Daily Routine Songs for Toddlers: From Morning to Bedtime

Toddlers do best when they know what comes next. Wake up, get dressed, eat, play, clean up, bath and bed. A simple daily routine helps little ones feel safe, and a song for each part of the day makes those moments easier and a lot more fun.

Below are 10 daily routine songs for toddlers from Leigha Marina, from the first song in the morning to the last one at night. Each song has a free cartoon video and full lyrics on its song page, and you can find every album in our songs for every part of your toddler's day collection.

Morning Songs

Wake Up It's Time for School

"Wake up, wake up, time to go!" Daddy tries to wake up his sleepy penguin kids. They beg, "Daddy, daddy, let us sleep, just another little bit." Daddy counts "one, two, three" and tells them they can sleep more after school. Soon the kids are up and ready to go.

Try this: Play this song as your wake up alarm, and count "three, two, one" together before your toddler hops out of bed.

Hello Song

This happy song starts the day with a big hello. The little penguins open their eyes, see a friend and want to say hi. They spell H E L L O, wave their hands and smile. There is even a funny moment when one penguin says "Jello" by mistake.

Try this: Say hello to everyone in the house in the morning, even the dog and the teddy bears.

Get Ready for School

"Rise and shine, the sun is bright!" Bebo and his mama penguin get out of bed and stretch. Then Bebo brushes his teeth, puts on his clothes, fixes his hair and eats his breakfast. He packs his bag, checks it twice, gives a hug and says goodbye. It works for daycare, preschool or just getting ready for the day.

Try this: Make a picture chart of each step in the song and let your toddler point to what comes next.

Brush Your Teeth

Bebo loves treats but doesn't like to brush his teeth. One day he wakes up with a toothache. The doctor tells him that brushing keeps cavities away, so now he brushes every morning and every night. The chorus "Brush brush brush, make those teeth bright" is easy to sing at the sink.

Mealtime Songs

Let's Eat Healthy

Five little penguins go to the farmers market and learn about colorful foods. Bananas are yellow, apples are red, spinach is green and carrots are orange. The song also says that cake is delicious and it's OK to have a treat once in a while. The chorus "I'm sure you'll like it if you try it" is a good one to sing at the table.

Eat Your Veggies

A little penguin tells his mommy he doesn't want to try his veggies. Mommy sings about carrots, broccoli, peas, spinach, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and more. At the end, the song asks kids to make "a rainbow bowl" full of veggies.

Try this: Put two or three colors of veggies on your toddler's plate and call it a rainbow bowl, just like in the song.

Playtime and Clean Up Songs

Let's Go Out and Play

"It's a beautiful day, let's go out and play!" The little penguins ride bikes, go down the slide, climb a tree, march behind a drum and hang upside down on the monkey bars. When it gets late, they head home safely.

Clean Up Put Your Toys Away

"Clean up, clean up, put your toys away." After a lot of fun with their toys, the kids clean their rooms to put a smile on mama's and daddy's faces. They put the books back on the shelf and ask for help if they need it. Once the mess is gone, they can go out and play.

Try this: Play the song and try to put all the toys away before it ends. If you finish in time, cheer together.

Bath Time and Bedtime Songs

The Bath Song

At first the little penguin says no to a bath. Then he hears about bubbles and water splash, and he changes his mind. He washes his hair with shampoo, scrubs with soap and a sponge, and dries off with a towel. By the end he says, "Now I don't want to get out."

The Sun Has Gone Down It's Time to Sleep Lullaby

"The sun has gone down. What does that mean? It's time for bed." Your little one puts on cozy pajamas, gets tucked into bed and thinks of colors like yellow, blue and red. The moon comes up, the stars shine, and it's time to shut the lights. The song ends with the promise of a fun new day tomorrow.

Try this: Make this the last song of the night, every night. After a while, your toddler will know it means it's time to sleep.

For more songs for the end of the day, see our lullaby lyrics to sing to your baby. If your toddler is learning to use the potty, our potty training songs for toddlers fit right into the daily routine too.

Tips for a Simple Toddler Routine

• Keep the same order. Toddlers feel calmer when each day follows the same steps.
• Use one song for each part of the day. A wake up song, a clean up song and a bedtime song work like signals. Your child will learn what comes next just by hearing the music.
• Give a heads up. Say "one more song, then clean up" so your toddler is ready for the change.
• Make it a game. Race the song to finish brushing teeth or picking up toys.
• Slow down at night. Save fast, happy songs for the morning and calm, soft songs for bedtime.

Common Questions

What is a good song to help a toddler wake up?

Wake Up It's Time for School is a fun choice. Daddy counts "one, two, three" and the sleepy penguin kids finally get out of bed.

Is there a song that helps kids clean up their toys?

Yes. Clean Up Put Your Toys Away has an easy chorus that kids can sing while they put their toys and books back where they go.

What song can I use to tell my toddler it's bedtime?

The Sun Has Gone Down It's Time to Sleep Lullaby talks about pajamas, the moon, the stars and shutting the lights. If you play it at the same time every night, it can become your child's bedtime signal.

Where can we watch these routine songs?

Every song above has a free cartoon video and full lyrics on its song page. You can also watch them on our Leigha Marina YouTube channel.