A child starts building a tall tower, runs out of big blocks halfway, and it all wobbles. Another starts a drawing in the middle of the page and runs out of room for the sun. Jumping straight in is natural for young children, and sometimes it's exactly right. But learning to pause and plan first saves a lot of frustration, and it's a skill that grows with practice.
This article explains why planning matters, suggests a simple routine to use at home, and shares games and everyday moments that help children think a few steps ahead.
Why plan first?
- Fewer do-overs. A minute of planning can save ten minutes of starting again.
- Less frustration. Children who know what comes next are less likely to get stuck and give up.
- More independence. A child with a plan can carry on without asking "what now?" at every step.
- A key thinking skill. Planning is part of what psychologists call executive function: the mental skills we use to organise ourselves and reach goals.
Planning doesn't need to be serious or long. For a young child, a plan can be three sentences.
The "say it, do it, check it" routine
This short routine works for almost any activity.
- Say it. Before starting, your child describes their plan in up to three steps: "First I'll put the big blocks at the bottom, then the medium ones, then the little ones on top."
- Do it. They follow the plan. You stay nearby but try not to take over.
- Check it. Afterwards, compare: "Did it go the way you planned? What was different? What would you do next time?"
The checking step is where the learning happens. There's no need to judge the plan as good or bad. Just notice what worked.
Everyday moments to practise
| Activity | Planning question | Checking question |
|---|---|---|
| Building with blocks | "What will you build, and what goes first?" | "Did the tower stand? What helped?" |
| Drawing a picture | "What will be in your picture, and where?" | "Did everything fit on the page?" |
| Getting ready to go out | "What do we need to take?" | "Did we forget anything?" |
| Helping in the kitchen | "What do we need on the table before we start?" | "Was anything missing?" |
| A day out | "Where will we go first, and then?" | "Was the order a good idea?" |
Pick one or two moments a week at first. Planning out loud every single time can become tiring.
Games for thinking a few steps ahead
- Finger mazes. Before drawing a line through a maze, your child traces the route with a finger first. If they hit a dead end, they've learned something without a messy pencil line.
- Tower challenges. "Can you build a tower using exactly these ten blocks?" Children soon realise that some orders work better than others.
- Packing game. Lay out items for a pretend trip and ask your child to choose what to pack in a small bag, explaining why.
- Board and card games. Many simple games reward thinking ahead: "If I move here, what could happen next?"
- "What happens next?" stories. Pause a story and ask what the character should do, and what might happen after that.
Ages vary a lot. Many 4- and 5-year-olds can plan one or two steps; older children can often think three or more steps ahead. Start where your child is.
In Dologi, "Drive the car" puzzles ask children to fill a row of moves so the car collects every star without hitting a wall. The whole route is planned before the car sets off, which is planning ahead in a nutshell.
When plans change
Good planners aren't people who never change their plans. They're people who notice when a plan isn't working and adjust it.
- Make room for "plan B". "If we run out of big blocks, what could we do instead?"
- Praise adjusting, not just following. "You saw the tower was leaning and you changed the order. That was clever."
- Model it yourself. "I planned to go to the park, but it's raining. Let's make a new plan."
- Keep it kind. If a plan fails, treat it as information, not a mistake to be ashamed of.
In short
- Planning first means fewer do-overs, less frustration and more independence.
- Use the "say it, do it, check it" routine, with plans of up to three steps.
- Practise in everyday moments: building, drawing, getting ready, days out.
- Play games that reward thinking ahead, and praise children for adjusting when plans change.
Read more: What are executive function skills? Three skills that help children learn on their own