We can never forget that our youngest humans are brand new to the world. Each time they experience different people, places, things, and situations in their environment, they practice how to recognize, respond, and react to them. This is why repetition, or the act of doing an event or a behavior “again,” is a hallmark of early learning.
Shapeshifting as it patterns itself through many forms, repetition shows up as children interact with different activities, situations, routines, and behaviors. Revisiting the realities of their world in different forms becomes a comfort as children encode information meaningfully and practice how they’ll respond when they meet again.
Yet, while the classic cry from children of “Again, again!” can be a comfort and joy in our classrooms and in our homes, repetition (in its many forms) can also present challenges that overstimulate caregivers. Still, our support of children as they repeat important moments, behaviors, and perspectives is fundamental to their growth.
Recognizing Repetition
Repetition is a reality we face every day in early care and is built directly into our early learning resources and practices. For example, repetition structures many classic children’s stories, repeating the same elements before shifting toward an important lesson (e.g., The Three Little Pigs, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Goldilocks & The Three Bears). The predictability built into these kinds of stories not only helps children learn new words and practice using them in context, but also allows them to take different perspectives in the story and connect their own experiences to those of the characters.
But repetition extends beyond our stories, and can find its way into our songs, routines, behaviors, perspectives, and so much more.
Here are some of the ways repetition may show up in early care (and how it may look):
- Revisiting the same stories, including books, movies, and television programming
(e.g., reading the same book every night before bed). - Repeating a phrase or behavior during a specific step of a routine
(e.g., being the one to press the elevator button). - Tapping, stimming, or making the same noise
(e.g., tapping out a rhythm). - Exploring the same property of an object
(e.g., flipping a switch or rocking a chair). - Struggling with transitions to a new routine or perspective
(e.g., still wanting to line up first after switching jobs from “Line Leader” to “Door Holder”). - Expecting to complete a chore the same way each time
(e.g., peeling their own banana from a specific point). - Playing out the same scenario with different materials or “characters”
(e.g., reenacting a real-life moment using toys).
Benefits of Repetition
Modern science supports children’s natural pull toward repetition. Revisiting the same neural pathways not only discourages “synaptic pruning,” but also insulates important connections during a critical “use it or lose it” window of brain development. As young children explore and repeat certain actions, they are actually laying the foundation in their brains to make important behaviors and insights available when they need them.
From a social-emotional standpoint, repetition allows children to revisit important pieces of the world around them, break down the details of a situation, and determine what their options are for interacting with it. Furthermore, to our children who are experiencing so many “firsts” each day, the predictability offered through repetition can also become a grounding comfort for them as they process.
When Do Caregivers Need to “Stop the Loop”?
While repetition is vital to development, it can be uniquely overwhelming for caregivers. We are already operating at a “higher volume” in early care and education, and hearing, witnessing, and/or interacting with the same thing over and over and over can exhaust our more developed brains and wear on our patience.
Sometimes, we need to take a deep breath and regulate ourselves through the discomfort. If that feels unfair, I’d like to remind you that we actually expect children to do this and do it flawlessly. When they are unable to regulate their discomfort, disappointment, or overstimulation, we call it “bad behavior” or a “rough day.” If we expect them to navigate these situations with grace, we must hold ourselves to that same standard as we lead by example.
Still, there are times we need to “stop the loop.” However, the way we respond depends on why the repetition is happening.
1. Redirecting Repetition
If a child is repeating a behavior, noise, or action and it becomes “too much,” try sharing your perspective and redirecting meaningfully. This means that we give them something new to do instead of just saying “stop what you are doing.”
For example, if a child is singing the same line of the same song again and again:
“I love to hear your singing voice, but my ears and mind are getting tired of ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat.’ Let’s finish this one and then sing the ‘ABCs.’”
Sharing your perspective helps children understand that other people have the same kinds of thoughts, feelings, motivations, and struggles that they do, too. It also provides a wonderful example of how to calmly and politely advocate for yourself.
2. Repetition in the “Wrong” Context
While the world could be gentler with young humans and their caregivers in many ways, even in a softer world we need to teach our children to be considerate of others. If we are in a public place and our children are making a repetitive noise or demand, we need to explain how that kind of “noise pollution” impacts others in a shared space.
For example, if your child is making a loud noise over and over in an indoor space, you could say something like:
“You are sharing that sound with the other people buying their groceries. Let’s save it and be silly together when we get home and put away our food.”
When we take this approach, we say to the child, “We need to consider other people—this is not the place to work this out.” However, understanding it is a natural part of their development, we also tell them where the right place is and when they can expect to be there.
3. Responding to Repetition as “Misbehavior”
Now, as children explore the world, sometimes they repeat the same mistakes or misbehaviors in an effort to produce a specific effect or response to it. When children start repeating something to purposely demand attention and redirection isn’t effective (which we all know it sometimes—especially in these kinds of situations—is not), we need to focus on removing our attention and/or the desired effect.
In real time, this often means it is time to “tap in” another caregiver like a Teacher’s Assistant, program Director or Administrator, or co-parent and physically leave the room (or change the environment for the child). We don’t have to make it a big display or name it as a punishment/consequence either. We simply approach this way and say:
“We need a break from each other to cool off, but we will come back together soon and get to the other side of this.”
If you are navigating care on your own (like many are), you can still say, “I need some space right now” and mean it. We can still keep a child safe and supervised while we focus our attention on something else.
It is important to note that when we are effective in this approach, the child is likely to try a little harder when they start to see that repeating the behavior is not producing the desired result (i.e., getting your attention or something else they want). Still, we wait through it and help them land on the other side where we can discuss more effective ways to meet the need they are trying to meet (e.g., finding a time to do a predictable activity together like go on a walk or make art where they can rely on your undivided attention).
Embracing Repetition
Repetition is one of the most predictable rhythms of early childhood. It lays a foundation in their brains, helps them practice behaviors and perspectives they need, and can also serve as a comfort to the child. Sure, it can feel irritating or overwhelming. However, when we understand its natural place in early care, we can learn to respond with boundaries that still honor their development. In early care, repetition isn’t just some annoyance for us to manage–it’s a natural learning modality. When we learn to hear what children are saying through it, we’re better equipped to support them, guide them, and help them feel safe enough to try.
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