Hello all! I just received a new job offer for a little one. He is about 15 months. What would you say is a good routine for a 15 month old? In the previous job I was with older kids and they had more of a parental guided scheduled. In this new position, I am put in charge of creating a schedule for the little guy. The parents encourage outings: zoo, park, etc. Of course no tv. They have a swing set outside and of course I plan on helping the little guy cognitively and already have a plan for that. What I need help with is creating a schedule that has a little bit of everything, including playdates with friends. Parents are encouraging socialization. :) He will nap 2x a day and be fed 2x a day, with a snack in between.
10 comments:
Don't go three hrs without a meal or snack. Follow his natural schedule. Once you know his natural schedule, u can get more specific. I've found this to be a good and basic schedule.
8 breakfast
10 snack
12 lunch
1-3 nap
3 snack
6 dinner
7 bath
8 bed
What hours will you be working with him?
I agree you should start with learning his natural schedule.
15 months is also the time when lots of kids give up their morning nap. Assuming he does that your schedule might be something like
8:00 am breakfast
11:00 lunch
12:00-3:00 nap
3:00 snack
6:00 dinner
7:00 bath
Keep in minf that most toddler classes are held in the morning between 9 and 11 am.
I would suggest a playgrouup , story time, music class two mornings a week.
A big outing such as the zoo or children's museum one a week and a meeting with playmates once a week, and outside playtime or walk weather permitting every day.
Try to avoid outings around naptime, and take snacks with you especially if you will be out at snack time.
OP here. It will be 730-630 gig :) 3x a week
11 hours is too long for only 2 meals, unless the parents specified they want him to eat dinner with them right after they get home from work. This is the approximate schedule for my last toddler charge:
7:00 Wake up
7:30 Breakfast
9:00-11:00 Nap
11:00 Snack
12:30 Lunch
2:00-4:00 Nap
4:00 Snack
6:00 Dinner
7:30 Bath and Bed
Four hours of napping per day? How old? I've only seen this in newborns. I would have activites going on for a toddler in the am, so they don't have an am nap. But then again, I've had a child care with five toddlers, so the activity kept them awake.
Some young toddlers do still take morning naps.
In my experience around 15 months they start to waen themselves off the morning naps and nap 2 -3 hours in the afternoon.
He was 14 months when I left the family and was nowhere near weaning himself from the morning nap. Of course, that was just a very basic schedule, he usually wouldn't sleep a full 4 hours everyday, often just two 1-hour naps. I was just giving a general time frame. Sorry, I should have clarified that in my first post.
Oh it's totally normal for a kid that age to still take long morning naps.
So much depends on the individual toddler, that's why it's best, OP gets to know the little one she's caring for and what he needs , and go from there.
I just didn't want her to be surprised if she plans on a morning nap period and the little guy is wide awake.
Of course she very well could get "lucky" and he still needs a morning nap. In that case she'll need to consider that when planning morning activities.
I've always hated that most of the good infant and toddler play & music classes take place during morning nap period.
I have only come across one , a Music Together class, that offered a class that fell between naps. She was also a mom so maybe that's why.
If you have a Music Together in your area check it out. I thoroughly enjoyed it as did baby.
I wouldn't plan in a morning nap, I suggest
7:30 breakfast
10:00 snack
11:30 lunch
Nap 1:00-3:00
Snack 3:30
Dinner 6:00
Schedule classes, play dates, and outings for your mornings. Save art, yard play, etc for after nap
Good luck:-)
A schedule is great for providing security for toddlers, but don't forget to plan for some totally unstructured playtime. Sometimes just following where a toddler leads can be an incredible learning experience.
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