Should I Have a Daily Routine for My 19 Month Old?

Here's my routine/schedule with my 20 month old twins:
1- wake up
2- milk, get dressed
3- "help" daddy get ready for work
4- breakfast
5- activity (usually this is when we leave the house): store, mall, walk, coffee shop, playgroup, class, museum, library, etc. It varies daily.
6- lunch
7- books
8- naps
9- wake-up, milk, snack, watch one show on TV (they like Jack's Big Music Show)
10- play (we will rotate between blocks, trucks, balls, music, puzzles, coloring... whatever they are interested in that day)
11- dinner
12- play with daddy
13- bath
14 - books and bed

My guys know what to expect. After lunch, they run to their room and get ready to read stories. We tell them what's next, and they are almost always willing to transition (I don't know how long that will last, but it's nice for now).

I don't know if that helps, but it works for us.
M.

I think some sort of a routine is helpful. Even if it's something like:
Wake up
Breakfast
Read books
Play with blocks/puzzles
Go for a walk (as long as he's bundled up, he'll probably still enjoy a stroller ride or walk to the library or something - remember when YOU were a kid you didn't actually care that it was cold out!)
Lunch
nap
art work (crayons etc)

If there's shopping etc you need to do you can incorporate that too. Even if it's just a weekly routine where on Mondays you have a class you're taking or something, plus meal and nap times - that can help I think.

Hi B.,

I have four children and another one on the way, so I most definitely recommend routine I have found out that kids love routine, it gives them something to look forward and teaches them discipline in an easy adjusting kind of way. I have a almost 3-year-old at home and he loves having something to look forward to everyday some days I change it up and somedays it is the same projects or flashcards, but timing is usually around the same time everyday.

A littlt about me

I have been married to my highschool sweetheart for eight years and we have four children two girls 8 and 6 and two boys 2 1/2 and 10 months old and another girl on the way.

A routine or some sort of routine would not only benefit him but YOU! :) It can really help the day go by!

So, you can do something like...

Breakfast
Free play
Have him help with lunch (little ones LOVE to help!)
Lunchtime
Storytime
Naptime (what mom doesn't love naptime!) :)
Free play
Snacktime (make a picnic for you two on the floor!)
Colortime (you can make dinner while he colors)
Dinnertime
Bathtime (to wash off markers AND dinner!)
Storytime
Bedtime

During the Free playtime, engage with him when he seems to be getting antsy. Try to help him w/ a puzzle or blocks. Make a big tower and let him knock it over. If it's a laundry day, have him help put the wet clothes in the dryer. It's so cute to let them just stand there waiting for you to hand them wet clothes to put in there. If there's anything with meals he can help with, let him have at it! Pull up a stool/chair for him to stand on and let him mix something.

You'll find it's good for him and you'll find YOU have more fun and your day goes by faster! :)

Also, check into your local library for fun things for you two to do together. Library fun is FREE and it is a great way to get out of the house during these cold nasty days. Both my girls are in classes at Fremont Library in Mundelein...it's free, only a half hour, and it's so fun to find books to take home in our little "library bag" after classes. They love returning the books in the slots the next week, too! :) It always gives us new stories to enjoy so reading is always fun for all of us.

I also take my girls to Hawthorn Mall sometimes. I pack a lunch for us and go there after breakfast and let them run around in the play area there. It's perfect for kids your son's age! It wears the kids out and it's free too! I always end up sitting next to a mom and we talk away and our kids end up playing a bit together! :) Then we eat our packed lunch (there are tables there by the play area) and then we head home. Sometimes if I time it right, both my girls fall asleep on the way and I just put them up to their beds. Otherwise, they're worn out enough to go down pretty quickly! :)

Having a routine is a good idea although it doesn't have to be so strict you can't change it. Incorporating some TV time, a nap time, meal times, play time with mom, play time by themselves helps them in their daily lives(at least from my experience) When the weather is nicer you could take them to the park or some outdoor activity but it doesn't have to be the same thing everyday. Even in winter-time, going to the mall or grocery store can be enough to stimulate them and it gets them away from sitting in front of the TV. And some days they will just have to be at home all day but having imaginative and age-appropriate toys will help keep them occupied and teach them to be creative. They still need mommy time but even then they could "help" you do your chores/activities around the house and it could be a fun way to learn. Being somewhat consistent in a daily routine helps them anticipate what the day will hold and will be helpful when they are older to.

I would suggest giving him a time limit on TV. Maybe an hour or two per day after you get off work. If you are not working, have a learning time scheduled everyday before TV time. You can read books, teach him his abc's if he doesn't know them already. Buy some learning dvd's that you all can watch together, etc.

My kids are 12,5, & 3. They can only during the week, watch TV on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Monday's and Wednesday's they are to do learning activities. My 12 and 5 year old read, and my 3 year old works on recognizing his letters since he already knows his abc's. On the weekend, they can watch TV. Sunday they have to do learning activities after they come home from church, before they can watch TV.

I hope that helps.

God bless,
A concerned Mother

Routines in the sense of bed time, feeding time, nap time, and bath time are good. Other than that make each day special. At 19 months you baby can do many things with you. Color together for awhile. Turn on some music and dance together. If it is cold bundle up and head over to the mall. Walk around and window shop or enjoy anything they may have for children. My daughter who is almost 4 really has always loved just dancing around with me. Even run around the house together. Winter really bites and it is hard but just use your imagination and I am sure you will come up with something great. Good luck.

Does he have any toy things you can play together? The TV can be quite addicting.

I have a beautiful 19 month old daughter. We don't really have a set routine, other than meal times and nap time. She has access to lots of books and interactive toys, and she loves to "help" me clean; washing dishes, sweeping the floor, wiping down tables, etc. Once in a while she likes to just veg out with her baby in front of the TV. I'll let her do that for up to an hour. I don't think they need a set in stone routine at this age.

I too would really limit the amount of TV you let him watch. I have friends with kids that cannot entertain themselves becauce they are used to constantly being entertained.

My boys are 6 and 2 and believe me, I too know what it is like with a toddler in the winter. Here are some things that my sons like:

Child-sized cleaning supplies (ex. broom, dustpan, rags, vacuum cleaner) they love to imitate anything you do.

The good ole pots and pans and don't forget the wooden spoons.

Glue sticks, paper, cotton balls, stickers, dot paints. Make simple things. Snowmen, cards for grandma, trace his hands and feet. Cut and glue pictures out of magazines. Staple pages together and make a book of animals, people, or toys. Then share it with daddy.

Blow bubbles inside. If you are worried about the floor, lay down an old blanket or towel.

Put snow in a large plastic bin and bring it inside for him to play with. HE WILL LOVE IT! Again, cover the floor if you are worried.

Another day, fill the bin with rice and let him play in it like it is sand. Use cups, trucks, animals, etc. This is easy to sweep or vacuum up. (and safe for him in case he puts some in his mouth.)

Let him help you "cook." Instant pudding anyone? He can pour and stir, even help you slice bananas with a plastic knife. Then of course, EAT!

Go to the library and read, read, read to him. Many libraries have toddler story times with songs and simple crafts. Of course he won't sit and listen to the stories right away, but keep taking him and he will learn.

Teach him simple songs and fingerplays. Ring around the rosie, pat a cake, this is the church.

Check out meetup.com to see of there are any moms groups in your area that you can get together with.

These are just some of the ideas I could think of off of the top of my head. Most of them don't cost anything. You are your child's first teacher and he will learn so much from you. You will be so proud of him (and yourself) when you see him learning.

Good luck and have fun.

It's been many years since I raised my kids, but I remember those long, cold winter days very well. I use to sit on the floor and play teaching toys with them.ie fitting the right shaped piece in the right shaped hole. Dexterity is important and the earlier they learn, the earlier you can start teaching other things like tieing shoes (there is a toy shoe for that). Playschool has everything a baby needs for his development. You can exercise with them. That'll tire them out and help them stay healthy at an early age. Stretching, baby pushups, leg streches (put him on his back and you exercise his legs. up, down, out to one side then the other..one at a time of course). It's playtime and special time with mommy. Laugh and have fun with him. Feed him, bathe him and cuddle while you read him a naptime story. God, I wish I still had little ones to love. Jeanne, Elk Grove Village, Il. p.s. don't forget music playing in the background during the day and some dancing for fun and to tire him out. Music is very soothing. I know adults who still have the radio going all day long.

Kids thrive on routine.
I have been staying in a lot with my 8 mos. old due to the cold too. But I try to take him out one day if we are in the day before.
My son LOVES the mall with all the lights and sounds. Mom hates it! But I go because it gets him out of the house. Like the first reply said, it won't take much to give them a little stimulation. A run to the grocer, etc...
But when you are home, babies are usually happier if they have a routine and know what to expect.

Hi, B.,
I think a routine would possibly be a benefit to you as well as to him. To me little kids are wonderful but I found the time dragging and it helped to have an activity or two in my back pocket. We also put the TV in the basement, and that was a deterrent to too much screen time.
Things to do with a 19-mo-old. 1. Put a bowl of water on a towel on the kitchen floor. Add cups, droppers, old mustard bottles. Be ready for some major mop-up time, but depending on the kid, this could be an hour-long activity. 2. make playdough. This is a major favorite with my kids. Kool-aid has a recipe, or you could find other recipes online, too. 3. let your kid unpack the tupperware drawer (depending on the kid, this may not be worth the time it takes to put it all back together) or the block box. 4. go to the library and find books with activity suggestions. when you find one you want to try, get the materials together in the evening for the next day's exploration. I found our local library to be a real lifeline when the kids were tiny.

Hope this helps, S. C.

kids certainly love routine. At his age, he shouldn't be watching any tv. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no tv before age 2 as children under 2 need 3-d rather than 2-d stimulation. It is hard during the winter. here are some of the things i and my nanny do with my little one to amuse ourselves:
Gets up around 7am, plays a little then has breakfast, plays some more, naps. then on monday they go to storytime at library, wednesday they go to wonderworks in oak park (children's play area), thursdays and saturday we go to singing at musikgarten. My nanny also organizes playdates maybe 2 days a week. On weekends, we go to different things and play.

TV is definitely not good for any child and especially not for the little ones. I think most experts (if you want to believe everything you read) say that a child under the age of two shouldn't watch any tv...but that's easier said than done.

I have a 5 year old, a 4 year old, a 3 year old, and a 19 month old all day long. Two aren't mine. They get one dvd in the morning and then the girls get one at night. I have lots of puzzles, games, and educational toys like the leapfrog stuff to keep them occupied. I have a play area in my basement with lots of toys. And then once a day in the afternoon after lunch, we sit at our little tables and do activites...I find art activities in magazines like FamilyFun for them to do. I print pre-school activities off the net and out of resource books I buy for them to do. I tape big sheets of paper to the basement wall and then put my old turtlenecks on them for smocks and encourage them to paint something. I made a bean bag toss game for them, they have a mini dart board game made of magnets, and a fooseball game they like to play.

The 5 year old (who hasn't started kindergarten because her birthday is in Jan) and the 4 year old who will start in the fall both know all the pre-school objectives for SC and IL as well as most of the kindergarten objectives for IL already. They love to do the activities. In the spring, summer and fall we go for walks to the marsh, the library, and the nearby little town. We play outside as much as possible if the weather is nice.

I know it is much harder when you only have one. I have four to entertain eachother most of the time. You may consider watching another child during the day. That might provide you with a little extra cash to spend on art supplies and workbooks and it would give the little man someone to play with. If that isn't a possibility then you will need to let him help you with everything you have to do and then set him up with art activities and so on at other times. Try to plan trips to get you out of the house. And then resort to the tv when you need to cook or something. My girls love to help me cook so that isn't a problem for me, but when it is finishing up I typically throw in a movie to let them wind down for the day. Then we eat, they go change into their jammies, their father reads a Bible story and each gets a book of their choice. By that time the 3 year old has concked out on the floor and the five year old is yawning. It works out well.

Good luck and it will get better as your family grows...and if you can't limit the tv to one or two programs at least make sure the programs he does watch are educational...most libraries have a dvd collection you can checkout. The kids love Siging time, Popular Mechanics for Kids, LeapFrog dvds, The Magic School Bus, and all the learning dvds they have.