14 Examples of a Daily Routine for a 2 Year Old
A daily routine for a 2 year old is a great way to manage your day. Schedule activities, naps, and bedtime using these examples and ideas!
I’ve long been a fan of routines and rhythms, as they’ve kept order in my day so I don’t have to think too much about what to do next. But what do you do when your routine feels off, or if you feel like you have no routine at all?
Maybe your 2 year old isn’t going to sleep until 11pm or you’d like to include a few activities but can’t seem to find the time. Often, the trick is to look at other people’s routines for inspiration.
That’s why I gathered several examples to jump-start a few ideas. Take a look—I hope you find them useful:
Play ideas
Wondering how to entertain a 2 year old in between eating and sleeping? Rather than listing play ideas with each example schedule, I’ve gathered them below, depending on whether you’re at home or out and about.
At-home play ideas:
- Build with blocks
- Draw and color
- Play with trucks and cars
- Use the indoor tricycle
- Play with kitchen pots and pans
- Read books
- Piece puzzles together
- Play in the backyard
- Play with magnets
- Sing songs
- Play with play dough
- Pretend play
- Play with a ball
- Write with chalk on the sidewalk or chalkboard
- Play in a pretend kitchen
- Dance
- Do arts and crafts projects
Out-of-the-house play ideas:
- Pull your child in a wagon
- Run around in the park
- Attend a music class
- Listen to story time or participate in library crafts
- Run errands
- Visit the children’s section of a bookstore
- Go to a gym or mom-and-me class
- Buy groceries
- Play at the playground
- Join a playgroup or play date with other kids
- Visit a museum
- Go to the zoo
- Visit a farm
- Walk around the neighborhood
Frequently asked questions
These schedules are applicable whether you’re home with her all day or if she’s at a daycare or preschool and you’re at work. Feel free to fill in or adjust according to your needs. For instance, skip the late morning and early afternoons if she’ll be in preschool during that time.
The bottom line
As you can see, creating a daily routine for a 2 year old doesn’t have to be complicated, nor is it set in stone. Your days may feel anything but “routine,” but with these tips and ideas in mind, you can create a schedule for your little one.
Get more tips:
- 8 Mistakes to Avoid When Your 2 Year Old Refuses to Sleep
- “Help! My 2 Year Old Still Wakes Up at Night for Milk”
- Is Your 2 Year Old Waking Up at Night for Hours? Here’s What to Do
- How to Avoid 2 Year Old Bedtime Tantrums
- How to Establish a 2 Year Old Bedtime
Free ebook: Want simple tweaks to stop feeling overwhelmed and start managing your time? Grab Time Management Strategies for the Overwhelmed Mom below—at no cost to you. You’ll also get my newsletters, which parents say they LOVE:
“Nina, I applied the advice, and everything immediately got so peaceful. You have opened my eyes so wide and are literally already changing our lives. ” -Heather Cristea
