When you are at home all day with a toddler, you have to have a plan otherwise you’ll probably start going a little insane as a stay at home mom. You’ll find it really hard to clean or have any time to yourself unless you create a simple schedule.
As you create your schedule be sure to remember a couple of things.
A schedule is just a plan for your day. It doesn’t have to be detailed and minute-by minute.
Your schedule is specific to you and your family. Use my example and others on the internet as inspiration, but come up with your own.
Whenever you create your own toddler schedule, be sure to start with “anchors.” These are the things that happen every day at roughly the same time and will anchor your day. It’s important to keep these activities consistent each day. Your toddler will thrive with consistency and so will you.
You’ll find that you need to create simple routines around your anchors too.
Start with Anchors:
- wakeup time
- nap time
- meals
- bedtime
Toddler Schedule
7:00-8:00 MORNING ROUTINE
Wake up
Go potty
Eat breakfast
Wash face and hands
Get dressed
Brush teeth and comb hair
8:00-8:30 INDEPENDENT PLAY
Read books or play with toys while mom cleans up the kitchen from breakfast and finishes getting ready
8:30-9:00 HOMESCHOOL
This is totally optional. A lot of school activities with toddlers are really just learning through fun and play. You can do puzzles, color, and make crafts.
As you do these school activities, point out colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. It will take lots of repetition and exposure to these facts in order for your toddler to remember them.
Also, you’ll notice that school time is short. Toddlers don’t need to do long school activities. They will continue to learn all day as they interact with you.
Here are 9 Things to Do with your Toddler Each Day.
8:30-10:30 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES
Play outside
Run errands
Have a play date
Go to the library
Play at the park
Go to a museum
10:30 SNACK
Here are 30 Toddler Snack Ideas!
11:00-12:00 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES
play inside – color, sensory bin, water paints, Playdo, books, stickers
Mommy catches up on projects while supervising toddler
Or you may continue the activity from earlier (library, park, ect.)
12:00-12:30 LUNCH
Eat lunch together
Clean up from lunch
12:30-1:30 PLAY OR TECH TIME
If you don’t want to do tech time with your kids, this could be another independent play time. They could play in the backyard while you supervise or with a specific toy inside.
Watch TV
Tablet or computer games
Leap Frog
1:30-2:00 READ WITH MOM
You can read books to your toddler or you could have them look through books independently. You could even do a little of both!
2:00 – 4:00 NAP
Use this time to relax, catch up on social media, read a book, exercise indoors, work, do a hobby. Really, it’s up to you!
4:00 SNACK
Before snack time, have your toddler pick up their toys. Snack time is a great incentive and you won’t have to nag them to get the toys picked up!
4:15 ACTIVITY
This could be a time to do an outdoor activity like riding a tricycle or big wheeler. Or you may have them do a simple activity at the table like Playdoh, dot markers, or a sorting game.
5:00 MAKE SUPPER
While you are making supper, I’ve found the easiest thing to do is have toddlers watch TV. It’s keeps their attention and makes your life easier. I have no problem with them watching a little TV at this time. That’s why TV time is very limited the rest of the day.
I like to strike a balance of it all – quiet activities, outside play, learning games, TV time, chores. As long as my toddler is doing a lot of different things throughout the day, I’m not bothered with some TV.
But if you don’t want them watching any TV, then have a specific activity for them to do while you make supper. They could do it at the kitchen island or dining room table, so you can supervise.
6:00 SUPPER
Eat supper together
Clear dishes
Wash hands and face
Toddler plays with daddy or independently while you clean up the kitchen or vice versus
6:45 BATH TIME
Take bath
Get on PJ’s
Brush Teeth
Read book
7:30 BEDTIME
Freedom! Just kidding. Kind of.
After a day at home with a toddler, now it’s time to relax. You’ve earned it, Mom! I hope this has given you a general idea for how to create your own toddler schedule at home.
Remember that not every day will look the same. Some days will be better than others. Do what works for you and your toddler.
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