When my children where toddlers I found it very difficult to get everything done that I need and wanted to do. My boys needed serious structure, so I came up with this schedule that helped all of us have fun and accomplish what we needed.
Print Free File: Daily Schedule for Toddlers
How to Make:
1. The following is a copy of the schedule I used when my boys were 5 and 3 years old. I would suggest that you first write down an ideal schedule for you, then an ideal schedule for your kiddos, then try to combine the two so everyone gets a little of what they want and need. (Include down time.)
2. Print out the pictures for each schedule then laminated them.
3. Print out the Schedule Titles for each day and glued them onto the poster board. (file is at end of post)
3. Lay out the cards onto long strips of poster board. Then cut the poster boards and had them laminated for durability.
4. Next, hole punched the cards and cut strips of colored ribbon.
5. Use a knife to poke a small slit into the poster board for the ribbon to go through.
6. Thread the ribbon through the hole in the card then thread both ends of the ribbon through the slit into the poster board.
7. Tape the ribbon in place on the back of the poster board.
This way, when the kiddo pick the card, have him turn the card around instead of pulling it off. This makes a beautiful presentation and you won’t loose the cards in the process.
8. Cut short strips of sticky back magnet tape to the back. This way each daily schedule can easily be switched out daily and put on our fridge. My sons could also see what’s next and take more initiative.
Tip: Throughout the day, I would hand my son a “Check your Schedule” card to remind him to stay on track.
Alternate: If you don’t want to mess with the cards turning over, I’ve also glued them right onto the poster board. It’s just a little hard for toddlers or preschoolers to find out where they are in the day. So you might want to make a magnetic arrow or something that they can use as a “marker”.
Monday Routine (Cleaning Day)
8:00 Underwear On, Baby Looney Toons
8:30 Eat Breakfast, Get Dressed, Caillou
9:00 Dora
9:30 Blue’s Clues
10:00 Chore Chomper
10:15 Backyard
10:30 Legos
11:00 Park (lunch)
1:00 Computer Time
1:30 Draw
2:00 Learning
2:30 Movie
4:00 Imagination Play
5:00 Singing Time
5:30 Dinner
6:00 Walk
6:30 Family Home Evening
7:00 Learning
8:00 Bath
8:30 Read Books
9:00 Bed
Tuesday Routine (Errand Day)
8:00 Underwear On, Imagination Play
8:30 Eat Breakfast, Get Dressed, Chore Chomper
9:00 Dora
9:30 Blue’s Clues
10:00 Errands
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Tom & Jerry
2:00 Drawing
2:30 Front yard
4:00 Movie
5:30 Physical
6:00 Dinner
6:30 Walk
7:00 Bath
8:00 Game
8:30 Read Books
9:00 Bed
Wednesday Routine (School Day)
8:00 Underwear On, Baby Looney Toons
8:30 Eat Breakfast, Get Dressed, Caillou
9:00 School
12:00 Lunch,Friend Over
2:30 Rescue Heroes
3:00 Front Yard
3:30 Movie
5:00 Imagination Play
6:00 Dinner
6:30 Walk
7:00 Bath
8:00 Game
8:30 Read Books
9:00 Bed
Thursday Routine (School Day)
8:00 Underwear On, Baby Looney Toons
8:30 Eat Breakfast, Get Dressed, Caillou
9:00 School
12:00 Lunch, Tom & Jerry
1:00 Mrs. Monica
2:30 Front Yard
4:00 Imagination Play
5:00 Singing Time
5:30 Physical
6:00 Dinner
6:30 Walk
7:00 Bath
8:00 Game
8:30 Read Books
9:00 Bed
Friday Routine (School Day)
8:00 Underwear On, Baby Looney Toons
8:30 Eat Breakfast, Get Dressed, Caillou
9:00 School
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Mall
2:00 Movie
3:30 Draw
4:00 Backyard
4:30 Computer
5:00 Imagination Play
6:00 Dinner
6:30 Walk
7:00 Bath
8:00 Game
8:30 Read Books
9:00 Bed
Saturday Routine (Daddy Home)
8:00 Underwear On, Cartoons
8:30 Eat Breakfast, Get Dressed
9:00 Imagination Play
10:00 Run Errands
4:00 Front Yard
5:00 Dinner
5:30 Imagination Play
6:00 Learning
6:30 Walk
7:00 Movie
8:45 Read Books
9:00 Bed
Sunday Routine (Church/Home)
8:00 Underwear On, Cartoons
8:30 Eat Breakfastm Get Dressed
9:00 Church
12:30 Lunch
1:00 Computer Time
1:30 Draw
2:00 Learning
2:30 Movie
4:00 Imagination Play
4:30 Dinner
5:00 Physical
5:30 Game
6:00 Walk
6:30 Bath
7:00 Read Books
7:30 Movie
9:00 Bed
In the schedules above, I reference certain types of play. Here’s a list of the toys I have and what category they were in. Usually I would let my son pick an activity out of those listed.
Learning
Alphabug
Puzzles
Elmo Word Desk
Workbooks
ABC Fridge Letters
Flast Cards
Church Folders
Mailbox letter toy
Leap Pad
Imaginary Play
Rescue Heroes
Lego
Stacking Blocks
Mr. Potato Head
Play Food
Thomas Train
Cars
Motorcycles
Airplanes
Singing Time
CD
Drums
Finger Plays
Pots & Pans
Microphone
Guitar
Drawing
Play Dough
Art Desk
Light Bright
Chalkboard
Painting
Coloring Books
Print out pages
Magnadoodle
Wipe off board
Outside
Jeep
Bike
Baseball
Soccer
Sprinkler
Sidewalk Chalk
Physical
Basketball
Golf
Marching
Gymnastics
Baseball
Soccer
Gymnastics
How I came up with this system:
My oldest son has high functioning Autism and later found out that my 2nd son has ADHD. Having this structure for them at such a young age taught them valuable skills, gave them structure, and made our lives much happier on many levels.
I discovered this system after visiting a special school for Autistic children. I literally took the toys and resources I had and mapped out a schedule that would work for both me and the boys. Yes, it’s very structured but my boys were 5 and 3 years old at the time and I desperately needed a solid routine to keep us all sane and relatively happy.
Print Free File: Daily Schedule Titles
These daily schedule titles are titles for the top of each poster for the detailed daily schedule with pictures. Print out these schedule titles on white paper and glue to the top of each poster board.
Monday Schedule (Cleaning Day)
Tuesday Schedule (Errand Day)
Wednesday Schedule (School Day)
Thursday Schedule (School Day)
Friday Schedule
Saturday Schedule (Daddy Home)
Sunday Schedule (Church)
{ 8 comments }
I just love this post. It helped me a ton. I have been working on a schedule for my two kids that are home and the two that are in school for when they come home to keep a house of order. Thank you for this help. ~ Julie @ Not Too Shabby
Thank you, thank you for posting this! I am creating a flip-book schedule (so it is portable) for my 3 year old daughter and your pictures are a huge help!
Thank you for this!!! I am in desperate need of organization for the kids! I love Jill’s added idea of a flip book, cause the poster board was sounding too cumbersome for me!
Can I get a pictur of what your flip chart looks like? This seems as though it may be something tha can help me with my home childcare.
I’m a consultant–I specialize in Early Childhood Education, for pete’s sake–and I have NO CLUE what to do with my 2 year old all day (I’ve pulled him out of daycare for various reasons and am juggling my work schedule now to keep him home with me during the day). This was EXACTLY what I needed today…and thanks so much for including the pictures, etc. so I can just piggyback until I figure out my own system!
This was exactly what I needed today!! THANK YOU for sharing all of your hard work!!! This is very, very gracious of you!! My kiddos thank you too
Hi! Thank you so much for posting this. My 2yo was on a great schedule until last summer (summer threw us off because he (and daddy) would just play outside most of the day having fun) and now he has no routine (except for lunch/nap and bed … which aren’t the greatest still). We now have a 9 week old baby boy too and I’m trying to start using the babywise techniques with him (he’s a great sleeper but he fights fights fights his sleep and refuses to nap during the day). These files are awesome because I don’t know where to start at this point. BTW… what is “chore chomper?”
Thanks for the great ideas. I had to laugh at your “underwear on” item on the schedule. I am mom of two 5-yr-old boys, and we spend a lot of time every day talking about underwear…taking it off, putting it on, changing after the little accident someone just had because he couldn’t put down his video game to go to the bathroom!
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