Daily Routine For Toddler: How To Set And Why Is Daily Routine So Important For Toddlers

Toddlers go through a lot of changes during their growing and development years, including changes in motor skills, language skills, sensory perceptions, and so on. They thrive on a routine; it gives them comfort to know "What is next in their day?" even though it is not something they enjoy. Most parents of toddlers go with the flow in both personal and professional life, but going with the flow is losing its effectiveness. It might be better if you took a more proactive approach.

I am not talking about planning every minute of the day or the weekend here. We all know that mom works 24 hours a day, but I am talking about allocating tasks over a week's worth of time. This may help you stay energized throughout the day. Actually, we cannot plan a particular routine because it will probably change in a week or even a day. However, having a written-out plan might help you stay focused and reduce the amount of time you spend arguing with your toddler.

If you are a parent who is having trouble setting a daily routine for their toddler? Then there is no need to battle any longer. This article will help you how to set a daily routine for your toddler and why it is so important.

You can also read: Healthy Eating Habits: Why Is It Important And How To Develop Healthy Eating Habits In Toddler's

What Does It Mean To Set A Toddler's Routine?

Setting a daily routine for a toddler involves sticking to a strict routine that includes wake-up, mealtime, playtime, bedtime, and even naps. Routines make you feel more organized and they save you from having arguments and confusion. Routines require some effort to create and maintain. However, after you have set them up, they will provide you with numerous benefits as a person and,  of course, as a parent.

Why Is It Important To Set A Toddler's Daily Routine?

Setting a daily routine for toddlers is beneficial for various reasons. Read on to know what are they:

   (i) Improve Skills and Responsibility

   Having a daily routine helps toddlers develop a sense of responsibility as well as some basic abilities, such as time management. when toddlers are able to complete their daily routine with less supervision or monitoring from their parents, they become more independent.

   (ii) Understand Healthy Habits

   A daily routine can teach healthy habits such as brushing the teeth, physical activity, washing hands before and after each meal, and handwashing after using the bathroom. A daily routine also reduces stress, which is good for a toddler's immune system when the stress is low.

Why Is It Good For Parents To Set A Daily Routine For Toddlers?

Setting a daily routine takes some effort in general, especially for toddlers. However, once you have set them up, you will get the following benefits:

   ---> When your life becomes busy, a daily routine can help you stay organized and in control, especially when it comes to taking care of the family and household chores - which reduces stress.

   ---> Having a daily consistent routine makes you feel like you are doing a good job in managing the family and parenting.

   ---> Routines allow your child to complete their daily works more quickly and they are free to do their other activities.

How Do You Set A Toddler's Daily Routine?

Helping your toddler to follow a daily routine offers numerous advantages. Setting a daily routine for your child includes planning, comfort, and of course fun. Parents should put a daily routine into practice. So that your toddler gets used to their new daily routine and tries to adjust it to their requirement as they grow older. Here are a few suggestions for creating a daily routine:

1. Make A Day-to-Day Routine

   a. Set A Wake-Up Time

   Toddlers are prone to wake up early in the morning. If your child has a habit of sleeping in, do not try to wake them up early. Allow your child to decide when they want to wake up. Encourage children to brush their teeth as soon as they wake up. You can also schedule a time to wash the face and use the restroom.

   b. Make A Breakfast Schedule

   you can set a breakfast time based on your toddler's wake-up time. Sometimes, they may wake up hungry and refuse to cooperate in brushing their teeth, washing their face, or using the restroom. You can feed your toddler first during that time, and then they will be more cooperative in doing basic activities.

   Note: Try to keep your child's breakfast very light. It is always good to keep the breakfast time as short as possible. So that your toddler has time to play late in the morning.

   c. Set A Mid-Morning Routine

   Set a mid-morning routine once your child has done with breakfast. Start with an hour of playtime after breakfast, allowing the child to play with toys, siblings, or family members.

   After an hour of playtime, you can serve fruits, nuts, boiled pulses, and other mid-morning snacks. After snack, parents spend time with their children by engaging them in fun activities such as painting, solving puzzles, and so on.

   Note: Keep in mind that depending on your toddler's age, you should arrange activities and keep him or her occupied.

   d. Make A Lunch And Nap Routine

   You should stick to a lunchtime routine, ideally between 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm. Set a nap time routine after half an hour of lunch. Toddlers aged 1-3 years require approximately 11-15 hours of sleep per night. Depending on your toddler's age,  you can schedule 2 naps per day:  one in the mid-morning and the other 1 in the early afternoon, after lunch. Once the toddler reaches the age of 18 months, he or she just needs one (1 to 3 hours) nap each day.

   e. Make A Routine For The Evening

   Following your toddler's nap, you must plan a few activities for the evening. This includes a light evening snack and some physical activity such as walking, cycling, or other forms of exercise, preferably outside if possible. Doing some physical activity outside will help your toddler burn off some energy before dinner. This routine makes dinner time and bedtime go much more smoothly.

   f. Set A Time For Dinner

   Dinner time is a great time for your child to bond with his or her family and also learn proper table manners by watching others eat. Parents should help their children with washing their hands, face, and changing out of any dirty clothes before 30 minutes of dinner.

   g. Create A Bedtime Routine

   It is quite tough to get the toddler to sleep. However, if you stick to a consistent bedtime routine, your child may begin to adapt to going to bed on time every night. After dinner, you can include some playtime such as watching cartoons. Before going to bed, you can serve a glass of warm milk in your routine.

   Playing music(Lullaby), reading a bedtime story, or turning off lights in your toddler's room are the final steps in the nighttime routine. Allow your toddler to get into bed with his or her favorite toys, or a blanket.

   Note: Every night, parents should try to stick to the same bedtime routine.

Example Of Complete View Of A Toddler's Daily Routine

When you have completed the entire set of a daily routine for your child, look at it as a whole(i.e.., complete daily routine). The following is the final look of a summary of the daily routine:

Morning Routine
8:00 am	Wake Up Time
9:00 am	Breakfast
10:00 am	Play Time
Mid-Morning Routine
11:00 am	Mid-Morning Snack
11:30 am	Activity Time
12:30 - 1:00 pm	Lunch Time
2:00 pm	Nap Time
Evening Routine
5:00 pm	Evening Snack
6:00 pm	Play Time in Outdoors
8:00 pm	Dinner Time
Bedtime Routine
9:00 pm	Play Time
9:30 pm	A Glass of Warm Milk
10:00 pm	Bed Time

2. Implementing A Day-to-Day Routine

   a. Create A Daily Routine Poster

   Parents can make a poster, planner of their toddler's daily routine and hang it in their room. Actually, if you have more than one toddler, a poster of a daily routine would be quite helpful because each child may have a different routine based on their ages and needs. As a result, having posters of each child can help you in following the toddler's daily routine.

   b. Always Be Flexible When Necessary

  Though it is important and necessary to maintain a set of daily routines for the child - sometimes you need to be flexible about the daily routine. You can make small changes to their daily routine such as taking your child for a walk instead of playing in the morning if the weather is nice. So have small changes in the toddler's routine whenever is needed. However, you should stick to a few non-adjustable routines such as waking up time, eating time, and bedtime - you can change the activities in between these times if necessary.

   c. Include Rewards For Toddlers Who Follow To The Daily Routine

   Remember to give enough time in their daily routine for them to have fun, explore, learn, and fully engage with you. Use their favorite activities during playtime as rewards- so that your child will be more interested to follow the daily routine. Similarly, during mealtime prepare their favorite foods and snacks as rewards.

3. Adjusting The Daily Routine Over Time

   a. Make Small Changes Of The Daily Routine One At A Time

   If you want to change any activities in your toddler's daily routine, do so gradually and one at a time. If you change numerous habits at once, your child may become confused.

   b. Stick To The Same Routine For At least A Month

   One month is sufficient time for a toddler to get used to the daily routine. Many toddlers try to begin their daily routine on their own after a month. If there is a change in their daily routines such as family emergency or vacation plans, you should explain why there is a change and what are the changes. This will help your toddler to understand the facts.

Final Thought

Routine may not work right away, but with enough effort, you will get the result you like. Setting a daily routine and practicing it with toddlers is actually not a big challenge. But the real challenge is that as a parent, you should take the first step in creating a daily routine with your child. It is also important that you should be flexible in your toddler's daily routine whenever is needed. Once you have set a routine and your toddler is very happy to follow the routine, you will feel like a "parenting pro".

Happy Parenting...!