Realistic 3-Year-Old Schedule that You Can Actually Follow

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click & make a purchase, I receive a commission! Read my full disclosure policy.

If you are looking for a 3-year-old schedule, then you know it can be hard to structure your day when you have young kids. And then, just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, they change! I’m sharing our 3-year-old’s daily routine as well as tips on how to build your own.

I’ve tried many different routines with my kids over the last few years, and we’ve found one that works well for us. I find an ideal schedule allows our 3-year-old plenty of time for independent play, learning, and exploration while still allowing me time to complete household chores.

Benefits of a Daily Routine for Toddlers & Preschoolers

A daily routine gives your 3-year-old a sense of security and belonging. It helps them to know what comes next and what is expected of them. Having a routine also lets your 3-year-old have some control over their day, which can be very empowering for young children.

I also find as a stay-at-home mom that following a routine helps me to have more productive and enjoyable days.

Best Tips for Creating a 3-Year-Old Schedule

Here are some tips to help you create a 3-year-old schedule that works for your family:

1. Keep it flexible

Remember that routines need to be flexible to work well. Just because you have a routine doesn’t mean that every day has to be the same. There will be days when things run smoothly and others when they don’t. You may choose to take a morning outing to run errands or a trip to the park some days, and other days may be spent at home.

2. Start with the basics

When you first start out, it’s best to keep things simple. Choose a few key activities that you want to include in your 3-year-old’s day and build from there. You can always add more activities if needed.

3. Make a visual schedule

To help your 3-year follow the routine, use a visual schedule or routine cards for your toddler. We LOVE these routine cards from Military Wife and Mom. I printed and laminated them and started using them with my son when he was 3. Even my 2-year-old loves to follow them, and I find they help ensure things run smoothly.

4. Use a Sleep or OK to Wake Clock

If you haven’t already, consider using a wake clock. These are great tools to help kids know when it’s time to start their day and can be very helpful in establishing a routine.

5. Keep the Basics Consistent 

While the specifics of the day may change depending on what you are doing, try to keep the basic routines consistent. For example, keep a consistent bedtime, nap/quiet time, and morning routine.

How to Create a 3-Year-Old Schedule (Step by Step)

Everyone’s routines and schedules will look a little different depending on what you need to get done, your child’s needs, and the needs of others (siblings, etc.) in the house.

Here’s a step by step process for creating a routine for your 3 year old. Feel free to use the example below (my own personal 3 year old routine) to help with specific ideas for your routine.

STEP 1: Consider their awake times and bedtimes.

Does your 3-year-old still nap? Begin by writing down the time your toddler wakes, goes to bed and naps. My son gave up his nap while 3 years old. For a while he would nap some days (typically on days he went to preschool in the morning) but not days we stayed home.

If your toddler is done with naps or transitioning out of naps, I recommend establishing a quiet time in this time period.

STEP 2: Establish a Meal/Snack Schedule

If you have read more of my articles, you know I follow Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility in Feeding for my toddlers. In addition to following her method, I recommend setting meal and snack times.

Most toddlers will be eating 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day. I typically recommend spacing meals/snacks 2-3 hours apart.

For example, a 3 year old meal routine may look something like this:

7:30am-Breakfast

10:00am-Snack

12:00pm-Lunch

3pm-Snack

5:30pm-Dinner

*Depending on what time your child goes to bed and eats dinner, they may need a bedtime snack.

STEP 3: Make a list of activities you want to incorporate into your and your toddlers day.

Consider both the needs of your toddler and your own needs for the day.

Possible Activities for Your 3-year Old:

• Independent Play
• Crafts
• Time spent outdoors
• Chores (put laundry in the hamper, put away toys, dust, etc)

Things to Consider for Mom:

• Time to workout
• Cooking, laundry, cleaning and other household tasks (can involve a 3-year-old in all of these!)
• Quiet time – When my kids nap or take quiet time, I get my work done for my business. You could also spend this time resting, planning, working on hobbies, or doing chores.

Example of a 3-Year-Old Routine at Home

Now that you know the benefits of having a routine and some tips for creating one, it’s time to start putting it together! Here is an example 3-year-old schedule that you can use as a starting point.

7:00 – Wake up

I have my toddler’s ok to wake clock set for 7am. He knows he is allowed to get out of bed at this point. I have a small basket of books that we call the “bedtime basket” sitting by his bed and he is allowed to read some books if he wakes early.

I personally introduced the clock at age 2 when he moved to the toddler bed. However, many moms introduce the clock while their child is still in their crib so that they start to understand the concept early.

7:30 – Breakfast

If you are looking for breakfast ideas for toddlers, these are some of the things we make every week. We often prep extra (particularly things that are good leftover) when we cook breakfast to make other days simpler.

8:00 – Get Dressed, Brush Teeth, Do Chores, Play Time

After breakfast, it’s time to get dressed and ready for the day. I typically incorporate a few chores for myself during this time, such as laundry and kitchen clean-up.

My kids typically play well in the morning, so I let them get started playing together. If they have trouble, I involve them in chores during this time by giving them simple tasks.

9:00 – 12:00 – Activitiy, Workout, Play

I do my best time-blocking my day into larger chunks of time and allow for some flexibility depending on my kid’s moods.

We usually do a mix of the following things:

• Learning & Activity Time– My kids go to preschool 2 days a week, leaving them home with me all day most days. On the days we are home, we do “Mommy’s preschool,” which usually involves a combination of a special activity, some songs, and a craft.
• Workout – This one is for me, but I find getting in a 30-minute workout while my kids are playing works well most days in this time block. My kids are usually happiest in the morning, and when I see them happily involved in playtime, I get in my workout.
  • Note: If they get fussy or have a hard time, I will turn on kids yoga such as Cosmic Kids or a workout for them to do. However, if all else fails, I personally have no problem with them watching an episode of Daniel Tiger so I can stay healthy! 🙂
• Chores – I will do small chores such as moving laundry during this time as my kids are involved in activities or play.
• Errands – If I have errands to run, this is typically when I try to do them.

12:00 – Lunchtime

I serve lunch on these plates with lids. I love them as you can prep ahead lunch with leftovers or other components of meals when you are doing kitchen prep throughout the day/week.

If I don’t have lunch prepped already, I often let my kids help prep their own lunch. We typically make a simple lunch such as tuna salad, bread or tortilla pizza, leftovers, or quesadillas. Here are some of my favorite lunch ideas for 3-year-olds.

1:00 – 3:00 Nap & Quiet Time

When my son was three, he would nap very inconsistently. At an early 3, he would still nap some days, but by the end of 3, he was never really taking naps anymore.

If he wasn’t tired enough for a nap, I transitioned him to a solid quiet time.

Tips for a Good 2 Hour Quiet Time:

Many schedules I’ve looked at only do a 1-hour quiet time. However, I always set my son up for a 2-hour quiet time. He can only get out early if his younger sister wakes from her nap early (which rarely happens.) It did take a couple of months for him to be transitioned to this and able to do it effectively. Here’s what helped:

• Buy a visual timer. – I have this 2-hour visual timer which was a game-changer for getting him to understand how much time was left in his quiet time.
• Set your child up with things they enjoy. – My son already knew how to play independently, so it was easy for me to find things he enjoyed doing on his own. At age 3, he loved to do puzzles, look at books, Duplos, Magnatiles, cars, and Pretend play during quiet time. If you have not already expected your child to play independently, it will likely take more time to work up to a good quiet time.
• Give a reward for a good quiet time. – If my son does a good quiet time, he earns screen time. When he comes out of his room early or if he is having trouble, I typically start by gently reminding him of the screen time he enjoys earning.

3:00 – 3:45 Snack & Screen Time

I usually serve a healthy snack immediately after quiet time (or during if we are running behind schedule.) We follow this by watching about 30 minutes of screen time.

3:45 Outdoor play

We try to get outside after snacks/screen time when the weather is nice. If it’s too cold/rainy/etc, I typically spend quality time with my kids playing, cooking, or doing chores together.

4:30 Dinner Prep

I start dinner prep around 4:30-5. I either let my kids help or encourage them to play together if my husband is not home yet.

5:30 Dinner

We try to eat dinner as a family every night. I typically cook one home-cooked meal for my family to eat. I love these quick toddler dinner ideas if I don’t have as much time.

6:00 Cleanup, Baths, Bedtime Routine

We clean up dinner and any toys out from the day. We then do baths and get ready for bed. After baths, we read 3 books together, and then it’s off to bed!

TIP: Have a very solid & consistent bedtime routine. From the time my son was 6 months old, we established a solid bedtime routine. For us, it’s baths, pajamas, books, and bed. When our routine does not go as planned, it seems our kids don’t sleep or settle quite as well.

7:00-8:00 Bedtime (depending on child/nap situation)

At age 3, I found that bedtime can vary depending on whether my child took a nap or not. If no nap, then my son was definitely ready for bed at 7.

However, bedtime got pushed back to 8-8:30 pm if he took a nap. In this case, I found it worked well to have some quiet time/independent play where he could play quietly in his room after his little sister went to bed.

Establishing YOUR 3-Year-Olds Schedule

It’s important to establish a 3-year-old schedule and routine that works for your family. This will help ensure that your 3-year-old is getting the right amount of sleep, food, and playtime. We’ve shared our 3-year-old schedule as an example, but feel free to tweak it to fit your needs.

Do you have favorite tips for your 3-Year-Olds Routines or Schedules? Please feel free to share in the comments below! And don’t forget to grab these favorite toddler routine cards to make your schedule go even smoother!

Other Helpful Resources for 3-Year-Olds

Easy Breakfasts for Toddlers

Lunch Ideas for Toddlers

Healthy Prepackaged Snacks for Toddlers

Complete Healthy Snack Guide for Toddlers

Best Toddler Feeding Necessities

Sharing is caring!