What should my 18 month-old's routine look like?

Here’s how to structure your 18 month-old’s day.

You are in full-on toddlerhood and whew, this stage can be a doozy!

Toddlers are sooo much fun - it is honestly one of my favorite age groups to work with. I also know it can be super challenging trying to navigate routines with this little human who is suddenly climbing everywhere, getting into everything, and has a million and one opinions on the most seemingly-miniscule parts of their day…… trust me, I really get it.

There ARE things you can do to promote age-appropriate development and make life a little easier. By implementing a consistent daily routine, you may notice a huge difference in your child’s behavior and your day overall.

So, what does a typical routine for an 18 month-old look like?

• Wake Up

• (Optional) Milk in cup

• Morning Routine

• Eat Breakfast

• Play

• Morning Activity or Outing

• (Optional) Eat snack

• Eat Lunch

• Nap

• Eat Snack

• Play

• Eat Dinner

• Bedtime Routine (can include milk in cup at the beginning of the routine)

*If you are still breastfeeding your toddler, you can continue as long as it still works for both you and your child. Oftentimes toddlers who are still breastfeeding at this age prefer to nurse morning and night, but there is a wide variety of normal when it comes to frequency and schedule at this age.

Mealtimes

You should offer your child three solid meals per day, plus one or two scheduled snacks as needed. Try to prevent your child from snacking all day long, as it can lead to dulled hunger and fullness cues throughout the day, and your child will be far less likely to want to eat their food at mealtimes.

Your child should be able to eat almost any food you eat, even if they don’t have all of their teeth. Make sure to prepare the food in a manner that is safe for them to eat, such as cutting up grapes and hotdogs. Try to give your child a good amount of fruits, vegetables, fats, proteins and grains and limit foods high in sugar and salt.

Here is where my pro tip comes in: continue to serve lots of different types, flavors and textures of food, even if they refuse to eat them. It is super common for children at this age to become more picky eaters as they develop a sense of control over what they want. Keep serving it and know that the more often they are exposed to a food, the more likely they will be to eventually eat it.

 If this is something you are struggling with, you are not alone! Picky eating is extremely common in toddlers and I go in-depth about it in my 12-18 Month Comprehensive Routine Guide to help you navigate this tricky time.

Naps

By 18 months of age, your child is likely taking one nap per day. This nap should be about 2-3 hours in length, but it is okay if it is shorter. They may just need longer sleep overnight.

It is important to note that some toddlers will have a sudden spike in separation anxiety around 18 months of age. This may cause them to resist sleep or cry out for you when they haven’t before. It is always okay (and recommended!) to comfort your child. Just be cautious about adding in new sleep habits you don’t want to continue for the long-term.

One thing that can really help with naps and bedtime is having a solid pre-sleep routine in place. This might look something like:

• Read a book

• Sing a song

• Put on sleepsack

• Turn on sound machine

• Hugs and a kiss

• Lay down

Having a predictable series of events like this helps signal to your toddler what is going to happen and prepares them that sleep is coming. Find a routine that works for you and your child and be consistent with it as much as possible.

Playtime

At 18 months, most toddlers are very busy! They are likely on the move, getting into everything and exploring as much as they can. Remember - play is your child’s most important “job” at this stage in their life so try to encourage it as much as possible.

Here are some activity ideas to promote safe and meaningful playtime for your child:

• Set up a container play activity with your child. Show them how to take the objects out and put them back in. Narrate the phrases “take out” and “put in” while you do it.

• Set up a fine motor play activity to promote the pincer grasp and coordination.  Put popsicle sticks in an empty tissue box, show your child how to color with crayons and paper or get some large stickers and a sheet of paper to let your child explore peeling the stickers off and placing them on the paper.

• Set up a sensory bin. Fill a large container with water and bubbles and let them wash their plastic animals and cars, fill a container with cheerios or dried beans and give them tools to scoop and explore or make homemade playdough.

• Blow bubbles together. Show your child how to isolate their pointer finger and pop them. Kids LOVE bubbles!

• Read books together. Reading the same book over and over again is really good for your toddler’s development. 

• Put on music and have a dance party together. Clap to the beat of the music and encourage your child to clap and dance along with you.

• Set up a book basket. Put 2-3 board books inside a small basket or bin and let your child have some independent “reading time”.

• Set up a safe kitchen drawer. Toddlers love exploring kitchen items AND being close to you, so why not create a baby-safe drawer or cabinet that they can have access to while you are in the kitchen?

  With these ideas in mind, try to remember that you do not need to be playing with your child all day long. In fact, allowing your child to play independently is just as (if not more!) important than playing together. Independent play may only last a few minutes at first, but the more they have an opportunity to practice, the easier it gets. The important thing to remember is safety. You want to create a safe environment for them to play without you constantly needing to interrupt them to take something unsafe away from them. It is your job to set up their environment as best you can so that they can safely move around and interact with toys/objects that they cannot use to hurt themselves or others.

I hope this helps you have a good idea of what a day with a 18-month-old generally looks like! As always, drop any questions in the comments of this post or send me a DM on Instagram.

If you want a more detailed view, check out my 12-18 Month Comprehensive Routine Guide or 18-24 Month Comprehensive Routine Guide. I teach you exactly how to structure your child’s day at this age as well as navigate all of the big transitions like dropping the bottle, transitioning from two naps to one, managing emerging toddler tantrums, and so much more.