How to Have a Calm Morning Routine For Toddlers
Learn how to create a morning routine for toddlers so you can have a calm start to your entire day no matter what time you wake up!
Mornings can be crazy with kids, especially toddlers. And if you have multiple kids, the house always seems so crazy in the morning doesn’t it. Plus, you don’t get much sleep so waking up early just isn’t fun for anyone, well, except your early rising toddler.
However, having a daily routine for toddlers at home is so crucial for the whole day. And if you struggle in the mornings, having a morning schedule for toddlers is a necessity.
Here is your ultimate guide on creating a morning routine for toddlers, so you can have a calm, happy morning and start for your entire day.
From good morning activities to having a morning routine chart, everything I share will hopefully help you have a positive morning routine for your kids.
Don’t have time to read the entire article? Here is a printable morning routine chart that is so easy to use and follow with toddlers! This is the morning routine checklist for toddlers that we use daily and it changed our lives. Hopefully it does for you too!
7 Reasons Why a Morning Routine is Important
If you observe people who are or have been in the army or maybe a fire brigade, you will notice that there is a way they go through their days with ease and confidence, as if nothing can go wrong.
In cases when things go wrong, they can maintain calmness and walk through the situation. This is an effect of the routined lifestyle they live in camps.
However, you don’t have to go to the army to get these benefits. It all starts with creating a positive morning routine checklist for your little ones.
For toddlers, how does having a routine have a positive effect on their lives?
- Routines help a child to learn self-control and develop self-confidence. They feel in control of their environment when their days follow a regular pattern.
- Having a routine gives the children a sense of security and emotional stability. Because they follow a regular pattern of activities, they have the feeling that nothing can go wrong and they know what to expect at each point.
- Children learn how to manage time when they are taught to follow routines. They understand that there is time allocated for everything and can learn how to plan accordingly. This is a crucial skill especially when they are adults.
- Routines help a child to learn how to take responsibility and become independent. As they get used to the routines they are exposed to, they can do certain things on their own without guidance or supervision.
- Having a morning routine helps to reduce stress not just for you but for the child as well. When things are out of course, you may find yourself yelling or mounting pressure on the child so they can meet up. This can cause the child to be stressed and disoriented.
- Routines are very helpful in increasing productivity and efficiency. When your toddler learns and adapts to their routines, they can get things done faster and better. They can be trusted to follow through with activities by focusing on them and meeting their goals.
- Having a routine teaches a child self-care. Because the activities in the routine are mainly for the child, they learn how to make time to focus on themselves and take care of their needs.
When Should I Start a Morning Routine with My Toddler?
The nice thing is that you can start creating a morning and daily routine right from when your baby is born! You often start with a bedtime and wake up routine to help them learn how to sleep better, and this can carry over into a daily routine right from the start.
You can start with a few moments of greetings and conversation even if they don’t understand the words. It is a good way to bond as well as teach patterns. Reading them bedtime stories or saying a short prayer with them first thing in the morning is also a good place to start.
You can begin to have a longer morning routine for 1 year olds and up with visual reminders and routine charts that we will talk about down below.
However, every child needs different things at different stages. So if your 2 year old morning routine looks differently than my daily routine for a 2 year old, that’s okay! You know your toddler best and can adjust and create the perfect morning routine for them.
How to Create a Morning Routine for Your Toddlers
While trying to introduce morning routines to your toddler, remember that they are young and will need time to learn but still, the earlier they start learning them, the better.
To create a morning routine for toddlers, take the following steps one at a time.
1- Consider the needs of your child
You must take note of what your child’s needs are. This includes their sleep time, meal times, and school time if necessary.
I found that I needed to create two different schedules: my 3 year old daily routine was way different than my 1 year olds routine, but I was able to find a way to take care of both their needs.
2-Start with an activity they enjoy
Starting the day with an activity they enjoy doing helps to break inertia and makes it easier for your toddler to get into shape for the day. This was one of the best parenting tips I found for creating a successful morning routine.
3-Make a list of what needs to be done and when
Having a list of activities with the time they have to be done can help you keep the child on track and make the child fall into the routine more easily. Make the list colorful and child friendly with fun illustrations. This way, you don’t keep yelling or maybe barking out orders all the time.
I created my own toddler morning routine printable that had all the colors of the rainbow and my toddlers both loved using it. I let them put on the check marks when they accomplished something and it helped to establish the routine much quicker than me just saying what was next.
Toddlers love visual reminders and need something to look forward to, which is why a morning routine chart I feel is pretty important.
4-Give room for leeway
I found it much easier to keep and maintain a morning routine for toddlers if I didn’t put down certain times for each activity, but rather a line up of activities.
Sometimes my toddlers wake up at different times, so give yourself leeway to get all the activities done without stressing over moving on to the next item.
5- Reward their efforts to follow the routines
When your toddler makes honest efforts to follow the daily routine, let them know you appreciate their efforts. If your toddler wakes up and uses the potty at the right time or comes to the breakfast table on time, appreciate them.
Give positive reinforcement and make the routine exciting rather than a chore they have to do. We liked to add velcro to our routine chart and my little ones loved feeling accomplished when they completed each task.
6- Be consistent with the routine
Consistency is the most important key to building a routine. Do your best to stick to the created routine as much as possible. Always remember that a sudden break in the child’s routine can cause disorientation and confusion for a child.
7- Talk with the child when it gets difficult.
When you notice that your child is struggling with adapting to the new routine, help them to voice out their challenges by initiating a conversation. Make sure they understand you and you understand them.
8- Don’t overfill the morning schedule
At the time of creating a morning routine, I thought of all the fun things I wanted to do with my kids, and I overfilled the schedule. Then, we were barely doing anything on the list and I felt like a failure and overwhelmed all the time.
A morning schedule for toddlers shouldn’t be packed full of things to do. Give yourself plenty of grace and leeway so you can fully enjoy all the morning activities for your toddlers you plan.
Best Morning Routines For Toddlers
These are morning activities for toddlers that should be incorporated into the child’s daily routine every morning.
Here is an example of things on a morning routine chart for toddlers that are easy and effective. You can use it as a daily routine for a 3 year old example if you want.
1- Potty Time. The toddler should always go potty every morning. Allow for potty time right when your toddler wakes to avoid accidents.
2-Make the Bed. Making the bed every morning makes the toddler pay attention to their environment and observe organization. Let them make their bed once they get up in the morning.
3-Personal Hygiene Time. This morning routine activity teaches them practice self-care and good grooming as they brush teeth, brush hair, and get ready for the day.
4- Getting Dressed. At this point, you can let your kid pick out their clothing by themselves under your guidance. This will teach them independence and creativity. You are there to guide them and help them as they need. It is important to let your toddler start making the choice for clothes as early as they want to, even if they don’t match.
5- Breakfast Time. Starting the day with a balanced breakfast is a great morning routine aspect. Let the child have a healthy protein-based breakfast every morning. This will improve not just their health but also their adaptation to a good diet early. Let them make breakfast with you some days too!
6-Practice Mindfulness. I think it is so important to take a few moments in the morning to practice mindfulness. Toddlers can be so good at this, especially when you use the right tools. Do some yoga or find some fun meditations suited for their age.
Morning Routine for Toddlers Wrap Up
Remember, routines, just like habits, are built by consistently and patiently doing the same thing. Your toddler can step into the morning routine with time if you keep to it. As they advance, let them do some of the basic things themselves as you handle the complex ones.
Morning routines for toddlers will not only benefit their character, but it also gives you a chance to connect and bond with your child.
Living a life without routines can destabilize a child even in the future. Why not take a seat with your child today and talk things through? Why not draw up a routine for the child to follow from now on?
Don’t think it is too early to start. Schedule your lives and you will only be thankful in time to come.
Start your morning routine for toddlers today by getting the printable morning chart for kids down below!
