Moms of toddlers sometimes find it extremely challenging to create a daily sahm schedule that works for them and their family. The toddler age is such a trying age, am I right?!? 😆 I mean, their favorite word is no! 😂🤣
[Read: How to Avoid a Power Struggle]
But creating a daily sahm schedule for toddlers doesn’t have to be hard. The key is consistency, and the willingness to try something new.
If you are having a hard time creating a daily schedule for your toddler, too, then just follow the step-by-step process below, and practice it every day. If it doesn’t work perfectly the first week, tweak it and try again!
You got this momma!
How to create a daily sahm schedule for moms of toddlers
The steps below look like a lot momma, but they really aren’t. Once you sit down and write it all out, it’ll be easy. Pinky swear.
Step 1: Identify what should go into a daily schedule for a toddler
What should a daily toddler’s schedule be?
They are no longer infants, of course, so their needs change somewhat. Now they are growing and learning – and on the move! And your daily activities need to encourage this.
So, start with the basic needs, of course. You know your toddler needs regular naps, feedings, and bathing. But beyond that, what do you do with your toddler all day?
✔︎ Plenty of snuggle time
Your toddler needs lots of cuddle time, momma! So, find the time to snuggle in the morning, like right after he wakes up, or before and after nap time. The evening is, of course, another great snuggle time.
✔︎ Lots of playtime
Your toddler’s main job is to play. He learns and explores his environment through play. So, you’ll need to work playtime into every morning, afternoon, and evening.
✔︎ Spend time outside
Your toddler also needs plenty of sun and fresh air, even in the winter. Depending on where you live, it’s not always easy to get outdoors. But you should make it a goal to get outside at least once a day, more if you can.
✔︎ Learning activities that teach fine motor and gross motor skills
Your toddler needs to practice both, gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills are things like jumping, running, throwing a ball, etc. And fine motor skills are things like coloring, turning the page of a book, stacking blocks, and so much more.
Try to work these activities into your playtime each day. When your toddler starts preschool, his motor skills will be assessed.
Step 2: Find a printable daily schedule template or a calendar to use
Next, you’ll need a calendar or a daily planner of some sort, to map it all out.
Once you have your schedule, you are ready to start filling it in!
Step 3: Write down all of your appointments and activities that consistently happen
After you have your schedule, it’s time to start penciling things in!
So, start with all your regular appointments. These are things that are set in stone and don’t change, such as Thursday play dates or Monday night bowling.
Next, write down the things that aren’t written in stone, but they are things you generally do on a certain day every week, such as grocery shopping on Fridays.
Step 4: Write down any additional appointments for that week
One way to stay consistent with your daily sahm schedule is to write it out every week. I like to sit down every Monday morning and write out my week’s schedule. Some moms do it Sunday night.
It’s good to do this because you have different appointments, depending on the week. So, after writing down all your regular appointments, you should also add that week’s appointments.
These might be things like a doctor or dentist visit, an Early Childhood Education Class, etc.
Step 5: Pencil in regular routines
After you have all of your must-do’s on your calendar, it’s time to map out what your day actually looks like.
What time does your child usually get up? Go to bed? Block off time for meals, naps, and baths as well.
For instance, if your toddler wakes up at six, and snuggles with you until 6:30, write this down. If breakfast is at eight, and it takes 30 minutes, block off a half hour for that.
Go through your toddler’s entire day like this, blocking off time for these day-to-day activities.
Step 6: Add in household chores
Unfortunately, we all have chores to do. 🙄
So, the last thing you need to try to squeeze into your daily sahm schedule is time for housekeeping.
It will be one of your responsibilities, as a stay-at-home mom.
So be sure to block off time for:
● dishes
● laundry
● bathrooms
● floors
Some of these things you will do daily and some only as time allows. It’s hard to keep a clean house with a toddler! So, you may need to wait until daddy comes home, to get some of these things done.
And that is okay. It’s only for a little while. ☺️
Step 7: Chose the activities that you value from step #1 and fill in the empty slots
After you write down all your regular appointments, weekly appointments, daily routines, and household chores, you’ll see some white space in your schedule.
It’s time to fill that empty space, momma!
So go back and look at step #1 – the different things moms of toddlers should have in their daily sahm schedules – and choose some to add to yours.
I like to call these things “filler activities” because they fill up the rest of your day.
Everyone’s filler activities will be different, based on their own family values.
If you don’t know what kinds of activities to fill your day with, then check out this post: Wanna Create the Best Ever Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule? Here’s How!
And if you still are having a hard time, it might be because you don’t really know what you value, as a sahm. If that’s the case, this post might help: 3 Quick Ways to the Perfect Stay-at-Home Mom Routine.
Step 8: Stay consistent and tweak as needed
And that’s really it, momma! Now all you need to do is try it on for size!
Give it a couple of weeks and do your best to stick to it. If it doesn’t work out for you, play around with it until it feels right.
It shouldn’t have to be stressful, momma. 😉
At the end of the day….
At the end of the day, momma, our daily sahm schedules keep us sane and help us to feel just a little bit more productive. 😁
You don’t HAVE to have one, as a stay-at-home mom. But for moms of toddlers, they can be lifesaving!
So, if your daily schedule needs a boost, then start by writing down all of the things you have to do during the day; your weekly appointments, regular schedule, and your daily routine. Then add in your daily chores, and finally, fill the rest with filler activities.
Once you’ve taken these steps, you should have a great daily sahm schedule for your toddler that works for you too!
More on Sahm Schedules
How to Make the Best Stay-at-Home Moms Schedule With an Infant
How to Create The Best Morning Routine for Your Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule
How to Create a Daily SAHM Routine Using Time Chunking