Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten Routines

Instructional routines are one of the most important foundations of a successful kindergarten classroom because young learners are still developing the skills needed to participate successfully in school.

Routines support learning by creating predictability and reducing cognitive load. Rather than taking away from academic instruction, routines help create the stability and instructional access students need to successfully engage with rigorous learning throughout the day. When students know what to expect and how to participate, they are able to focus more attention on reading, writing, discussion, and thinking rather than the procedures surrounding the lesson.

Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) recognizes that these routines must be explicitly taught, modeled, practiced, and revisited over time. Repetition and reteaching are especially important after school breaks, schedule changes, or long periods away from a routine.

Complete the short form on this page to download your free copy of 10 Developmentally Appropriate Instructional Routines for Kindergarten Classrooms, or keep reading for example routines and implementation tips.

What Is Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)?

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) is about providing instruction that is more responsive, scaffolded, and engaging for young learners. It requires being responsive to a child’s age, individual developmental needs, and their cultural and linguistic background.

DAP classrooms recognize that kindergarten students are simultaneously learning academic content while also developing key skills like self-awareness, self-regulation, controlling impulses, and having healthy, respectful interactions with others.

Note that DAP is not about simplifying the content or reducing expectations; it is about helping to prepare students for rigorous, grade-level instruction and expectations.

How to Implement Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Routines

First, implement your DAP routines with clear goals. DAP classrooms intentionally create opportunities for students to:

• Learn expectations through modeling and interaction
• Practice routines repeatedly
• Use visuals and movement to support transitions
• Build independence gradually over time

In practice, implementing developmentally appropriate routines will look like:

• Teachers modeling routines step-by-step
• Consistent call-and-response cues
• Students independently using familiar routines
• Movement and visuals are regularly incorporated into instruction

Tip: Expect to spend significant time teaching and practicing routines at the beginning of the year. The time invested upfront creates smoother instruction, reduces interruptions, and increases students’ ability to engage independently during rigorous learning tasks later.

Example Kindergarten Instructional Routines

Try these three routines in your kindergarten classroom to help prepare your students for rigorous, academic learning. Be sure to complete the short form on this page to download the full guide with 10 Developmentally Appropriate Instructional Routines for Kindergarten Classrooms.

Example Kindergarten Instructional Routine: Read-Aloud Ready

Read-aloud time works best when students know exactly how to sit, listen, and show they are ready to learn.

Teachers can support this through a simple call-and-response routine:

• Eyes! (students point to their eyes and respond: Watching!)
• Ears! (students cup their ears and respond: Listening!)
• Voice! (students place a finger to their lips and respond: Quiet!), and
• Body! (students hug themselves or place hands in their laps and respond: Still!)

This routine helps students see and feel what focus looks like by pairing language with physical actions.

To ensure it is effective, teachers should explicitly model each response, demonstrating both the behavior and the language, and provide daily opportunities for practice so the routine becomes automatic. It can also be helpful to post a picture for what real students look like when they are ready to learn.

Example Kindergarten Instructional Routine: Counter Caterpillars

Counter Caterpillars is a great routine to teach students how to use manipulatives appropriately in the classroom and sets them up for success with future literacy tasks.

Begin by modeling: “We’re going to build a caterpillar using four counters. Watch me add one at a time.” Place the counters in a straight row, from left to right.

Then guide students to practice with you. When finished, slide all counters back into the ready-to-use pile or “caterpillar home.”

Practice building and resetting with different numbers of counters so students learn to organize and control their materials.

Example Kindergarten Instructional Routine: Pencil Primer

To help students who are new to writing in the classroom, begin by teaching how to hold a pencil.

Model how to pick up the pencil, then show how it can flip and rest into position in the hand. Next, guide students to pinch and hold the pencil near the tip and introduce the helper hand as the hand that holds the paper still so it doesn’t slide away.

To support students in remembering the steps, teach a simple song set to a familiar tune, such as Frère Jacques:

Pick it up, pick it up;
Flip and rest, flip and rest;
Pinch and hold it;
Helper hand will hold it;
Make your mark;
Make your mark.

As students sing, have them act out each step, moving slow and smooth as they write. Reinforce that the pencil is a tool, not a toy, and provide ongoing opportunities for practice.

Get Your Free Kindergarten Instructional Routine Guide

Be sure to complete the form at the top of this page to get your free copy of 10 Developmentally Appropriate Instructional Routines for Kindergarten Classrooms!

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