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Kindergarten - Flow of the Day: Structured Literacy and Play

By Nikki Alderman Last updated 2026/02/19

Description

This poster outlines two ideas of how to structure the day in a kindergarten classroom. Flow of the day considerations and reflective questions are also included.

Curriculum Connection

Incorporating structured literacy throughout the day is an important consideration in the new Kindergarten curriculum.
Grade(s): K
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4 Comments

  1. I am not a Kindergarten educator; however, in all full-day Kindergarten classrooms I have observed, a quiet or rest time is typically incorporated into the daily schedule. In the flow of the day samples provided, these periods are not included. Should quiet/rest time be assumed within these samples, or is it recommended that educators not include them in the Kindergarten day?

    1. Hi Paul,

      Thanks for your comment. I’m Melissa, one of the ONlit team members.

      When I was a K teacher I didn’t specifically schedule in rest or quiet time however I was responsive to their needs. For example, if we were coming back from a high energy activity like outdoor time or physical education, I would schedule an activity that supported them in co-regulating their needs to calm down.

      A favourite activity was always to have read alouds at these time to help bring them back to calm bodies.

      Every kid is different so being responsive to their needs as a whole as well as individually is important.

      Offering choice is also an effective way to be responsive to their needs. Having a variety of activities available, especially after high energy times of the day, or times of the day when their energy tends to lag, helps them to be successful in their self-regulation.

      I always found that free play in the afternoon with high-interest inquiry based activities supported my learners best.

      As mentioned in the webinar, there is no one way to create a flow of the day, but thinking about the key learning that needs to happen and the best times for those to occur helps set the tone for the day. From there, you can take into consideration the needs of your learners.

      1. Melissa, I appreciate you sharing your experiences and insights. It highlights the importance of thinking about the key learning that needs to happen while also responding to learners’ needs. Many thanks.

  2. Thank you for this resource. I think it will provide for useful discussion in my B.Ed Early reading class. Students want to know options for how to structure their day and this provides an excellent idea for consideration. Thank you.
    Chris Mattatall, PhD
    University of Lethbridge

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