Look no further than this article about the why’s and how’s of setting up a visual schedule for your toddlers!
Orson is a creature of habit and absolutely thrives with a regimented schedule. He loves the predictability of the expected, the safety of the set routines, at least for now. I don’t blame him. It’s so much easier to hold myself to the expectation of working out or having a “designated laundry day” so that I don’t weasel out of it. Don’t get me wrong. I do love spontaneity in my life, but organization and controlling what I can do offer me some peace.
Part of gentle parenting involves meeting your child(ren) where they are at developmentally. Nova is a wild child, carefree, there for a party wherever she happens to be, so currently, she couldn’t care less about a “visual schedule for toddlers”. But Orson is in the perfect season for it. In an effort to foster cooperation and be a supportive, aspiring gentle parent, I’ve incorporated a visual schedule for my toddlers.
Get Your Toddlers A Visual Schedule!
If you have toddlers, you definitely need to jump on the visual schedule train! Stick around, and I’ll tell you how to easily (and cheaply) start your own.
The sheer number of developmental benefits that I’ve already seen in our family as a result make me so thankful that I implemented this.
Scheduling Time to Be a Better Parent
It encourages me to be more thoughtful and intentional about scheduling specific activities/adventures ahead of time. I hate the feeling of grappling for activity ideas, especially when my morning coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. Maybe a morning hour of Bluey again…oh wait, today, we’re doing a sensory craft together that I prepped last night. Or we’re going to San Antonio Zoo or the library for playtime. My toddlers’ visual schedule takes most of the guesswork out of my morning routine.
Building Excitement
The visual schedule gets my toddlers excited about the week. If we’re having a special pancake dinner (Fridays are family pancake night), they know about it and look forward to it. If we’re going out to eat at a restaurant over the weekend, they’re prepped for it in advance. Hello, lesson of delayed gratification! You will serve my children well.
Navigating Unmet Expectations
Speaking of lessons, my toddlers also learn about disappointment from their visual schedule when plans inevitably change. This week, my allergies have been destroying me. About this time each year, I might as well have the flu. Even just being outside for a few minutes will bring on an attack. I’ve had to make adjustments to activities and outings that they were looking forward to, like spending time out at their backyard water table. My toddlers will be at such an advantage from learning to adapt and be flexible when things are outside of their control.
My Toddlers’ Visual Schedule Inspiration
I was inspired to make this visual schedule for my toddlers when Orson was really exhibiting separation anxiety at childrens’ church Sunday mornings. I figured if I had a week to prepare him for the inevitable hand-off to the Sunday school teacher, he’d have an easier time with the transition. He’s getting there. At the start of this week, I went through his schedule with him and mentioned the Sunday morning plan. He paused, “Childrens’ church, sad.”
This is so encouraging. Not that he has a hard time going to childrens’ church, but that he’s learning to process those uncomfortable emotions before the triggering event. And that he can have a dialogue with his Mama about his feelings. All because of a visual schedule I threw together for my toddlers…
Schedules Even Help With Speech Delays!
And for a boy that’s also had trouble with speech delays, the excitement of future plans gives him something to talk about! New places, new words, feelings about those places (whether he’s happy, excited, nervous, or sad). The schedule has really helped him blossom. As a byproduct of his expansion, combined with the mimicky stage that Nova is in, she’s leaping ahead as well!
Here’s How To Start Your Toddlers’ Visual Schedule!
You can start a visual schedule for your toddlers, too, and reap the same benefits! Let me show you the supplies you need to get this up and running!
I shopped around for a while. There were standard monthly calendars, toddler-targeted daily calendars, magnetic calendars, felt calendars. Too many calendars to count and too little time to do it. I considered one of the daily toddler calendars, but there were either way too many components, not enough, or ones that just felt useless at this stage (like this one with a giant clock in the middle).
What may work best for your family may look a little different, but I don’t need to have to adjust the forecast everyday for my littles or worry about whether the manufacturer has the correct updated years or if the holidays don’t match because the company is based in Canada. Forget it! Keep it simple, effective, efficient, and inexpensive!
Keeping It Basic
After being dissatisfied with weekly calendar selections at local craft and office supply stores, I opted for this one on Amazon. I was on the fence because I thought that maybe it seemed too small or basic, but it’s actually PERFECT for my toddlers’ visual schedule. They love it! It’s a no-frills magnetized white board with color-coded days of the week. I also love weekly calendars that consolidate the weekend by having Sunday last. I don’t think God minds.
Weekly Whiteboard Planner and Magnetic Calendar for Wall [17” x 12 “]
These are great, well-rated honorable mentions, but I specifically wanted a left-to-right linear calendar that I could hang up on the wall by their playspace. Fridge magnet whiteboards aren’t super practical for us since Orson and Nova have letter magnets, suction cup fidget toys, and magnet tiles that take up the door surface square footage. I also wanted plenty of vertical space for drawing multiple activities per day.
U Brands Magnetic Dry Erase Weekly Calendar Board (my runner up choice–it was a close race)
Magnetic Calendar for Refrigerator Set
Magnetic Dry Erase Calendar Whiteboard for Fridge
Small Weekly Calendar Dry Erase Whiteboard for Wall
Magnetic Weekly Dry Erase Board Calendar Whiteboard
You Don’t Have to Be an Artist!
This is where you get to be creative. Dust off your grade-school doodling skills. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be a simple enough picture to get the idea across. The drawings are what make this a perfect visual schedule for your toddlers, and they don’t judge your art.
Draw a stick figure giraffe or monkey or a basic AF lion’s face with a mane to indicate a zoo trip. Doodle a piece of paper and pen or a paintbrush and palette for art time. When I’m scheduling a movie time for Orson and Nova during the week, I just draw a YouTube symbol. Easy-peasy. Keep it super basic and keep it fairly consistent so that your toddlers make the association between picture and activity.
I bought and tested and returned and bought some more…SO many wet erase and dry erase markers. It was a pain, but I did it so that you don’t have to. I thought wet erase markers would be where it was at so that I wouldn’t risk smudging my doodles, but I tried so many brands, and sent them ALL back. Just fill out the planner left-to-right, and dry erase should be just fine.
These are inexpensive and offer a bold variety of colors to bring your artwork to life!
EXPO Low Odor Dry Erase Markers, Ultra-Fine Tip
Here are some decent contenders. The vibrancy and variety of these colors can’t be beat, but the magnets can have issues sticking.
Shuttle Art Fine Point Dry Erase Markers with Magnetic Eraser Cap
Super Fun Optional Extras to Make It Your Own!
You’ve already got the basics to make an awesome visual schedule for your toddlers, so this is just optional. It is super fun, though, and I highly recommend it! MAGNETS! There are multiple ways to approach this, like food magnets, activity magnets, or you can try them all and mix it up. My toddlers love seeing special magnets on their visual schedule!
Some of their favorites to see are the treat food magnets. I just happened to have a fun junk food set on hand, complete with an ice cream cone, burger, taco, pizza, etc. Instead of drawing my toddlers’ special favorite foods on the visual schedule…are we having burgers Wednesday night? There’s a magnet for that!
Here are some really cute magnet ideas, from special foods to daily activities to save yourself the drawing time and add some fun, personal flair! You can even make your own magnets if you’re DIY savvy!
Cute Food Refrigerator Fridge Magnets
Large Foods Rubber Fridge Magnets
SchKIDules Visual Schedule for Kids Deluxe Magnet Collection
Pinwheel Crafts Magnetic Mini Tile Art Kit for DIY Magnets
Personally, I even love letting my toddlers pick out special visual schedule magnets from places we frequent. We have a San Antonio Zoo membership, so Orson chose this special giraffe souvenir magnet, and when he sees it on his planner, he knows we’re going to the zoo that week! And I don’t have to draw janky zoo animals…win-win!