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Toddler schedule question

I'm trying to get a schedule going. It will be mainly for DS for the next few weeks then the girls too. I feel like I have a pretty good foundation but I have a question.

They all do better with an early dinner - around 5. They don't go to bed until 7:30-8. What do you do after dinner but before bed? They'll have free play before dinner so I can cook but that still leaves an hour or two before they're really winding down. Also, how much free play time do toddlers normally have per day?

Re: Toddler schedule question

  • I don't think kids that age need a structured schedule for every minute between dinner and bedtime.   I assume you have a bed time routine so assuming dinner finihes at 5:30 and bath time/routine starts at 7:00 that's only an hour and a half.  Just let them play.
  • imageWonderRed:
    I don't think kids that age need a structured schedule for every minute between dinner and bedtime.   I assume you have a bed time routine so assuming dinner finihes at 5:30 and bath time/routine starts at 7:00 that's only an hour and a half.  Just let them play.

    I agree

    We have much less time in the evenings - dinner is at about 5:30 and bed is about 7:15.  Gavin just plays. We play with him as much as we can.  Some nights he'll watch an episode of Dora or Yo Gabba Gabba

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  • Yep, we just play. Ash naps from 11:30-1:30 so she doesn't eat lunch until 2 most days, so we do dinner later - between 6 & 6:30. We start bedtime routine at 7, so she doesn't have a lot of after dinner time, but in the time leading up to dinner, we just play. If she needs some downtime we'll read or watch Super Why (her current obsession) or Dora, but she pretty much plays all day. We don't have a lot of "structured" time - or any, really. We go with whatever spirit moves her, so some days we take 4 walks and blow bubbles outside for an hour, some days she just wants to read all day or color. 
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  • Most of our schedule is pretty straight forward - wake up, breakfast, go do an activity out of the house (he needs this to burn off energy), lunch, nap, wake up, dinner, then random time I wasn't sure what to do with, then bed. I foolishly read a toddler book (could you tell?) so I was starting to worry that we don't do structured activities or anything. I'm glad to hear others are the same way! I do think we could use some consistency in eating and sleeping times but I think I'll leave it at that Big Smile
  • They primarily learn by being free to explore their environment at that age so I think you're doing just fine. Big Smile
  • Thank you! DS is super curious so he definitely learns on his own just fine.

    I think I should have realized it was a bad book when it said to praise your child for obeying mama by saying things like "Good job Julie! You're learning to obey mommy." Embarrassed  In case you're wondering, I wouldn't recommend Becoming Toddlerwise.

  • I seriously cannot imagine having three of that age in the house all the time.    I would lose it, so I think you're amazing.
  • They're not all here all the time so that makes it a LOT easier. C is pretty much the easiest toddler ever until it comes to meal time (when she turns into a tiny picky gremlin). B and T are a LOT alike. They are both kind of spunky and are in the tantrum stage but love to play by themselves. B will eat anything you put in front of her. T is kind of in the middle food wise. So really it isn't too bad at this stage but I'm pretty sure I'll change my tune once school starts up.

    I have, however, taken the official stance that it is physically impossible to go to the grocery store with 3 toddlers. I simply cannot do it. Even the thought of it makes me want to huddle in the corner and cry. lol

  • At that age I never went to the store with Aiden.

    We have very little structure in this house. Dinner is ready when it is done cooking, bath time is 7:30, bed time is 8:30.

    Aiden is a night owl and we struggle to get her to go to sleep every night. I work a different shift almost everyday so a planned dinnertime is impossible. 

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  • We don't have a structured evening routine either, other than eating dinner (5:30ish), play, bath (6:30ish), read books and bedtime (7:30). We do a bath every night so that takes up some time.
  • I agree with everyone else that structured activity isn't necessary all day every day.   K goes to school/daycare, so she gets plenty of structure there.   In the evenings it's dinner, then play until bedtime which is 8.

    You should win an award for taking all 3 kids to the grocery store.  That would send me over the edge!

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