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Start your toddler’s day by setting a wake up time. Most toddlers get up early in the morning, around 6:30-6:45 am. If your toddler tends to get up later than 6:45 am, do not try to wake them up earlier. Let your toddler decide when they will wake up.  You may set aside 15 minutes for your toddler to wake up slowly on their own and play a little in their crib before you get them ready for the day. You may try to wait until 7 am to initiate a start to your toddler’s day. You may then allow 30 minutes to dress the toddler and get the toddler to brush their teeth. You may also include a time to wash their face and go to the bathroom. Depending on the needs of your toddler, you may actually schedule breakfast time before they brush their teeth and get dressed, as some toddlers wake up hungry. You can decide to feed your toddler first so they are more cooperative when it comes time to get dressed and brush their teeth. Try to keep their breakfast light and easy to make. Allow for 30 minutes for your toddler to eat their breakfast. You want to keep the breakfast time short so your toddler has time to play in the late morning. Once your toddler is done with breakfast, you should create a late morning routine. Start with 1 hour of play time after breakfast where you read books together or allow your toddler to play with siblings or family members.  After 1 hour of playtime, you may schedule another hour of arts and crafts or do another activity together, like listening or dancing to music. Try to include at least 2 different activities in the late morning so your toddler has some variety and is not doing the same activity for the majority of the morning. You should try to include activities that are stimulating but also calming, like doing finger painting or drawing. Mixing in active and relaxing activities throughout your toddler’s day can help them get used to pacing themselves.  Keep in mind that toddlers have short natural attention spans (their age plus 1, in minutes—meaning a 3-year-old has an attention span of 4 minutes). Try to plan structured activities that fit into this time frame in order to keep your child engaged. You should stick to an afternoon lunch time, ideally at 12 pm. Allow your toddler 30-60 minutes to wash up and eat lunch.  After lunch at 12 pm, schedule in a nap. Toddlers between the ages of 1-2 years old need about 11-14 hours of sleep total. Scheduling in a nap after lunch is ideal, as this will ensure your toddler is well rested before dinner but is still tired enough after dinner to go to sleep at night. Depending on the age of your toddler, you may include 2 naps a day, 1 in the late morning and 1 in the early afternoon, after lunch. Once your toddler reaches 18 months old, they will only need 1 nap a day, at 1-3 hours long. After your toddler’s nap, you should plan a few activities for the late afternoon. This should include a light afternoon snack and some time outside, if possible. Plan for an activity outdoors like going for a walk to a nearby playground or running around outside in the yard. Doing something physical outdoors in the late afternoon will also allow your toddler to get their energy out before dinner. This could make the preparations for dinner and bedtime much smoother. You should start getting your toddler ready for dinner about 30 minutes before dinner time. Try to establish a routine of washing their hands and face and changing out of any dirty clothing before dinner time. This will ensure your toddler knows what to expect before they sit down to eat. Have dinner time at the same time every day, usually around 5:30-6pm. You may allow for 1 hour for dinner, especially if your toddler is eating with the rest of the family. Dinner time can be a good way for your toddler to bond with everyone and also learn how to model good table manners by watching others eat. It can be tricky to get your toddler to go to bed. But if you stick to a consistent day schedule and establish a before bed routine, your toddler may be more apt to go to bed. You should try to stick to the same before bed routine and the same bedtime every night. Most toddlers should be in bed by 8 pm to ensure they get enough sleep.  Include a brief playtime after dinner and allow your toddler to do something relaxing, like read a book or watch a favorite television show. You can also include a nighttime snack like a warm glass of milk. You may also include time for a warm bath before bed. Your toddler should also get into their pajamas and brush their teeth. The final step in your bedtime routine might be singing a quiet song in bed or reading a bedtime story. You may also allow your toddler to get into bed with a favorite toy or a comfort blanket. Having a security object in bed, such as a toy, can help your toddler fall asleep. Once you feel you have a complete schedule set for your toddler, you should write it down and view it as a whole. Make sure you include enough daily activities that are active and also calming. You should also make sure you establish set wake times, nap times, and bedtimes for your toddler. Your schedule may look like this:  6:30-6:45 am: Wake up time, with time set aside for playing in the crib/bed 7:30 am: Breakfast 8:00 am: Get dressed, brush teeth, wash face 8:30 am: Play time 10:30 am: Morning snack 11:00 am: Arts and crafts time 11:30 am: Calming activity 12:00 pm: Lunch time 12:30 pm: Nap time 2:30-3:00 pm: Afternoon snack 3:00 pm: Outdoor play time 5:30 pm: Dinner time 6:00-6:30 pm: Brief playtime 7:00 pm: Bath 7:30 pm: Before bed routine 8:00-8:15 pm: Bedtime
Establish a wake up time. Include a breakfast time. Create a late morning routine. Include a lunch time and a nap. Put in a late afternoon routine. Make a before dinner plan. Include a before bed routine. View the schedule as a whole.