20 month old toddler schedule and routine. Toddler schedule for 19.5-20 months old – get a toddler routine and learn about daily life. Learn about sleep after a time change, dealing with toddler tantrums, toddler playtime, and helpful books for parents of toddlers.
This is a summary for Brinley from 19.5-20 Months Old.
SLEEPING
Sleep got back to normal during this time. That time change–it is hard for me! I swear it takes me a month to get back into my normal morning routine. It was definitely harder on her being this age and not having some time to adjust slowly over time. Moving cold turkey had an impact in a negative way. If I didn’t have school schedules to deal with, I definitely would have done a slow change over for a child this age. But we survived it and we are back to sleeping as usual.
>>>Read: Tips for Shifting Your Schedule {Time Change, Time Zones}
EATING
Eating is the same. She continues to surprise me with her food tastes. We give her spicy foods and she just loves them!
PLAYING
I have realized that while Brinley doesn’t mind doing Independent Playtime alone, and she in fact asks for it every morning, she does not like to free play alone. If she isn’t in Independent Play, she wants to be with someone. Since it is often just she and I, I am that someone. She doesn’t mind following me around as I do things, but she feels compelled to go through the cupboards and drawers in order to entertain herself.
One day, she brought along some princess toys. I primarily spend my time on the main floor of our house and I don’t usually allow toys there–I keep them all on one floor so the mess is contained. This isn’t to say we never have toys enter the main floor, but I try to keep them away so we don’t have toy mess on top of everything else. Anyway, she carried the princesses along with her and didn’t get into all of my cupboards, so that was great! I think if I am doing things, I will have her carry some toys along to entertain herself with.
SCREAMING
It is interesting how fast things can leave. The high-pitched screaming I talked about last time is no more. She doesn’t do it to me at least.
>>>Read: What to do When Your Child Yells and Screams
TANTRUMS
She was very grumpy during this time, though. She was into some tantrums. It is quite an amusing sequence because she carefully places herself on the floor when she is really mad. Some kids will throw themselves down and hurt themselves, but she is careful to keep herself safe. It makes the tantrum far less believable ;).
>>>Read: Tips for Avoiding and Responding to Tantrums
COLD
We had pretty much the worst cold ever come through our house. I got it too. Seriously awful.
>>>Read: Helping Babies Survive a Cold
SCHEDULE
8:15–wake up. Eat breakfast (fruit, cereal, and milk)
Get ready. Clean with mom.
10:00 Independent Playtime.
11:30 Play
12:00 Lunch.
Play with McKenna.
1:00–Nap starts
4:00-4:30–wake up. Snack. Play.
5:15–Dinner
7:30–Sippy of milk, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00.
HELPFUL BOOKS
- On Becoming Toddlerwise
- Wholesome Toddlerfood.com
- The Toddler’s Busy Book
- What To Expect The Toddler Years (this is okay–I don’t love it)
- Super Baby Food
- So Easy Toddler Food cookbook
- The Wonder Weeks. (and a link to their site:http://livingcontrolsystems.com/)
- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
- The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems: Sleeping, Feeding, and Behavior–Beyond the Basics from Infancy Through Toddlerhood
- Baby Body Signs: The Head-to-Toe Guide to Your Child’s Health, from Birth Through the Toddler Years
- Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby
RELATED POSTS
- McKenna Toddler Summary: 20 Months Old
- Brinley Toddler Summary {20.5 months old}
- Brinley Toddler Summary {19.5 Months Old}
- How to Deal with Toddler Tantrums
- Controlling the Young Temper
- The “Mini-fit”: Responding to Young Tantrums
- When Your Child Has a Tantrum, Stop and Think
- Toddler Tantrums are Very Normal
- The Screaming Non-Verbal Baby/Toddler