13-Month-Old Schedule With Two Naps

The 13-month-old sample day, hour by hour

Caregivers: two working parents and a grandparent. The 8 activities named in the day are picked from the library for 13 months by energy and setting.

Sleep budget at 13 months

Awake windows for a 13-month-old

The longest stretch awake is 4 h (last nap to bedtime), the shortest 3 h. The longest window is the same length as in the 12-month sample.

Movement minutes per caregiver at 13 months

WHO: at least 180 minutes of varied activity a day. Split by awake time the goals total 180 minutes; the outdoor stretches (Playground Copycat Watch, Nature Tote Treasure Walk and Bubble Squat-and-Pop) cover 270.

Caregiver split: two working parents and a grandparent

Both parents work away from home: one does the wake-up and breakfast, a grandparent covers the working day including the nap, and the other parent takes the evening. 2 handoffs at 13 months:

• 8:30 am, Parent to Grandparent: the child has been awake 1 h 45 min, with 1 h 15 min to go until the nap.
• 5:30 pm, Grandparent to Partner: the child has been awake 2 h 15 min, with 1 h 45 min to go until bedtime; dinner is at 5:15 pm, so say what was already eaten.

How 13 months differs from 12 and 14 months

The 8 activities in this 13-month day

Active picks sit in the outdoor stretches, calm ones before sleep and a self-care skill at the main meals.

• 7:45 am, parent: Playground Copycat Watch

  Active and outdoors: the core of the 7:45-9:15 am stretch. It is also in the 12-month sample day; if the basic version is easy by 13 months, change one thing: sit a little farther back so your child moves toward the other children on their own. Watch for: copies an action another child does, such as dropping a ball into a bucket. Words to model: too, same, friend. Safety: Check the ground for bottle caps, cigarette butts and other small litter before your child sits down.

• 11:00 am, grandparent: Toe-Tug Sock Off

  Calm, a new domain for the day (practical life). Sit facing your child before bath or bed and push one sock down until only the toes are covered. Tug the toe end once, gently, and say "Sock off!" Put your hands back in your lap and wait a few seconds. Words to model: sock, off, in. Watch for: grabs the toe of the sock and pulls. Safety: Do this on the floor; on a changing table, keep one hand on your child the whole time.

• 11:45 am, grandparent: High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down

  A mealtime skill practiced during lunch. When your child has finished eating, wipe one stripe across the tray: "Wipe, wipe." Hand them the second sponge and pause. Wipe beside them and name what comes off: "Crumbs gone." Words to model: wipe, clean, crumbs. Watch for: moves the sponge across the tray rather than just patting. Safety: Use plain water only; keep cleaning sprays and dish soap out of reach.

• 12:15 pm, grandparent: Nature Tote Treasure Walk

  Active and outdoors: the core of the 12:15-1:45 pm stretch. Give your child a small tote bag and walk slowly at their pace somewhere green. Stop when they stop and look at what they are looking at. When they hold up or point to a find, look at it together and name it once: "Pinecone. Bumpy!" Words to model: Look!, leaf, pinecone. Watch for: holds up or points to a find and looks at you. Safety: Keep only finds bigger than a toilet-paper-tube opening; leave berries, mushrooms, small stones and sharp things behind.

• 1:45 pm, grandparent: Copy My Box Moves

  Calm, so it settles the room before the 2:30 pm nap. Sit facing your child, each with an empty box and a matching block. Do one clear action with your box: tap the top, drop the block in, or peek inside. Pause for about five seconds with an expectant smile and wait. Words to model: my turn, your turn, tap tap. Watch for: copies a one-step action after one demonstration. Safety: Remove staples, plastic wrap and loose packing tape from the boxes first.

• 3:45 pm, grandparent: Bubble Squat-and-Pop

  Active and fine outside: the core of the 3:45-5:15 pm stretch. It is also in the 12-month sample day; if the basic version is easy by 13 months, change one thing: let the bubbles land a few steps away so they walk, then squat. Watch for: stays down in the squat for a moment while poking a bubble. Words to model: pop, down, up, more. Safety: Bubble mix makes hard floors slippery, so play outdoors or on a rug and wipe spills right away.

• 5:15 pm, grandparent: Snack Signs: More and All Done

  A mealtime skill practiced during dinner. Seat your child for a snack and put just two or three pieces in their bowl. When the pieces are gone, say "More?" while tapping your fingertips together. Pause and wait for any request: a look, a reach, a point, a sound or the gesture. Words to model: more, all done, more please. Watch for: uses the more gesture, a point or a sound to ask for food. Safety: Keep your child seated and watched while eating, with soft foods cut into pieces that suit their chewing.

• 5:45 pm, partner: Teddy's Snack Time

  Calm, a new domain for the day (creativity & pretend). Sit the stuffed animal facing your child, with the empty bowl and spoon in reach. Scoop pretend food once, hold the spoon to teddy's mouth and say "Mmm, teddy eats." Hand your child the spoon and wait quietly for about 5 seconds. Words to model: eat, teddy, mmm, yum. Watch for: brings the spoon to teddy's mouth after your model. Safety: Use only a toddler spoon and an empty bowl; no toy food or accessories small enough to pass through a toilet-paper tube.

Plan the rest of 13 months