toddler routine Archives -

My 17 month old and I try to read books daily, follow a routine, and try to learn skills like scribbling almost every day. But most importantly, I try to share Jesus with my toddler through books, music, and loving him as the gift from God he is.

I have a middle school teaching degree, but I don’t think you have to have an educational degree to teach a toddler. It is kind of funny how I get a little excited planning what we will do for the day. It’s almost like lesson planning… but the lesson can easily be destroyed depending on his mood. 😉 Bless toddler teachers. 😉

So today, I wanted to share with you things we do, toys we use, and songs we sing.

Click here to watch video!

In the morning:

TV Time

Normally after breakfast, I will let Milo watch 15-20 minutes of television. I use this time to get a few chores done around the house or any other important thing that needs to get done.

Milo loves the shows Patch’s Number Forest and Cal’s Sound Yard.

I highly recommend these shows. Milo has learned his numbers 1-4 and letters like A, E, C, and H from these shows.

Whenever Milo has been a good boy, feeling sick, or I am having to unload the groceries, I let him watch this Baby Einstein video for fun. He loves this show.

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Books

In the morning we read 4-5 books. Here are my recommendations:

Pop-up peekaboo! Farm (This is a great book to incorporate stuffed animals as well as animal noises.

Pop-up peekaboo! Under the Sea

Eric Carle’s A B C ( I sing the ABC song after reading this book.)

If You’re Happy and You Know It – Little Words Matter. (Milo learned how to say “Amen” from this book!)

In the After Noon

Education Toys

Milo loves these Magnet letters. He is even learning to match them, like big S to small S.

He also enjoys playing with these magnetic dinosaurs.

I found this toy at Target. I will try to link it here! He enjoys pushing the shapes through the hole and turning it over.

I try to let Milo learn how to scribble with jumbo crayons and a notebook. He still doesn’t seem very interested in learning about scribbling. He does however love to put crayons in a small hole on his shoebox. Click here to watch! I think this is a great hand eye coordination skill he has learned.

As long as I am not busy, I never turn down books when Milo wants to read.

Here are some of his afternoon books:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You see?

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox

Trucks – Priddy Books (These book has flaps he loves to lift!)

Dr. Suess Books – Hand, Hand, Fingers Thumb (I try to also sing the song, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” with books about the body.)

Poke-a-dot First Words ( Milo played with this for 10 minutes straight when he first got it!)

Night time

At night we spend family time together. Milo often plays with his toys and daddy. We always read books before bed.

Books for Bedtime

Pajama Time by Sandra Boynton ( Milo’s favorite bedtime book. I can read this book without even looking at the words 😉 )

Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton

Big Trucks Getting the Job Done Together (Milo learned how to say “Beep Beep” from this book!)

Pigs in a Blanket by Hans Wilhelm

How I share Jesus with my toddler

Sharing my faith with my son is one of the most important things I can do as a mother. I try to make time each day to read Christian books with him. I also try to sing with him every day the song, “Jesus loves me.” Each time we sing the song, I do the hand motions that I learned as a child with the song.

I recommend the iTunes album “The Best of Kid’s Bible Songs.” Whenever Milo seems fussy, this album seems to help and also great to play in the car.

Christian Books

God Created Everything illustrated by Pan Georgiou ( I could not find this online.)

Peek a Flap – Noah

Little Bible Heroes Storybook (This also has video links in the book to go with each story. Milo loves this book!)

Baby First Bible Story.

I also pray with Milo before each meal and at bedtime. He will even say “Amen” as soon as I start praying, because he knows food comes right after. 😉

I hope all these books and toy ideas can be helpful, especially with the Christmas holiday coming up.

I pray from all these activities Milo learns to love learning, reading, and Jesus.

~ Gracefully Fashionable Britt

This idea came to me a few weeks ago. My 14 month old son Milo, was going through so many changes – teething, growth spurt, learning new things, and a little bit of crazy. I thought we didn’t really have a “routine.”

I saw on Pinterest all these pins about a 14 month schedule. “You should have a schedule, every child needs a routine, a schedule is they key to happiness with your toddler….”

And I tried several of them AND Milo liked none of them.

I was feeling like a failure of a mom, my kid isn’t normal… something must be wrong.

My husband always tells me, “Milo is Milo, he is not everyone else.”

Finally it clicked with me.

I am going to perfect mine and Milo’s unscheduled days.

And now that I have… we actually have a routine that works for us! I am typing this while Milo sleeps during his SCHEDULED nap time!!!!!

Here is how I perfected my daily routine –

I just followed his lead.

Click Here to watch the video!

Our schedule:

7:00-8:00

Mommy & Milo – wake up/ breakfast

9:00-10:00

Milo – play inside

Mommy – do things that I can keep an eye on him ( empty dish washer, laundry, tidy up, make a phone call, get ready)

10:00 – 11:00

Mommy & Milo – Walk outside/ play outside

11:30-1:00

Milo- NAP !

Mommy – get as much important stuff done that I can OR have lazy mommy time 😉

1:00-2:00

Mommy & Milo – lunch

2:00- 3:30

Mommy & Milo – “free time” (play together, read, run errands, maybe go outside again)

3:30 – 4:00

Mommy & Milo – snack time

4:00 – 6:00

Mommy & Milo – “free time” ( try to take a nap if needed, mommy’s 2nd cup of Joe time!)

6:00-7:00

Mommy & Milo – Supper Time

7:00-8:00

Mommy & Milo – Family time/ Bath time

8:00 – 9:00

Milo – Bed time

This schedule is made completely by Milo, I stopped trying to fit into everyone else’s schedule. I just tried to follow his cues and I noticed over a few days, he started doing things consistently. He made his nap times and when he wanted to eat.

I try to plan my day, chores, and goals around his schedule.

I have learned that I can actually clean the kitchen pretty good in the morning, I can easily throw a load of laundry in the washer and dryer and maybe fold it by night. 😉

I can do important computer work while he naps. I can exercise and get some vitamin D during our time outside.

I can make phone calls and work on my planner while he plays. I can have some me time in the afternoon and drink some coffee when daddy gets home from work.

WHY I know this schedule is working and how to stop doubting myself:

Milo is happy, he is growing, he is learning. He is not yawning all day, he is not fussy. That is how I know it is working.

I still doubt myself at times, but Milo is happy. We have been having very good days since following this schedule.

Milo is not perfect and my schedule is not perfect. It works most days but it still does not work EVERY day.

SO what is the key to perfecting my daily routine?

Flexibility.

It took a couple days to get this schedule figured out. When we did, we had 4 good days of consistently following this schedule. Then, we had an “off” day. I had to shift my normal activities to another time.

When I have to switch my schedule I do get a little grumpy, but then I try to remember –

I am a mommy first. God has given me Milo and Milo is my most important thing to take care of for that day.

So I shift my schedule, I try to get done what I can, and I move things to my list for tomorrow.

I hope by sharing my schedule, it can be encouragement to those of you who also have a little one who doesn’t seem to follow everyone else’s schedule and to remind us mommas that perfecting our routines as moms is simply loving our little ones at all times of the day.

~Gracefully Fashionable Britt

Tag: toddler routine

Perfecting your Daily Routine as a 2020 Mom of a 15 month old!