Daily Schedule for Toddlers

It is helpful to have certain days to do certain things. Mondays I always go grocery shopping. Tuesdays I try to stay home and play. Wednesdays I try to get together with a friend. Thursdays we try to stay home again. Fridays we clean for the weekend. Have outside time and quiet time everyday is built into the schedule.

Hi I.,

Not a dumb question at all! I was there not too long ago myself! This is the schedule that I came up with:

8:30 wake, dress, brush teeth
9:00 BREAKFAST
9:30 TV or video
10:00 large motor activity (outdoor play, TaeBo with Mommy)
10:30 table time activity (drawing, coloring, art project)
11:00 dancing / music time
11:30 LUNCH PREP - free play (blocks, cars, etc.) or continue dancing
12:00 LUNCH
12:30 nap
3:30 SNACK
4:00 outdoor play (or dancing / music if weather doesn't permit)
5:00 DINNER PREP - table time activity (drawing, coloring, art project)
5:30 flash cards
6:00 DINNER
6:30 play time with Daddy or outing (take a walk, go to park)
7:30 bath, brush teeth, jammies
8:30 bedtime story & lights out

One thing you have to know, though, is that it will often times not go according to plan. My times are just guidelines and the activities change frequently (adding in more structured educational stuff now). If he's having a lot of fun with a certain activity, I let it continue for as long as he'd like (unless it's TV time! lol). Just be flexible and have fun with it! Enjoy your time with the kids - it goes by so fast!

HTH ~ L.

Getting schedule that works is so hard isn't it?
I struggle with guilt about how much should be structured or playing together and how much time I should be letting him do his own thing.

The most important thing for me is planning the week. Monday I do a lot of cleaning, Tuesdays we usually meet friends, Thursday I do most of my grocery shopping and errands, and Friday is for yard work. This helps me plan our time at home better, so that I'm not rushing him from one thing to another. I know he needs days where we just hang out at home as much as he needs time with kids his age. I want to spread it around the weeks so one day isn't to rushed.

I bet you'll find that the days fall into a natural pattern and you just need to tweak it to make your life a little easier! Summer is a great time to start bing a SAHM! Congratulations on this great new part of your life!!!

Oh, you might want to join a group like MOPS or a play group. They can be a lifesaver in the winter when you feel trapped indoors.

I.,

You may want to check out my blog.
www.shapinglittlesouls.blogspot.com

I list a bunch of ideas for activities you can do with little ones at various ages. Click on the side bar at the age you are looking at.

My goal is to do one of these in the morning and one in the afternoon. If I plan too much I get frustrated if i don't do what what was planned.

If you can do more great! But start small.

Feel free to contact me for questions about the blog.

The most important thing is HAVE FUN!

welll there are good days and not so good days

I am not a particularly organized person.

But we get up.. 7 ish.. breakfast and then they play with toys... If they are playing nicely I do not get involved.. if they are fighting then I have to be more involved... we do coloring time, playdoh, etc... then after it is warm enough we go outside.. run jump.... bikes... whatever-- then it is lunch time and naptime.. I use TV as my helper.. we often watch 1 20 minute show before nap... and 1 while I am cooking dinner.

we go outside as much as possible .. for 30-60 minutes in the morning and about the same in the evening. Yes they should go out every day. Tehre are plenty of days that it rains or is too cold or windy that you cant stay out very long..

I would encourage you to find a couple of activities to take the kids to. Either join a playgroup or library story time or music class....I try to get us out of the house most mornings - not so much in the summer but absolutely in the winter months when we cant play outside ..

To be honest you probably have more time than I do with 2 but with four its alot harder. Because by the time you clean up from one meal seems like your making another or trying to fit something in between. So I would try to do some arts and crafts between something and than maybe a play time and than maybe try to do some fun play thing so they get some learning skills in like a game of with matchy matchy or something so they can learn letters and shapes and colors. Plus reading a half hr with them is excellent make sure you point at the words as you read theres videos from leap frog out there they are 45 min videos so you could stick the letter one in and let them play or watch it depending if there interested but as long as its on they can learn there letters.Also that way you can pick up or clean up. To be honest there is not enough time in a day. I do allthe chores and do my time with there time with play things and run a business it is possible and tryi nt have another. Good luck!! Remember Breath and don't put too much on yourself you need time for mom too and hubbie.

We sort of wing it most days, but alot of outside time. We do crafts, play with playdough, imagnative play (dolls and pretend), and other indoor acivities as she is interested in them. She will not do any of the abouve everyday and sometimes it is a week or so before she will do them again. She will do them at daycare everyday, but not at home (I substitute teach so sometimes I work almost everyday and other times I have more than a week at hoem with her.). The beach is alot of fun, local parks, and going for walks with their wagon or tricycle are great fun for them too.

Relax and enjoy your family! Get a meal planned each day and keep up as well as you can on laundry and basic cleaning. Give your children focused attention and lots of touching and laughing. Make your home a happy place and get the rest you need. Get some time with other women and take the kids - a play group or LaLeche League would be great. I'd strongly urge you to breastfeed this next baby on demand and you'll see how this helps anchor your mothering of your children, if you don't already do this. I don't know where you live. I am involved in LLL in south Macomb County and also in a weekly Christian moms' group. Be happy to give you more info.

I have a just turned 4 year old and a 7 month old. I am just like you and thrive (as do my girls) on a loose schedule. Here's ours:
7AM- baby wakes, nurses, gets dressed, plays
8AM-4 year old gets up, dresses...
8:30ish- breakfast
9AM- playtime with toys
Right before nap we head upstairs and all read books. I am a huge book lover so the only way I can make sure we read books each day is to "schedule" it in.
10- baby nurses and then has naptime- my oldest and I usually do an art project, playdough, or somthing that isn't easy to do with the baby awake.
11- I'll let my oldest watch a show at this time so I get a break and can clean or check email
12- baby usually gets up around now, nurses and then we all do Lunch
12:30 head outside so I can wear them out- walk, park, backyard, friends house...Run errands if we need to during this time.
2:30ish- baby nurses and goes down for second nap, oldest and I will bake or prepare dinner together (she loves to cook)
3-have my oldest "rest" in her room and play quietly and I have me time- which unfortunately ends up with me cooking or cleaning.
4- everybody gets up and we play/do whatever they want until my husband gets home from work at 5.

Hope that helps!!

Ours is in flux right now because he's teething and since our apartment complex has sprinklers that go off early in the morning - his wake time has gotten earlier, despite the white noise!

Typical Weekday

6:30 or 7 ish: up/breakfast, say hello/goodbye to Dad
Clean up from breakfast
8:30 snack
Get dressed
Get out - errands or activity/Mom's Group/park/store
11:00 Lunch
11:30/Noon Nap
2:00 ish (this is the big variable of the day for us - how long the nap will last)
Snack
Up and out or activity inside
Depending on when or if Dad gets home for dinner
4 ish "Pre-Dinner" Snack
(If dad's not home, then we'll have an early dinner/go to the park)
5:30 or 6: Dinner/Playtime w/family (If dad's home)
7 Sleep Routine begins
between 7:30/8pm Sleep Time.

Weekends vary more, but I try to get ds out every day because our apartment is really tiny for all the energy he has to let out! Good luck.

the main thing is to be consistant with the routine there should be some type of out door play planed learning (such as playing with educational toys playdough stacking toys) a rest time a reading time snack time also check with your local library and recreation center they should have free or reasonably priced story or play times and this would be good for your childs socialization skills. but most of all just have fun with them

Our schedule is very similar to the two previous posts, and it works out very well for us.

The only thing that I will add is that you should join a moms group of some kind. They provide events to attend with your little ones, and also provides some socialization for you too with other moms.

It's been one of the best things that I did after having my son, and we've made many good friends (for both of us!). Not sure where you live, but if go to Meetup.com, and key in mom's groups, you should be able to find one in your area. I belong to a couple of them, and there is always something for us to do in the mornings on days we aren't running errands.

Enjoy your time with your children.

Hi I.,

Not a dumb question at all.

My daughter is 21 months ... this is our 'loose' schedule. It can change due to weather, her mood, my mood... whatever. But there are some basics we stick to. Kids DO like routine. Knowing what to expect is important for them.

7am-ish: Wake up (this is dictated by my daughter)
7:30am: Breakfast
7:30-8:00am: Playtime for daughter - checking e-mail for mama
8:00 Get Dressed (shower for mom)
9:00 Playtime/story
9:30am Errands, bikeride, playground (something to get us out of the house)
10:30am SNACK (no matter where we are ... so I'm always prepared)

until lunch is fairly loose ... depends on what is going on. Sometimes we are still out, other times it is doing something at home.

12:00 Lunch

After lunch nap. Time can vary by up to 30 minutes.

2pm-ish: Nap is over
2:30pm SNACK

The Afternoon typically consists of playtime, coloring, reading, playing outside at home.

5/5:30pm: Dinner

6:30pm: Bath
7:00pm: Pick up toys
7:30pm: Bed

I found for us, a lot of trial and error occurred. I needed to find a routine that worked for both of us. I am NOT a morning person.... my daughter IS! So, allowing me some time to check e-mail, check mamasource, etc... in the morning while she played was important. It helps me ease into the day. ;-) I can typically do my housework during her play times. I have found if I play with her for a few minutes and give her my undivided attention for a bit...then after she is fine to play on her own.

I schedule most errands, playdates, and outings in the morning because that is her best time.

Good luck!