Sample schedules for 12-15 month old pretoddlers using the Babywise method. Know what milestones to expect and how to shift the schedule for your young toddler.
Can you believe how fast that first year went by? There were moments you thought would never end, but as you look back on it, time really flew. Your tiny baby has grown so much over the last year.
This post tells you all about what to expect with your 12-15 month old Babywise pretoddler. I will walk you through what to expect during these months, share what my kids did during this month, and share sample schedules from other Babywise families from this month.
Post Contents
Overview for Months 12-15
You are now in what is referred to as the pretoddler stage. This is a transitional period between baby and toddler. Here is what to expect with your schedule.
Read: The Best Things About 12-15 Month olds
EAT
Your pretoddler will have 3-4 liquid feedings a day with three solid meals a day. You might also have a snack.
If you have been breastfeeding, you might continue with that or you might move to milk or formula. Consult with your little one’s doctor to decide what is best. Most pretoddlers can move to milk, but it is always wise to consult with your child’s doctor.
Read: Tips for Dropping the 4th Feeding {Bottle or Breast}
If you are breastfeeding, you might need to keep four liquid feedings to maintain your milk supply. If you are not breastfeeding, your little one might be able to move to 3 liquid feedings a day, but there is no rush for this. If you pretoddler still needs that fourth liquid feeding each day, go for it.
As your child turns one, you will probably want to move away from bottles and toward a cup of some type. You might do a sippy cup, a straw cup, or a regular cup.
Read: How to Wean Baby from Breast, Bottle, and Formula
If you have weaned your little one, you are probably wondering how many ounces of milk your little one should get each day. The answer to this can really vary from pediatrician to pediatrician. I have seen everything from 16-30 ounces a day. We went for 24 ounces at our house. Not everyone did that! You can read all about Milk Intake For Pre-Toddlers here.
You might have a child who refuses to drink milk or who can’t. My third child would not drink milk and it was very stressful for me! I searched for substitutes and came up with a list you can find in Adding Milk/Dairy to the Diet.
Read: Pre-Toddler Mealtime Expectations
A big concern that can come up with this age group is suddenly refusing favorite foods, know that is quite normal for the 12-18 month old age group. Yesterday peas were a favorite, today they are hated, and tomorrow they will be a favorite again. Do not stop trying to offer foods. Keep at it. Read more at Refusal of Favorite Foods.
WAKE
Waketime will start out the same, but you will shift some as time goes on. During waketime, you can have free play, structured play, blanket time, table time, and Independent Playtime.
SLEEP
Most pretoddlers in the 12-15 month old age will continue to have two naps each day. The youngest age to drop the morning nap is 14 months old. There is a good chance you will enter that awkward nap transition time when your pretoddler doesn’t sleep well for both naps but also cannot handle just one nap a day. This is a normal thing and nothing to stress about. Read up on what to do during this nap transition time here.
Read: What To Do When Your Pre-Toddler is Taking a Short Morning Nap
If your pretoddler is not sleeping well, remember the importance of exercise and stimulation for sleep. And while toddlers are not usually as sensitive to stimulation levels as babies, toddlers can be overstimulated, too.
DISCIPLINE
Discipline will become more and more a part of your life as your little one gets older. This is normal and nothing to stress about. If your little one starts screaming and throwing fits, there is an excellent chance it is because she is frustrated that she cannot communicate with you. She can understand much more than she can verbalize. Read up on The Screaming Non-Verbal Baby/Toddler here.
12-15 Month Old Schedule Basics
Pre-Toddlers in the 12-15 month old range should have this with their schedule:
- Typically 3 liquid feedings, but you might have a fourth
- 3 Solid feedings
- A snack if needed/desired
- 2 naps per day, though some may go to 1 nap a day during this time period
- 10-13 hours of sleep at night
- Independent Playtime for about 60 minutes, once per day
Babywise 12-15 Month Old Sample Schedules
Here are the sample schedules of what we did in this age range.
12 Months Old
Brayden
I still did 4 liquid feedings a day once both turned a year. We weaned from the breast at a year, but neither would drink more than 6 ounces per meal, and I knew they should have about 24 ounces of milk in a day. Kaitlyn will sporadically drink 8 ounces at some meals, then less than 2 at others. She is less predictable in what she drinks, though it does seem to be evening out as time passes.
7:15: Wake, drink milk, eat breakfast
9:30: nap
11:30: Wake, drink milk, eat lunch
2:00: nap
4:00: Wake, drink milk
8:00: drink milk, eat dinner
8:30: in bed
Kaitlyn
7:30: Wake, drink milk, eat breakfast
Between: the time here includes bath, getting ready, and solo playtime each day. It also many times includes sibling playtime.
9:30: nap
11:30: wake, drink milk, eat lunch
Between: the time here includes free time and often sibling playtime. As the weather is getting nicer, we also spend a lot of time outside at this time.
1:30-1:45: nap
3:45-4:00: wake, drink milk
4:00ish: solo playtime
4:40: the activities for this time of day vary from day to day. We run errands at this time when needed. We to to the library. We will go on family walks. We will go outside and play. We have free time inside.
5:30: dinner. Kaitlyn is moving from Babyfood and pretty much only eats what we are eating.
7:00: drink milk and then I try to get some babyfood in her, though she usually only has a couple of bites. This is just my last effort to try to control the food going in directly. I feel this step phasing out. After food, she gets ready for bed and we read a story.
7:45: she is in bed.
McKenna: (read her full 12 month old summary here and her 12.5 month old summary here)
8:30 AM–wake, eat (prunes or peaches/apricots and oatmeal, milk, yogurt). This is when we do a bath (four days a week) and independent playtime. We then do sibling playtime.
10:30 AM–nap.
12:30 PM–wake, nurse, solids (green veggie and applesauce. Sometimes mix with blueberries or cherries. Milk. Finger foods–including cheese). She then “helps” me put Brayden in rest time (which just means telling him to go) and Kaitlyn down for her nap. We then do blanket time followed by free play with me in the same room.
2:30 PM–nap
4:30 PM–wake, milk, solids (yellow veggie and bananas or pears). Then time with Daddy.
5:30ish PM–dinner with family. Finger foods and what we are having. Then time with family.
7:15-7:30 PM–nurse, PJs, story, prayers, bed.
Brinley: (read her full 12 month old summary here and 12.5 month old summary here)
8:45–nurse with solids (fruit, cereal, yogurt, finger foods). Independent Playtime happens in this block.
10:30-11:00–nap starts
12:45-1:00–wake up, bottle with solids (veggie, fruit, other foods we are eating)
2:30-3:00–nap starts
5:00–wake up, bottle with solids (veggie, fruit, dinner)
7:30–bottle, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:30.
13 Months Old
McKenna: (read her full 13 month old summary here and her 13.5 month old summary here)
8:30 AM–wake, eat (prunes or peaches/apricots mixed with yogurt, oatmeal, milk). This is when we do a bath (four days a week) and independent playtime.
10:30 AM–nap.
12:30 PM–wake, lunch. She then “helps” me put Brayden in rest time (which just means telling him to go) and Kaitlyn down for her nap. We then do blanket time followed by free play with me in the same room and/or outside play.
2:30 PM–nap
4:30-5:00 PM–wake, milk, solids (yellow veggie and bananas or pears). Then time with Daddy.
5:30ish PM–dinner with family. Finger foods and what we are having. Then time with family, which is typically outside these days.
7:30 PM–PJs, story, prayers, bed.
Brinley: (read her full 13 month old summary here and her 13.5 month old summary here)
8:45–bottle with solids (fruit, cereal, yogurt, finger foods). Independent Playtime happens in this block.
11:00–nap starts
12:45–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, other foods we are eating)
3:00–nap starts
5:00–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, dinner)
7:30–bottle, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:30.
14 Months Old
Brayden
7:15: Wake, drink milk, eat breakfast
9:30: nap
11:30: Wake, drink milk, eat lunch
2:00: nap
4:00: Wake, drink milk
5:30ish: Dinner
8:00: drink milk
8:30: in bed
Kaitlyn
7:30: wake up and eat breakfast. This usually consists of milk, fruit, and some dry cereal.
9:45: nap
11:45: wake up and eat lunch. This includes whatever Brayden and I are eating, and right now is usually mostly fruits and vegetables.
1:45: nap
4:00: wake up and drink milk. Sometimes she will also get a small snack, depending on what time dinner will be done.
5:30: dinner with the family. She eats whatever we are eating.
7:00: drink milk.
7:45: in bed
McKenna: (read her full 14 month old summary here and here full 14.5 month old summary here)
8:30 AM–wake, eat (fruit mixed with yogurt, oatmeal, milk). This is when we do a bath (four days a week) and independent playtime.
10:30 AM–nap.
12:30 PM–wake, lunch. She then “helps” me put Brayden in rest time (which just means telling him to go) and Kaitlyn down for her nap. We then do blanket time followed by free play with me in the same room and/or outside play.
2:30 PM–nap
4:30-5:00 PM–wake, play until dinner time.
5:30ish PM–dinner with family. Finger foods and what we are having. She also has milk. Then time with family.
7:30 PM–PJs, story, prayers, bed.
Brinley: (read her full 14 month old summary here and her full 14.5 month old summary here)
8:45–sippy of milk, oatmeal/prunes mixed, and solids (fruit, cereal, yogurt, finger foods). Independent Playtime happens in this block.
11:00–nap starts
12:45–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, other foods we are eating)
3:00–nap starts
5:00–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, dinner)
7:30–bottle, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:30.
AND
8:45–sippy of milk, fruit, cereal, yogurt, finger foods. Independent Playtime happens in this block.
11:15–nap starts
12:45–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, other foods we are eating)
3:15–nap starts
5:00–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, dinner)
7:30–bottle, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:30.
15 Months Old
McKenna: (read her full 15 month old summary here and her full 15.5 month old summary here)
8:30 AM–wake, get dressed, eat (fruit mixed with yogurt, oatmeal, milk). Go to swimming lessons.
10:20 AM–get home.
10:30 AM–nap.
12:30 PM–wake, lunch, sibling playtime. Independent playtime for one hour if we are home.
2:30 PM–nap
4:30-5:00 PM–wake, play until dinner time.
5:30ish PM–dinner with family. Finger foods and what we are having. She also has milk. Then time with family.
7:30 PM–Bath, PJs, story, prayers, bed.
AND
8:30 AM–wake, eat (fruit mixed with yogurt, oatmeal, milk).
9:00-9:30ish AM–play outside. 10:20 AM–Come in and a quick bath
10:30 AM–nap.
12:30 PM–wake, lunch, sibling playtime. Independent playtime for one hour.
2:30 PM–nap
4:30-5:00 PM–wake, play until dinner time.
5:30ish PM–dinner with family. Finger foods and what we are having. She also has milk. Then time with family.
7:30 PM–Bath, PJs, story, prayers, bed.
Brinley: (read her full 15 month old summary here and her full 15.5 month old summary here)
Two naps:
8:45–sippy of milk, fruit, cereal, yogurt, finger foods. Independent Playtime happens in this block.
11:15–nap starts
12:45–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, other foods we are eating)
3:15–nap starts
5:00–wake up, sippy with solids (veggie, fruit, dinner)
7:30–Sippy of milk, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00-8:30.
One nap:
8:45–sippy of milk, fruit, cereal, yogurt, finger foods.
Get ready. Clean with mom.
Independent Playtime.
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.
AND
8:15–wake up. Eat breakfast (fruit, cereal, and milk)
Get ready. Clean with mom.
10:30 Independent Playtime.
11:30 Play
12:00 Lunch.
Play with McKenna.
1:00–Nap starts — But during this period, nap was shifting between noon and 1.
4:00-4:30–wake up. Snack. Play.
5:15–Dinner
7:30–Sippy of milk, then bedtime. In bed by 8:00.
Reader Sample Babywise Schedules for 12-15 Months Old
Here are some sample schedules from readers for 12-15 months old.
12 Months Old
Schedule 1
7 am – wake & breakfast
(this awake time we get dressed/bathe & have independent play)9:30 am – nap (this month the nap shortened from 9-11 to 9:30-11)11:00 – lunch, milk feed
(this awake time we run errands or go to play group or for a walk, the park, its not very structured, its out & about time)
1:45/2:00 pm nap for 2.5 hours
(ever since the morning nap shortened up a bit, this nap has become a solid 2.5, sometimes 3 hour nap!)
4:00 milk or snack
(this awake time is sibling time, free play, and playpen time while I make dinner)
5:30 dinner with family
6:30 jammies, diaper, milk bottle, brush teeth, story, prayers, wind down
7:00 pm bedtime
7:15 (mop flops on to couch exhausted!
Schedule 2
6 dwt
730 breakfast
915 nap
10 wakeup and snack
12 lunch
1 nap
3 wakeup snack
5 supper
7 bed!
Schedule 3
7 DWT/Nurse
7:30-8:15 IP
8:15 Breakfast
11:30 Lunch
12-2:30ish Nap
2:30 Nurse and snack
5:30/6- dinner
7 nurse, then bed
Schedule 4
7:30- wake up
7:45- breakfast and milk
9:45- snack and water
11:15- lunch and milk
12:30- nap
2:30/3- wake up and snack with milk
6- dinner with water
7:30- bottle of milk
8/825-bed
Schedule 5
7am – DWT, Nurse
8am – breakfast
930am – Nap 1
1015am – Snack + water
12pm – Lunch
130pm – Nap 2
330pm – Nurse
5pm – Dinner
7pm – Nurse and bed
13 Months Old
Schedule 1
7:30am wake up and breakfast
8:30am playtime with sibling (4yo)
9:30am books then nap
12:00pm Lunch
1:00pm out and about (errands, playground, park, library, walk)
3:30pm books then nap
5:30pm dinner
6:30pm playtime with dad and sibling
7:30pm bath
8:00pm books with mom (sometimes sibling)
8:30pm bed
Schedule 2
9:00 – wake, breakfast, 8 oz milk*
9:30-10:30 – playtime
10:30-11:00 – learning activity
11:00- nap
1:00 – wake, lunch, 8 oz milk*
1:30 – errands
3:00ish – nap
5:00 – wake, snack
5:30-6:30/7 – play with daddy or ride in jogging stroller or watch mommy/daddy exercise
7:00 – dinner, 8 oz milk*
7:30/8pm – bath, brush teeth, relax with mommy in room
8:30 – bed*she actually does not drink all 8 oz of milk at her meal. she usually takes the entire 2 hours between meal and nap to drink 8 oz. we are working toward the goal of drinking it at the meal only
Schedule 3
7:30 wake, breakfast, etc.
8:30 IP
9:00 get dressed and ready for the day, then play with Mom and reading time
10:00 nap
11:15 wake him
11:45 lunch
some combo of run errands, help Mom with simple chores, play time
2:15 nap
4:00ish he wakes, snack
a bit too much unstructured time here 🙂 then Dad gets home and he plays with Dad
6:00 dinner
7:30 bedtime
Schedule 4
7:30 wake
10:30-11:30 nap
2:30-4:30 nap
8:00 bed
14 Months Old
Schedule 1
8:00 Wake, Nurse, maybe play for a bit
8:30 Breakfast
9:00 Play at home or go on a walk (independent play, books, quietish acitivities). Bath 2x a week (unless she gets covered in something sooner than that!)
10:00 Nap
12:00 Wake, nurse if she’ll sit still for 1 minute!
12:15 Lunch
12:45 Out of the house–errands, pool, meet friends…usually more active things
3or4 (depending on day) Nap
5or6 (depending on start of nap time) Wake & play while mom makes dinner
6:30-7ish Dinner
7ish Play with Dad! Her favorite time of the day!
8-8:30ish Bedtime. Read books, hugs for everyone, snuggle for a minute, then lay down & lights out.
Schedule 2
6:30 – Wake, Diaper Change, 8 oz whole milk
7:30 – Breakfast – cereal, fruit, toast, yogurt
8:30 – At Babysitters — playing!!
9:30 – Nap
12:00 – Wake, 8 oz whole milk
1:00 – Lunch
2:30 – Nap
3:30 – 4:00 Wake, snack and play
4:30 – Pick up my princess!!
5:00 – 8 oz of whole milk while mom makes dinner
5:30 – Play with mom and dad
6:00 – Dinner with family
6:45 – Bath
7:00 – PJs, stories, bed
Schedule 3
6:30 wake, bottle
7 dress, breakfast, play
8:30-8:50 bottle, nap
9:15-9:30 asleep
10:15 I wake her
11 lunch
12:45 bottle, nap at 12:55
1:15-2 asleep
3-4:15 wakes
5 dinner
6:10 bath, bottle, stories
6:45 bed
Schedule 4
DWT 7-7:30
Nap 12-2
Bedtime 7:30
Schedule 5
7am wake
9:30-11:30am nap 1
2:30-4:30pm nap 2
7:30pm bed
Schedule 6
7:30 Wake & Breakfast
10 Snack
12:30-3 Nap
3 Snack
5:30 Dinner
7:15 Bed
Schedule 7
DWT 7 (wakes up around 6:30)
7:45 breakfast
1030-1130ish nap
1230 Lunch
2:30-4 nap
6 Dinner
6:45 bath
7 book
7:20 down
Schedule 8
7am wake and nurse then breakfast of solids
snacks on demand
11am lunch of solids
12pm nap
2-3pm wake up
1 or 2 snacks sometime between waking up and 4
5:30/6pm dinner
7:30pm bedtime
15 Months Old
Schedule 1
Wake 7am/8oz milk
Breakfast 8am
Play
Nap 10:15am
Wake her up at 11am
Lunch 11:30am
Play
Nap 2pm
Up 4pm/8oz milk
Dinner 6pm
Bath 7:15pm
Bed 7:30pm
Schedule 2
7:00 Wake up, breakfast
7:45 Room Time
8:00 Play outside, go for a walk
9:00 Nap Time
10:30/11:00 Wake up
11:00 Lunch
11:30 Run errands
1:00 Nap Time
3:00 Wake up, Snack, Play/Pool
5:00 Daddy time
5:30 Family Dinner Time
6:00-7:00 Walk, Park, Bath
7:15 Bed
Schedule 3
5.30am – Wake and chat in crib
6.00am – I go in and get her – 4 oz milk
6.30am – walk
7.00am – breakfast – cereal, toast, yog, fruit, egg – Play
9.40am to 10.00am Catnap
10.00am – 4 oz milk – Out and about
12.00pm – lunch – meat, fruit, cheese, sandwich
1.30pm to 2.45pm – Nap
2.45pm – 4 oz milk – Play/ Songs/Books
5.00pm – Dinner – pasta, green veg, orange veg, beans, fruit – Dad time
6.00pm – Bath/ PJ’s/ 4oz milk/ book/ song
6.30pm – Bed
Schedule 4
7:30 eat breakfast w/7 oz. milk, free playtime, get dressed
8:00ish independent playtime
8:45 drive brother to school
9:15 I jog with him in stroller (or errands)
10:00 nap
11:00 lunch w/ 7 oz. milk
11:30 outside playtime
11:45 pick up brother (gets water)
12:10 arts and crafts
12:30 help me with housework
12:45 structured playtime
1:15 sibling playtime
1:45 read aloud to him, quiet toys
2:00 nap
4:00 snack w/ water
4:15 outside playtime
5:00 independent playtime
5:30 dinner w/ 7 oz. milk
6:00 free play
6:45 bathtime
7:15 brush teeth, read books
7:30 bedtime
Schedule 5
7am Wake, breakfast, and free play while I make my husband and myself breakfast. She has finger foods while we eat and then “helps” me clean up the kitchen.
8:30am Help me start laundry, brush teeth, get dressed and play quietly until naptime.
9am Nap
11am Wake, lunch, room time
1pm Coloring/structured play or errands
2pm Nap
4pm Wake, snack, outside/pool, structured play while I make dinner
5:30pm Dinner
6:15pm My husband gives her a bath, brushes her teeth, and reads books to her, play in room
7pm Bed
Schedule 6
8:00 Wake up- milk- breakfast
8:45 get dressed and Pac n play time
9:30 play with mom
10:00 Nap (woot woot)
12:00 Wake up- milk- lunch with mom and dad
12:30 Play with dad till he goes back to work
1:00 Run errands or play outside
2:30 Nap
4:00 Wake up- milk
4:30 Snack
6:00 Dinner
7:15 Bath time
7:45 Milk
8:00 Bed time
Schedule 7
8 DWT/breakfast/5-6 oz whole milk
(Sometimes 9:30/10 snack)
11:30 Lunch/5-6 oz whole milk
12:30-3:30 Nap
3:30/4 Snack
7:45/8 Bedtime
All Months
Schedule 1
6:30 wake
milk/breakfast
8:15 morning nap
9:30-10:00 wake
snack/play
12:00 lunch
1:00 afternoon nap
2:30-3 wake
snack/play
5:00 Dinner
bath
books
6:00 Bed
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- 12-18 Month Old Index
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