Toddlers Under 2: A "Schedule"

Notice how I put that word “schedule” in quotes? That’s because I use that term lightly…

That being said, we do have a bit of a schedule. It’s what keeps us both sane, not just me! It’s true that I am an organized person - I like all my ducks in a row whenever possible. But I’m also realistic & know when I need to deviate from a plan. I can’t be mad at my little one because she is very similar! She’s been that way ever since she was born - takes after her mom AND her dad…

Before the Coronavirus, my little one (who is 22 months old at the time of this post) was going to an in-home daycare 3 days a week. We miss our daycare family TERRIBLY, let me tell you! And I’m confident that she’ll be able to go back soon, but for now she is home with me every day. Naturally, like everyone else, I freaked out a bit when thinking of trying to work, maintain my workout/eating schedule, & spend time with my small one EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

Thankfully I have some pretty incredible teacher friends who are gifted in this area. I also follow some awesome resources on Instagram with all sorts of ideas on teaching & entertaining small children. HOWEVER - I did notice that there weren’t a lot of resources SPECIFICALLY for ages 18-24 months. A lot of what I found was either over her head, geared more towards 2 years & older toddlers, or younger than her at one year & below.

With that in mind, I wanted to share what our “schedule” (remember we use that term loosely….) has looked like each day over the past month. Some days are better than others, of course, but the semblance of structure has helped us both. I also try & carry this over into Saturday & Sunday, but I do sleep in a little bit…

I should also say that because I own my own business I have the luxury of scheduling most calls or important work tasks during nap time, before she gets up in the morning, or in the evening after she is asleep. I realize this isn’t the case for some of you, so know that I see you!!

Our Schedule:

5:00am: Mommas alarm goes off

5:15am: Devotional/prayer/reading/coffee. You can read more about how I setup my morning routine in my free guide.

6:00am: Check in on FASTer Way clients & check emails

6:30am: Get dressed/”ready” for the day (which usually involves a ponytail & workout clothes…)

7:00am-7:30am: Little monster usually wakes up

7:30am-8:00am: Breakfast for Mara (I practice intermittent fasting so no breakfast for me - just coffee. You can read more about that here.)

8:00am-9:30am: Free play for Mara. I usually spend this time putting dishes away, laundry, & random things I can get done while she’s watching Disney+ or playing with toys. This time is GOLDEN….This is also when I tend to get my workouts done. I’m so thankful for our at-home workouts that are quick, effective, & leave me knowing I’m making myself stronger & healthier!

9:30am-10:00am: Our version of circle time. We turn the TV off & read books, sing songs, & pray/do a VERY QUICK Bible lesson.

10:00am-10:30am: Sensory bin activity or craft. I am not skilled in this area, but we do our best with the resources we’ve got!

10:30am-10:45am: Snack & TV time

10:45am-11:45am: Outside weather permitting. If it’s at least 40 degrees, we are out that door. Days where we can go outside make ALL the difference for us!!

12:00pm-1:00pm: Lunch & TV time

1:00pm-3:00pm: Best time of the day….NAP TIME! This is when I crunch out as much work as humanly possible…

3:30pm-4:00pm: Snack

4:00pm-4:15pm: Reading/play time

4:15pm-5:30pm: Back outside if the weather permits. If not, we kind of wing it in the afternoon! If she’s into playing, we do that. If she’s into coloring, we do that. If she wants to play in the sink, we do that. I let her lead here….

6:00pm-Dinner as a family. I’m so thankful for some of our go-to quick weeknight meals, especially during this craziness!

7:00pm- Bathtime! We usually don’t do baths every night, but we’ve been doing them more often just to get any germs out of the way…

7:45pm-8:00pm: Night Night for Mara & mom & dad have some TV time. Yes, we are at least laying in bed by 8:30pm….

I hope this was helpful for those that have littles that fall into this age bracket!