Child Development: Essential Habits for Ages 1 to 6
**Child Development: Essential Habits for Ages 1 to 6**
**Acquisition-Related Food Habits**
**Ages 1 to 3:**
- Use a spoon for liquid or semi-liquid foods
- Use a fork
- Drink from a glass
- Maintain a clean table environment
- Chew and swallow properly with the mouth closed
- Carry plates and glasses (full or empty)
- Wait their turn to be served
- Eat everything they ordered, in the quantity consumed
- Clear the table
- Use a napkin
- Wash hands before and after eating
**Ages 3 to 6:**
- Control portion sizes
- Separate inedible parts (bones, thorns, etc.)
- Use a fork and knife
- Peel fruit with a knife
- Brush teeth after eating
- Serve others
- Clear and tidy the table
- Identify and classify food by odor, color, and presentation
- Distinguish flavors and tastes
**Acquisition-Related Habits of Rest and Sleep**
**Ages 1 to 3:**
- Remove simple garments like socks or shoes
- Participate in getting undressed
- Recognize sleep cues
- Say goodnight and good morning
- Fall asleep alone without crying
**Ages 3 to 6:**
- Help organize the sleep space
- Make or tidy the bed
- Keep belongings tidy
- Respect the rest of others
**Acquisition-Related Hygiene Habits**
**Ages 1 to 3:**
- Recognize the pleasant sensation of clean hands and nose
- Ask for help when their nose is dirty
- Wash and dry hands
- Wipe their face
- Use the trash can
- Enjoy bathing and washing body parts
- Sit on and get up from the potty
- Control sphincters
- Ask for help with toileting needs
- Ask to have their hair washed
- Ask to have their nails and hair cut
- Appreciate good body odor and the presence of others
**Ages 3 to 6:**
- Clean up after using the toilet
- Flush the toilet
- Wash hands after using the toilet
- Use toilet paper
- Use the shower
- Blow their nose and use tissues
- Wash and dry their face and hands
- Use a towel
- Control the use of soap
- Brush their teeth
- Cover their mouth when coughing
- Keep hygiene areas clean
- Use water sparingly
- Assess cleanliness and presentation
Ability; habit (learned behavior that is performed based on criteria, daily and correctly, and fosters autonomy); Routine; Autonomy.
Acquisition of habits -> before teaching a habit: Existence of basic capacity (type 2 basic skills: planning and execution); spaces, furniture, and instruments; Affective value; daily routine; Family-school interrelation.
**Acquisition-Related Clothing Habits**
**Ages 1 to 3:**
- Take off shoes and socks
- Put on and take off a coat or jacket
- Dress and undress
- Hang up a jacket, coat, or bag
- Differentiate between front and back of clothing
- Know which hand or foot goes in which glove or shoe
- Fold, store, or put away some simple clothes
- Care for clothes and shoes and keep them clean
- Remove simple stains from clothing
- Protect clothes with a bib or smock
- Appreciate beautiful clothes, color combinations, and accessories
**Ages 3 to 6:**
- Dress and undress independently
- Turn clothes right side out
- Button, zip, and use Velcro closures
- Fold, order, or put away clothes
- Organize a school bag or backpack
- Keep clothes and shoes clean
- Tie shoelaces
- Choose clothing appropriate for the weather
**Acquisition-Related Social Habits**
**Ages 1 to 3:**
- Respond to and call others by name
- Learn the names of children and adults
- Distinguish the roles of parents from other adults
- Respect the rules of the class or home
- Engage in activities with other children (playing, dancing, singing, drama)
- Respect the rules of play
- Collaborate with other children or adults in simple activities
- Work with other children to resolve conflicts or problems
- Receive visitors
- Participate in festivals or celebrations
**Ages 3 to 6:**
- Learn to handle exciting situations
- Pay attention to others
- Respect the play and work of others
- Respect the rest of others
- Play with other children
- Respect the opinions and tastes of others
- Wait their turn to speak
- Avoid responding with tantrums
- Accept the interests of others
- Be honest in conflicts
- Respect the rules of coexistence
- Collaborate on simple tasks
- Decide on the rules of play or coexistence
- Intervene appropriately in a conversation
- Perform and complete group activities
- Admit other children into the group
- Share games, materials, and the attention of adults
- Help those in need
- Participate actively
**Programming the Acquisition of Habits**
At home, observe children, collect information, break down habits into sequences of actions, collaborate with parents, encourage the child’s adaptation (space, equipment, time), modeling, evaluation, and acquired habit, then start again!
Phases of Habit Learning: Preparation, learning, automation, consolidation, and evaluation (individual or group observation patterns).