Now when I say “daily schedule” I don’t mean a rigid, must follow, daily regimen for your 1 year old. This is more a guideline for building out a structured day (or even week). I will show you what it can look like and why it is REALLY GOOD for your little ball of energy.
Why Does a Toddler Need a Schedule?
Odds are if you are reading this post you already through about wanting a schedule for your toddler. Or it could be that you are looking for ways to tamp down some of the chaos that is your day to day. Regardless, lets talk about why a schedule can be such a good thing for your toddler.
So why a Schedule? A structured day is great for toddlers because it creates stability and security. Both essential for emotional and cognitive development. So why a schedule? Stability. Security. Lets talk about that.
A kid needs stability. They thrive on routine. The predictable. Take the attachment they have to that stuffed animal for example. Or to YOU even. Your little one is developing and a stable environment gives them the foundation for their cognitive development. It also gives them the emotional stability that allows them to explore, take risks, and develop confidence.
What Does a Toddler Schedule Look Like?
Well what it doesn’t look like is forcing a kid to follow a strict routine. There is no “6:30 AM child wakes, 6:45 child eats breakfast, 7:15 child plays for 15 minutes” etc… If you have a kid that works like clockwork… well that is something I cannot relate to. While similar, watch for a key difference in the toddler schedule I have at my house:
- Around 6:30 toddler wakes up
- Sometimes is 6:00. Sometimes 7:00. Most days somewhere in between.
- About 30 minutes after waking toddler eats breakfast
- I like to give them a drink of water and brush teeth first thing when they get up
- Once breakfast is done, toddler plays for a few minutes and then is helped to get dressed
- Morning Walk time!
- Sometimes this is a 15 minute walk, sometimes it is 1.5 hours. Depends on lots of things!
- Come home and play, help mom with chores etc..
- 9:30is (a few hours after breakfast) SNACK TIME!!
- And drinks. I offer water anytime they want all day long.
- 10:00AM Go to the library for Story time on Tuesday and Thursday
- Sometime between 11:00 and 11:30 offer Lunch
- Some days they eat a lot, others.. meh
- Nap time between 11:45 and 12:15
- Sleep for 2ish hours
- Wake up and play!
- Another walk or outside time
- Help to tidy the house before dinner
- Help to make dinner or play with Dad
- Eat Dinner sometime around 5:00 – 6:00
- Bath time!
- Wind down play
- Stories/Family Scripture Study
- Sometime between 7:30 and 8:00 Bedtime
Notice the difference? Flexibility! Key words being “between, sometime around, after” etc… Schedules are more guidelines. A framework for predictability…. and stability.
How to Build Your Toddler Schedule
Start by acknowledging what the toddler needs to keep them happy.
- Enough Sleep
- Good Food
- Engaged Play Time
- Independent Play
- Outside Time
- Creativity
- ENOUGH SLEEP (oh did I say that twice? Must be important!)
Then look at what YOU need and what your family needs. A toddler who is the youngest of 3 is going to need to be a part of giving rides to school and sports practice, and the rest of the activities that go on as older kids start to get a little older. If you work, your toddler schedule may include daycare. Or maybe you want to include play time with friends too! There are hundreds of things you can fill your day with. Stability doesn’t have to mean boring or “we cant do anything because the baby has a schedule”.
Protect the times that do matter though. Make sure you are giving your toddler the time they need to get a good nap. Give them time to wind down for an early bedtime. Make sure they have healthy food to eat, even if dinner is in a lunch bag while you watch older sisters soccer game. Create a schedule that works for you, and adapt it as needed. BUT always keep in mind that some predictability and stability is going to make everyone happier.
