As the parent of a toddler, you know how challenging these years can feel - simply getting through a full day can be tough at times, am I right? Toddlers are notoriously known for their strong-willed personalities, big emotional swings, and testing of boundaries. They can also be SO sweet and so fun to be around, as they truly come into their own in these early years. As usual in parenting, multiple conflicting emotions can be felt at once!
Physiologically-speaking, a toddler’s brain, particularly the areas that control executive functioning (things like planning, decision-making, impulse control, and focus) are still under major development in the early years. This means that toddlers will struggle with all of these types of skills - and that’s normal! However, it also means that they can show up with big feelings, long tantrums, and overall difficulty getting through parts of their day, which can in turn, make our job as parents/caregivers, feel very difficult.
One of the BEST things you can provide as a parent or caregiver for a toddler is a consistent daily routine. Why? Because predictability helps your child’s brain feel safe and secure, therefore leading to easier transitions, a better mood, and an overall happier child…. And who wouldn’t want that?!
Let’s take a look at what an example of a daily routine for a toddler (2-4 years old) may look like for a day at HOME:
- Wake up
- Eat breakfast
- Get dressed, brush teeth, use potty
- Independent play time
- Morning outing or activity (park, errands, play group, craft, etc)
- Eat lunch
- Nap or quiet time
- Afternoon snack
- Afternoon activity (structured play, outdoor time, errands, etc)
- Independent play and/or screen time
- Eat dinner
- Play time
- Start bedtime routine (bath, potty, brush teeth, pajamas, etc)
- Goodnight!
Next, let’s look at an example of what a daily routine may look like for a toddler who attends DAYCARE/SCHOOL:
- Wake up
- Eat breakfast
- Get dressed, brush teeth, use potty
- Go to daycare/school
- Come home from daycare/school
- Afternoon snack (Optional, depending on what time your child arrives home)
- Structured play, if time allots
- Independent play and/or screen time
- Eat dinner
- Play time
- Start bedtime routine (bath, potty, brush teeth, pajamas, etc)
- Goodnight!
The most important thing to note for both routines is that the exact time that each activity takes place is less important than the overall flow of the day. Every family is going to be on a different “schedule”, but we can always create a daily rhythm for the day. And remember - some days your routine will be off, and that’s okay!
If your toddler is having trouble transitioning between parts of their day (for example, from independent play to the potty, or from screen time to dinner time), a visual timer can work wonders in the toddler years. This lets your child “see” how much time is left before they are expected to go from one thing to the next. You can let them help you set it, then give them advance warning about what exactly is going to happen when the timer goes off. For example, you can say “When the timer beeps, we are going to say good-bye to our trucks and go into the bathroom”.
My favorite visual timer to use with children is the Time Timer - the MOD and the PLUS 20-Minute are two favorites to use at home. Use code ‘ROOTED23’ for 10% off your order! Code valid through 5/19/23.
Looking for more guidance on how to structure your toddler’s daily routine? Struggling with specific parts of the day like bedtime, picky eating during meals, or tantrums? Check out my COMPREHENSIVE DAILY ROUTINE GUIDES. These multi-page digital download guides will teach you exactly how to structure your child’s routine and troubleshoot common toddler issues with simple and realistic tips and strategies that work! Grab the 2-3 Year Guide or the 3-5 Year Guide to match your child’s age.
About our Guest Author
Jessica Rapp Irwin, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist, childhood routine expert, and lover of all things child development. She is the founder of Rooted in Routine, an online parenting education community and platform,, to help parents learn simple, easy to implement routines for optimal child development for babies and young kids. She is passionate about educating parents on NORMAL, HEALTHY development, which is often simpler than we think. Jessica’s approach is largely rooted in going back to the basics to help you establish solid, age-appropriate routines for your child for things like eating, play, and sleep. She believes this is the most important foundation you can provide for your child - and she wants to help you do just that!
Learn more about Jessica here and follow her on Instagram to connect.