5 Reasons To Set Toddler Daily Schedule And Tips To Establish It

Setting a daily schedule for toddlers is a great way of making their routine efficient. A toddler schedule lets you accommodate all the essential activities, including naptime and playtime, without worrying about missing out on something. It also helps make the routine predictable for the little ones since they know the exact time for an activity.

Building a good toddler schedule requires you to set an adequate time limit for each activity so that the toddler has an all-around development. In this post, we acquaint you with ways of making a toddler schedule, the points to consider while making the schedule, and how maintaining a daily schedule helps your toddler.

Why Should You Establish A Toddler Schedule?

Besides making your toddler’s routine disciplined, a toddler schedule could provide the following benefits.

• An easy stop to bedtime cribbing: Your toddler will sleep more quickly and create significantly fewer tantrums if you maintain a consistent naptime and sleep routine.

• Develop good habits: A schedule can help the child understand and improve their time management skills from an early age. It also helps them understand that there are appropriate time and time limits for each activity.

• Develop resistance to other factors: A toddler with a schedule could be less likely to be affected by external factors, such as a new sibling or a guest, since they would know exactly when to do their tasks without having to be concerned about the changes.

• Set a foundation for the future: When the toddler is habituated to a schedule from a younger age, they have an easier time adjusting to significant changes that could emerge during their teenage years. It could make them better at adopting any change and making it an integral part of their routine.

• Help the parents in planning: A fixed schedule helps keep the parents more relaxed and organized since they are aware of their child’s naptime, playtime, meal schedule, and other activities.

Sample Chart Of Daily Toddler Routine

Here’s an example of a planned daily schedule for your baby.

• 8:00 am – Wake up
• 8:30 am – Breakfast time
• 9:00 am – Playtime (Games, outing, or walk)
• 10:00 am – Snack time
• 11:30 am – Lunchtime
• Noon – Afternoon nap
• 2:30 pm – Wake up
• 3:00 pm – Snack time
• 3:30 pm – Playtime (Outing or indoor play)
• 5:30 pm – Dinner
• 7:00pm – Bedtime

The following are the various routines that you could follow as part of the toddler schedule.

• Morning routine: Try to keep your morning routine consistent and follow the same steps every day; this will keep your child relaxed and result in minimal mood swings.

• Mealtime routine: Your child should have two snack times in a day apart from the three regular meals. The fixed timings of these meals will keep them prepared, and they will readily eat without much fuss.

• Chores routine: Teach your child the value of household chores from the beginning so that they respect housework. Start by giving them small tasks every day during their playtime. Pick tasks that they are likely to enjoy.

• Playtime routine: Create a playtime routine with at least two play sessions a day. It could include fun indoor games, taking them to the park, going out for a walk, and even doing fun household chores.

• Bedtime routine: Your toddler’s bedtime routine can include a bath, getting them into comfortable PJs, teaching the value of hygiene by brushing teeth before going to bed, and reading a bedtime story, followed by going to bed.

Things You Should Add To Your Toddler’s Schedule

The addition of the following activities in the schedule could uplift the toddler’s mood and provide them with several developmental benefits.

• Play outdoors: Being locked inside the homes can get tiresome for a toddler. Make a habit of taking them out for a few hours every day and letting them play in the fresh air.

• Read books: Make a practice of reading bedtime stories along with your toddler. It stimulates their imaginative power and works on developing their language skills. Engage them in the story by asking them to fill it in with their imagination.

• Dance routine: Try to make the daily routine a bit more entertaining and fun by having a dance session. Play some music and groove on it with your little one.

• Art activities: Encourage your toddler to try art and craft activities, which will enrich their sensory experience and optimize their innovative capabilities.

• Work on gross motor skills: Focus on your toddler’s gross motor skills by indulging them in a few physical activities, such as jumping, playing with a ball, running, and moving up and down the stairs.

• Formulate activities to improve fine motor skills: Try to make your toddler participate in activities that enhance their fine motor skills. You can choose activities such as solving puzzles, painting, and playing with play dough or slime.

• Play with friends: Having friends and playing with them helps your toddler learn the habit of sharing and cooperating. Playing with children of their age group will teach your toddler the value of friendship right from the beginning.

Tips For Developing The Right Schedule For Your Toddler

Here are a few points you could consider while developing the right daily schedule for your toddler.

• Make a plan based on your toddler’s behavior. Your toddler tends to give you hints at what they like and what they don’t. Take those cues and make a daily routine schedule based on your toddler’s preferences.

• Avoid repeated changes to the wake-up time and bedtime. Do not waver when it comes to your child’s sleeping and waking-up time. Uniformity in the sleeping schedule will help both you and your child.

• Don’t skip naptime. Make space for a regular naptime since toddlers could need two to three hours of naps a day.

• Keep the eating schedule consistent. Just like a sleep schedule, the mealtimes should be consistent. Making frequent changes to the time could make the toddler hungry and lazy at odd timings.

• Discuss with your toddler. Remember to take your toddler’s inputs while creating a schedule. They could have some ideas and opinions that can help you better design a well-suited schedule.

• Keep provision for changes. Although the consistency of the daily schedule is vital, you must be mentally prepared to make changes when the situation demands it. The best way to do it is by listing down prospective situations that may affect the toddler’s schedule and how would you adjust it at those moments.

A set toddler schedule is an excellent way of accommodating multiple tasks and activities in a time-bound manner. You can explore various activities and time schedules to pick the one that best works for your toddler. Once you have a schedule, maintain it. Encourage the toddler to observe the schedule themselves so that they learn the good habits of time management and discipline from an early age.