Toddlerhood is all about autonomy, empowerment, and testing boundaries. It’s a time of remarkable growth – when curiosity and self-discovery spark new adventures and capabilities. It may seem that establishing routines and predictability would constrain your child’s booming curiosity and desire to explore. However, routines and predictability are important parameters that further support their learning.

Toddlers are small beings in a big world. As they become more cognitively aware of their environment, the world can seem even bigger. They may be venturing out and attending daycare or school, continuously processing new experiences, people, and environments. All this input and information can feel chaotic as they learn to make sense of the world and their experiences. This is where routines play an important role - they offer a sense of security and familiarity. When your toddler knows what to expect, they feel safer and more in control, which in turn supports their ability to explore and learn. This sense of security is crucial for emotional well-being. It helps reduce anxiety and allows toddlers to explore confidently.

By providing structure and consistency around transitions, you can help your child feel prepared for the day. Your child is just beginning to have the capacity to understand, name, and co-manage their emotions. Oftentimes, toddlers will have big emotions around transitions or when they are out and about in the community. Routines around transitions within consistent daily rhythms often help children manage sudden changes or surprises with a bit more flexibility. For instance, if your child knows that you will give them a countdown before playtime is done, they will count on that routine to help them transition to the next thing. The consistency of this routine supports them in learning to manage their emotions and helps them feel empowered.

When your little one knows what to expect, they can start taking on small responsibilities within their routine – which further empowers them! For example, if their bedtime routine always includes putting on pajamas, your toddler can learn to do this independently (slowly but surely). This not only boosts their confidence but satisfies the drive they already have to gain self-help skills – “I can do it myself!”

The repetition inherent in routines reinforces learning and helps toddlers understand a sequence, which, in turn, helps them understand the concept of time. Routines don’t have to happen every day. They can be something you implement weekly. For instance, Friday night family dinner or Tuesday lollipop day! Again, young children thrive on knowing what to expect. Consistency and predictability do not create rigid children. They actually help children be more flexible.

In short, establishing and maintaining routines is one of the most effective ways to support your toddler’s overall well-being, ensuring that they feel loved, secure, and ready to take on the world. Predictable and consistent routines can also support your parenting by making it easier to enforce limits and boundaries. Since toddlers inherently (and appropriately) push boundaries (which is their job as they figure out the world), consistent routines can help you keep boundaries because children know what to expect and what your response is going to be, which can lead to less pushback or resistance than if things are left too open-ended each day.