Creating a Daily Toddler Schedule | Sample Toddler Schedule + PDF (2024)

Creating a daily toddler schedule can save your sanity. Believe me. I’ve raised five toddlers. Each one of them was challenging in their own way! If you’ve ever felt frustrated as a toddler mom {who hasn’t, right!?!} and you weren’t sure how to structure the day for a toddler, then you’ll want to keep reading.

I’m sharing ways you can structure the day for a toddler plus you’ll find my suggested sample schedule and a free printable toddler schedule you can use today!

You want to know how to make this season of motherhood easier. You want to be a great mom and you love your little one more than you ever thought possible! But sometimes it’s really hard.

I remember when my first child was born, he was such a good baby! So imagine my surprise when he was about 18 months old and turned into the most strong willed child I ever gave birth to! In fact, I struggled so bad to figure out how to make our days work. It was hard.And honestly, I didn’t get it right – right off the bat – and I didn’t even get it right all the time once I figured things out.

Creating a toddler schedule, a rhythm to your day, as a toddler mom can go a long way to making your life easier and giving your toddler a sense of boundaries and routine.

Creating a Daily Toddler Schedule

So before I get into how you can create a daily toddler schedule that works well for you, I want to say this:

I’m sharing tips that worked well for me.

Some of what I’m sharing may seem like common sense, but it can be so hard to see things objectively, I’m just going to be real with you and lay it all out.

I also want you to know that anything I’ve written here is just a suggestion – one mom sharing with another mom.

That’s it. If it doesn’t work for you – that’s okay! This is not the gospel.

God gave your child the perfect mom. You are exactly who your child needs. You will do well, even when you think you are failing. And those mistakes you’ll make along the way? God has a lot of mercy and grace for moms, so take heart!

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

The Proverbs 31 Mom wasn’t Super-Mom

“Her children arise and call her blessed…” Proverbs 31:28

Remember that the example of the Proverbs 31 Woman in the Bible was a good mom, but that doesn’t mean she was a super-mom. She managed her home well and she had help! Don’t ever feel like you are less of good mom if you need to ask for help. It’s okay and even a good thing to ask for help.

Asking for help doesn’t mean you are weak. We all need help sometimes! God created us to need one another.

“When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”

Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good.You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.”Exodus 18:14-18

I recently had a mom ask me this question below and I believe that most moms, really great moms, face these same issues when raising their little ones.

Structured Routine for Toddlers | Q & A

Q: Melissa, Thanks so much for your reply. I haven’t tried a more structured routine because I fear I cannot keep being consistent with it. He does spend a lot of time alone during the day as I tend my 1 year old (nursing, changing, etc.) I have never considered him being alone causing his independence, but I can see where it would.

I do not feel like an adequate mother because at times I do raise my voice and get irritated when I am interrupted. I feel pulled in a million directions and often resent the time I have to spend with all the responsibilities I have. Any advice on a good toddler routine for a 3 1/2 yr old, with a still nursing on occasion 1 year old? Thanks!!!

A: Dear Mom, toddlers can be very trying or very rewarding. I remember when my son who is just about to turn 19 was 3 1/2 years old and I had a newborn baby girl. At the time I was very young and despite my best efforts I just didn’t know how to handle him. I have learned a lot since then! It’s too bad that sometimes our firstborn children don’t get the best of us.

A lot of things can affect the behavior of your toddler. A calm child is more likely to come from a calm home and vice versa. Keep in mind here, that there are exceptions to the rule! But generally this is the case.

Your three year old knows that when you sit down to nurse the baby that you are distracted. He also knows when you are distracted with other tasks whether it is changing a diaper, cooking a meal, cleaning the house, or reading a book.

Three year old toddlers naturally want to take advantage of the situation!

Not only that, but your three year old wants your attention, so if he is occupying himself for large portions of the day his behavior will be more difficult. That’s why having a routine and creating a toddler schedule can really help you not feel so overwhelmed plus give him a healthy of boundaries.

I know how easy it is to want to “escape” from reality by sitting down with a book, computer, television, etc. – ignoring the little tyke as he pulls all of the books off the shelf or gets into the refrigerator. You just want peace and quiet!

I also know how easy it is to feel like a three year old is a needy little monster who is sucking the life out of you. So, when you are trying to get your TO DO LIST accomplished, interruptions are not pleasant. You just want to get your stuff done and get on with your life!

So, let’s talk about what to do.

Let me tell you though – I have been there and now that my 18 going on 19 year old is practically grown, I really wish I had taken more time to sit on the floor with him and listened to him talk to me, play with me, interact with me. In other words I wish I had spent more time being “present.”

I was there, but my mind was elsewhere.

Thankfully, by the time he was school age I had a wake up call because I realized how fast my children were growing up and I have spent the last dozen years or more “being present.”

Jesus has given us the honor of being a mom. Our first and foremost ministry is not to our friends, it’s not to our church, it’s not to ourselves – it is to our family – our husbands and children. This time passes by so quickly!

I know it seems like forever when all you feel is frustration and sorrow. But this will pass and you will wonder where the years went.

There’s a saying: The days are long but the years are short.

Creating a daily routine for your toddler will go a long way in helping you with feeling frustrated and exhausted. But the truth is, motherhood is hard and raising toddlers is rarely easy. There is no way to make that not true.

When you do feel frustrated, remember to stop and pray. Your prayer doesn’t have to be alone in a closet to be effective. You can cry out to Jesus anytime you need His grace.

“For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” Jeremiah 31:25

It’s okay to take a time out from time to time and read a book or soak in the tub. And it is okay to insist that the house be kept neat and tidy. It is even good for your kids to know that responsibilities are important.

But don’t forget that being there for your kids, paying attention to what they are doing – even when you’d rather be somewhere else – is in the end going to make everyone happier. Including yourself.

I often hear (and witness) moms who complain about their toddlers creating havoc in the home everyday. The child makes huge messes, throws temper tantrums, insists on having his way all the time. But my question is always this – what is Mom doing when little Timmy is making that huge mess?

If you are in the kitchen cooking supper and little Timmy is in the living room pulling all of the tape out of the VCR tapes – the problem does not lie with the child, it lies with the mom. She has allowed her little mischievous child to be alone for 30 minutes while she prepares the meal (which is a worthy endeavor). Rather than allowing him unsupervised access to the living room (or any other part of the house) put up a gate and insist he stay in the kitchen with you while you cook. Then, give him activities to keep him busy.For instance:

• give him a drawer of pots or toy dishes he can play with
• feed him grapes or carrot stick while he waits for supper
• pull out a special coloring book reserved just for that same time each day
• let him tear up lettuce for the salad, stir the cornbread batter, or shake the “Shake and Bake”

If your toddler helps himself to the fridge every time you sit down to nurse the baby (or whatever), instead of letting him have free reign of the house, put up a gate and give him a box of blocks or other toy to play with. One of my favorite ideas is to make Activity Bags for your toddler. Get them out only when you nurse the baby or at the same time each day when you need to get a chore done.

So, my point is, toddlers are going to get into stuff, if for no other reason than to test your parenting skills!

Don’t leave your toddler unattended! The other issue with leaving your child alone to occupy himself is the fact that is causes your child to feel insecure and unsure of himself. He realizes that the boundaries are too wide and what he really wants is structure and solid boundaries to keep him safe.

Having reasonable rules and limits to what is acceptable behavior gives children a feeling of being loved and cared for.

Note: This is not to say you should not train your children to be well behaved, stay out of things they should be into, etc. Those are much needed lessons to be taught. But until you can trust your children to be alone in a room without making a huge mess, supervise them.

Also, every child is different. My girls were/ are very quiet, they like to play quiet games, then rarely ever break anything. My son was always into everything as a toddler. I had to watch him like a hawk.

5 Tips for Structuring Your Toddler’s Day: Video

Sample Toddler Schedule

This schedule is a suggestion based on what worked for me. Remember, every child is different and every family is different. You may find you need to make adjustments to this same toddler schedule below – and that’s okay!

6:00 am – Wake up. Have devotions and prayer time – if baby is awake, nurse her during this time. Prepare Breakfast.

7:00 am – Wake up toddler. Make beds. Get dressed. Eat Breakfast. Morning Worship – sing some fun songs, have a Bible story, and pray.

8:00 am – Chore Time for Mom – Tidy kitchen & sweep, tidy bathrooms & wipe down sinks, start load of laundry,10 minute de-clutter. During this time you can do one of two things with the little ones – put the gate up and let them play with toys. Or let them watch PBS. I know television as a baby sitter [sigh]. It works.

9:00 am – Play time.

10:30 am – Snack time.

11:30 am – Pick up toys. Prepare lunch.

12:00 pm – Eat lunch. Tidy Kitchen.

1:00 pm – Playtime with Mommy.

2:00 pm – Nap/ Quiet time. Afternoon chores for Mommy – fold & put away clothes, mop floors, tidy house, etc.

4:00 pm – Play Outside time in good weather. Or Play Inside during bad weather, in which case at 4:45 have children pick up toys. Don’t just tell your toddler to clean up his toys. Work beside him. Also, having toys well organized makes this much easier. Teach your child from an early age to only get one toy out at a time. HUGE time saver!

5:00 pm – Prepare supper.

6:00 pm – Eat supper.

7:00 pm – Family Worship.

7:30 pm – Bath time. Story time.

8:00 pm – Bed time for kids.

9:00 pm – Tidy kitchen. Prepare for tomorrow.

Once you do a routine everyday, your child will begin to know what to expect and when. Eating at about the same time is really helpful and can prevent a lot of temper tantrums caused by low blood sugar (hunger)! Patience in dealing with your children is really key – a calm mommy is more likely to have a calm baby/ child. If you always respond with a tense/ angry voice why should you expect any different from your child?

Don’t NOT try to get into a good solid routine just because you are afraid of failing. Never forget that tomorrow is a new day!

related: My Most Embarrassing Mom Moment Ever.

God can give you the strength to be the best mom possible for your children. It isn’t easy. Raising kids just isn’t. But it is worth every bit of effort!

Action Steps to Take Today

1. Read this verse in your Bible: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time… Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17
2. Ask God to help you create a toddler schedule that will work well for you and your family.
3. Print out my free printable daily toddler schedule below. Use the sample toddler schedule to help you create your own daily routine.
4. Adjust your toddler schedule as you learn what works best for you. You can print more than one copy and update it as needed.

Free Printable Daily Toddler Schedule

How to Get the Printable & Use

1. Just fill out the form below {at the bottom of this page} and you’ll receive an email with the link to your free printable sampled toddler schedule. You’ll also receive helpful emails and updates from me on a regular basis!
2. Print out the free printable toddler schedule as well as a blank version for you to fill in with your own ideas. Structuring the day for your toddler doesn’t have to be complicated!
3. If you are already a subscriber, you can still fill out the form below to get the free printable – it won’t affect your subscription!

Parenting Books to Read

1. Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting
2. Parenting Boot Camp
3. The 5 Love Languages of Children
4. Setting Limits with Your Strong-Willed Child, Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition: Eliminating Conflict by Establishing CLEAR, Firm, and Respectful Boundaries

More Articles in this Series

• How to Wake Up Without Waking the Kids
• Mama Needs Sleep
• How to Structure the Day for a Toddler and School Aged Child
• How to Discipline Without Spanking

Have you seen the Purpose 31 Planner?

I designed this planner with the mom/ and busy woman in mind. Believe me. I’ve been there. I’m STILL there.

The Purpose 31 Homemaking Planner is the best planner for busy moms!