore the compliment will lose some of its value.
• Only give a compliment if it is sincere. Don’t compliment for the sake of it. Constant complimenting about something, regardless of whether your child is doing well or has put a lot of effort into it, is not effective. Children will then only behave in a certain way for the purpose of being complimented, while it is better if they are intrinsically motivated to do something. They will also attach less value to subsequent compliments.
• Give a substantive compliment. So, don’t say “Well done!” or “Good job!”, but highlight exactly what you think is good. This ensures that your child will understand exactly what they are being shown appreciation for with your compliment and they know exactly what it is that they are evidently doing well. Paying your child a substantive compliment also means you are showing them respect, as “Well done!” or “Good job!” can sometimes come across as patronising.
• Give a descriptive compliment that is without judgment. For example: “You can play with so many different children”, instead of “How nice that you asked him to play too”. This means that you prevent your child from becoming dependent on your judgment and developing a sense of not being good enough as they are.
• Give your child a chance to compliment themselves by asking what they think of their behaviour in a particular situation. That way, you teach your child to recognise these moments and to appreciate themselves instead of needing to take all the appreciation from others.
• Always give a compliment without making any remarks. For example, by adding “…wish you always did that” after the compliment. It nullifies the positive effect of the compliment.

If you’d like to find out more about how we approach compliments at our childcare centre, then feel free to come and take a look. Please get in touch to request a tour.

Spending a lot of time at home with the kids is certainly cosy, but it can also be a challenge. So how can you fill up your days in a meaningful way when you are at home with your child(ren)? CompaNanny's team of Pedagogic Coaches is more than happy to provide practical suggestions and tips. Each week we will update this page with new activities, so watch this space!

Daily routine

Screen time and media use among children are popular themes in our digital society. These are subjects that include a lot questions when it comes to the upbringing of children. In fact, more questions are asked about his, than about sleeping and nutrition. Therefore, we take you into research on this subject and list some tips. It is also definitely worthwhile discussing this together because, in doing so, you can help guide your child in their use of digital media from the get-go. 

Positive effects of digital media use
Due to the rapidly growing range, and frequent use, of digital media among adults and children, there has been a great deal of research carried out about the topic. There are studies on numbers: how often and for how long do children look at a screen? But in recent years, there have been more and more studies on the consequences screen time has on the development of children. Something that many parents/guardians are curious about.
There are some studies that have shown that a lot of screen time has a negative effect on development, while other studies have not found any significant effect. What’s more, other studies have shown that young children can learn logical reasoning and cognitive skills from videos. Research has also shown that the use of a touchscreen by young children is connected to fine motor development, such as a child’s ability to stack blocks or hold a pencil 

2,5 hours screen time per day
Young children (0-6 years of age) look at a screen for an average of 1 hour and 45 minutes a day. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, this has increased to an average of 2.5 hours a day. Due to the unusual circumstances and being at home more this year, parents/guardians have become less strict.
In the Netherlands, 80% of all parents/guardians wonder how much screen time is healthy for their child. Perhaps you do too. And just as many parents/guardians wonder what they can provide their child as an alternative to media use. At the same time, 84% are also happy that they can sometimes fall back on a screen to keep their child occupied. On the one hand, media use brings serenity to family life, but on the other hand, most parents/guardians would prefer their child do other things than stare at a screen. Many parents/guardians struggle with a good balance.

Healthy screen time
It is difficult to determine exactly what is considered healthy with regards to maximum time on a screen. One specialist says a maximum of 10 minutes, while another says a maximum of an hour. There is no official advice on this matter available yet. After all, families and children also differ. It is therefore important that you, as a parent/guardian, assess what is good for your child. A guideline here can be to pay attention to when your child is no longer concentrating on the screen; that is a good indicator that it is time for another activity.

This is how you find a good balance
It’s quite normal to find it difficult determining what is healthy media use for your child. You are not alone and in this modern society there are screens everywhere, which does not make it easier to find a good balance. Remember: if you want your child to cut down on their screen time and media use, it doesn’t have to be done in one fell swoop. Try it step by step. And perhaps the following tips will help you further:

• Be a good example: The time that you, as a parent/guardian, spend behind a screen reflects on your child’s screen time. Children see and copy your behaviour. And by looking at mum and dad, they learn what’s normal. Therefore, make sure you limit your own screen time. This way you are a good role model and you instantly actively create more quality time with your child. Also be aware of your reactions to something you watch or do together. If you are very disappointed with the unsuccessful completion of a game, or react with shock to a video, your child will adopt the same reactions.
• Ensure variety: Try to encourage your child to move around all the time instead of sitting in front of a screen. Movement is essential for the healthy physical development of your child. It is therefore better to have a Pikler Triangle (small climbing frame) in the room than to give your child their own tablet. You can also make sure that screen time is just one of the things you do at home, rather than being the main activity. For example, blow bubbles or go outside together at other times; let your child play, read or dance on their own; put on a children’s playlist and let them sing along with it; or put on an audiobook.
• Make agreements: By making agreements it is clear to everyone what is and what is not acceptable, and you will avoid difficult moments, such as taking your child away from the screen. As well as making agreements about how long your child can spend on certain digital media, also be sure to agree upon which times and which videos/games you find suitable. It is also important to be clear with young children who aren’t able to speak yet. They understand more than you think, so be clear about the situation. In addition, help your child prepare to end the activity. Young children have no sense of time yet, so give them fair warning, both five minutes in advance and two minutes in advance.

• Do it together: Firstly, this way you can keep an eye on what your child is doing online and prevent any unwanted media use. In addition, it is good for the development of your child if you react to what is happening and talk about what you see. For example, ask questions, name (new) words or point out something in a video to your child that they had not yet noticed. Do a dance if that is also done in the video or make an association to the real world, for example: ‘We also have a tree in our garden, look!’
• Choose consciously: Media with lots of colour, movement and sound is extremely attractive, yet not all videos or games are equally suitable. Do not pay attention to labels such as ‘educational’; for young children, everything is still educational and there is no such thing as ‘real education like the one they receive at school’. Furthermore: pay attention to whether the media matches your child’s interests and development phase. Make sure your child recognises aspects and can associate them with their own daily life. In addition to that, provide repetition. Young children especially enjoy repetition; they learn from it.

At CompaNanny, children do not use tablets, but we do pay attention to different activities that match the needs of each child.

Much more than adults, children live in the here and now. While we constantly have our busy schedules in mind, children just think about what is happening right now. And while young urban professionals take a mindfulness course to find themselves, children are completely absorbed in the moment. Children subconsciously lives very consciously.
Children experience daily activities as separate parts of the day. It is difficult to imagine a day as a whole at a young age. Only after a lot of repetition does a child recognize situations and associate those with each other. When specific moments during the day are repeated, a child builds knowledge and experience in that. This way, recognizing what is to come, becomes easier. A child then slowly learns to anticipate. 

The ritual of dinner
As adults, we incorporate all sorts of rituals and structures in our daily actions. Much more than we think. However, we tend to be unaware of said patterns because we do them automatically. Think of washing your hands after using the toilet, lean back when you have finished your food, do groceries at the same store every time, or listen to a certain song while cleaning your house. We also tend to use the same objects in specific situations.
Children copy this. A child starts associating certain materials and structures with specific situations. An example of this that recurs daily is mealtime, which is comprised of all sorts of rituals. For instance, we eat at the same time every day, we smell scents of food being prepared, we set the table in advance, wash our hands before we sit down, and put the food on our plates before we start eating. All these structures, the use of certain materials, and even the smell of food, alert your child that it is time to eat.

Recognition creates security
By sticking to a fixed order in the day and especially in certain situations, your child learns to recognize the recurring daily events. This recognition gives him or her a sense of security. Because they can trust themselves and their environment. Only when a child feels secure can he or she focus on what is happening around them. And only then will a child develop.
Children are still learning to properly filter the millions of stimuli that come in at the same time. We grown ups, do this unconsciously, partly because our brain already knows what is important and what not. But for children, everything is new. So when there are certain moments that recur every day and are largely the same, the input of new stimuli is much less.

Predictability prevents overstimulation
Predictability, fixed rituals and repetition therefore ensure peace and quiet, and prevent a child from becoming overstimulated. That is why we at CompaNanny maintain a fixed daily routine for children. It is also the reason that we continuously talk with children and describe everything during the day. The sound of the garbage truck outside, the behaviour of other children, what will happen later, and what we are doing at this moment. So talking to your child is not only useful for their language development. It is also important for their sense of rest and security.

Does your child need predictability?
How important predictability is for a child, differs per individual. After all, every child has a different temperament. It can be said however, that young children are more sensitive to changes and unpredictability than older children. This is because an older child already has a lot more knowledge about the world and its immediate environment. As a result, he or she is able to place an unexpected event in a familiar and understandable framework much faster.

This is how you create predictability
When you notice that your child is restless or overstimulated, it can help to introduce fixed rituals, or being more consistent with the existing ones. This can be done, for example, by always singing the same song before mealtime, or to always read a book before going to bed. Moreover, it can be very helpful for children if you announce a change or activity some time in advance. For example, announce that you will be heading upstairs to brush their teeth in 10 minutes, and then repeat the announcement 5 minutes in advance. To be able to properly assess what your child needs in this, it is important to watch them and listen to them carefully and respond accordingly.