33-Month-Old Schedule With One Nap (2 years 9 months)

The 33-month-old sample day, hour by hour

Caregivers: full-day nanny. The 8 activities named in the day are picked from the library for 33 months by energy and setting.

Sleep budget at 33 months

Awake windows for a 33-month-old

The longest stretch awake is 6 h (wake-up to nap), the shortest 5 h 45 min. That longest window is 15 min longer than the longest one in the 32-month sample.

Movement minutes per caregiver at 33 months

WHO: at least 180 minutes of varied activity a day. Split by awake time the goals total 190 minutes; the outdoor stretches (Long Stick, Short Stick and Shadow Stomp and Wave) cover 180.

Caregiver split: full-day nanny

One parent handles wake-up and breakfast, a nanny covers the full working day with both outdoor stretches and the nap, and the other parent returns for dinner and bedtime. 2 handoffs at 33 months:

• 8:00 am, Partner to Nanny: the child has been awake 1 h, with 5 h to go until the nap; breakfast is at 7:30 am, so say what was already eaten.
• 6:00 pm, Nanny to Parent: the child has been awake 3 h 45 min, with 2 h to go until bedtime; dinner is at 6:00 pm, so say what was already eaten.

A 33-month day without the nap

How 33 months differs from 32 and 34 months

The 8 activities in this 33-month day

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

• 8:00 am, nanny: Paper-Page Picture Book Turns

  Calm, a new domain for the day (fine motor). Sit side by side with the book across both your laps. Read one page, then stop and wait with your hand off the book. If your child grabs a bunch of pages, slide a finger between them and say "Just one." Words to model: next page, just one, what's next?. Watch for: turns a single page. Safety: Skip sound books whose battery compartment is not screwed shut; button batteries cause severe injury if swallowed.

• 10:00 am, nanny: Long Stick, Short Stick

  Active and outdoors: the core of the 10:00-11:30 am stretch. It is also in the 24-month and 25-month sample days; if the basic version is easy by 33 months, change one thing: add a middle-length stick and line up all three from short to long. Watch for: points to the long stick when asked. Words to model: short, longer, stick. Safety: Leave small twigs, acorns, berries and mushrooms on the ground, and wash hands afterwards.

• 11:30 am, nanny: Coat Flip on the Floor

  Calm, a new domain for the day (practical life). Lay the coat open on the floor, lining up, with the collar at your child's feet. Show the flip once: arms in, lift, up and over the head. Ask your child to stand at the collar end, then pause. Words to model: arms in, up and over, coat on. Watch for: puts both arms into the sleeves on the floor. Safety: Clear the space around your child so the swinging coat does not hit furniture.

• 12:15 pm, nanny: Potato Scrub at the Basin

  A mealtime skill practiced during lunch. It is also in the 25-month, 26-month and 30-month sample days; if the basic version is easy by 33 months, change one thing: ask for two steps: "Scrub it, then put it in the colander." Watch for: uses the words "dirty" or "clean". Words to model: clean, scrub, heavy. Safety: Keep knives and peelers out of reach; cutting and cooking stay with the adult.

• 2:45 pm, nanny: Shadow Stomp and Wave

  Active and outdoors: the core of the 2:45-4:15 pm stretch. It is also in the 27-month and 29-month sample days; if the basic version is easy by 33 months, change one thing: trace their shadow with chalk and come back later to see whether it still fits. Watch for: steps into shade to make the shadow disappear. Words to model: behind, big, gone. Safety: Never look at the sun, and use a hat and sun protection on bright days.

• 4:15 pm, nanny: Teddy's Two-Step Picnic

  Calm, a new domain for the day (language). Spread a blanket, sit teddy on it and put cups, bowls, spoons and empty food containers nearby. Give a two-step request without pointing: "Give teddy a cup, then give him a spoon." Wait quietly while your child works through it. Words to model: first... then..., give teddy, pour. Watch for: completes both steps without pointing. Safety: Use pretend items larger than a toilet-paper-tube opening, with no small play-food pieces or bottle caps.

• 6:00 pm, parent: Hand-Wash Picture Steps

  A mealtime skill practiced during dinner. It is also in the 24-month, 26-month and 27-month sample days; if the basic version is easy by 33 months, change one thing: let your child lead the whole routine while you only watch. Watch for: starts the routine before meals with only a reminder. Words to model: next, soap, dry. Safety: Use a stable, non-slip step stool and stay right behind your child.

• 6:30 pm, parent: Rolled-Sock Snowball Throw

  Active, a new domain for the day (gross motor). Roll the socks into tight balls and put the basket three big steps away. Raise one arm high and throw overhand: "Up high... throw!" Hand them a sock ball and wait while they choose how to throw. Words to model: throw, up high, in the basket. Watch for: throws overhand with the arm above the shoulder. Safety: Roll socks with no pins, tags or anything small inside, and use adult-size socks so the balls stay large.

Plan the rest of 33 months