![]() Most 3 year olds need 10-13 hours of total sleep – including naps – in a 24-hour period. It’s possible your toddler is getting too much sleep during the day, and they may be ready to shorten their nap. If your toddler or preschooler is experiencing disruptions to their night sleep – like trouble falling asleep at bedtime, middle of the night wakings, or early morning wakings – you’ll want to consider their total daytime sleep. If your 3 year old is still taking a nap and not experiencing any nighttime sleep issues, there is no need to change their sleep schedule. Yes! Most 3 year olds still need an afternoon nap. I have two sample schedules to share with you! Just remember, these are just examples and are not meant to be followed exactly. 2 year old sleep schedules # What is a sample schedule for a 2 year old? # When you decide to transition to quiet time, I find it’s best to offer it at about the same time each day since toddlers and preschoolers thrive on predictability and routine. (Sometimes, we need quiet time just as much as our little ones!) Quiet time also gives parents a break and time to recharge. Your toddler or preschooler may even surprise you by taking an occasional nap during quiet time when their little body needs extra rest.Īn added benefit of quiet time is that independent play helps develop creativity and problem-solving skills. It maintains a restorative break in your child’s day by giving them the choice to rest or play independently. Quiet time is a helpful tool when you let go of naps. When your toddler is ready to drop a nap, we can transition them to quiet time. When should I implement quiet time for my toddler instead of a nap? # Ideally, 10-12 of those hours are restorative night sleep, while the rest is your toddler’s nap. Toddlers and preschoolers typically need between 10-14 hours of total sleep – including naps – in a 24-hour period. If your toddler has a nap that’s too long, they may not be tired enough to fall asleep at bedtime. However, as they get older, that wake window before bed can stretch to about 5 or 5.5 hours. ![]() Most 2 year olds can only tolerate about 4.5 hours. When you set a bedtime for your toddler, it will typically need to be 4.5-5.5 hours from the end of their afternoon nap, so keep this in mind both for timing naps and aiming for bed. Studies show that a bedtime before 9:00 pm leads to better sleep, and they also found that little ones have better behavioral outcomes with age-appropriate sleep schedules. Most toddlers, preschoolers, and young children do best with a bedtime between 7:00 and 8:00 pm. When you’re trying to determine if your toddler is overtired, here are some signs to look for: If your toddler is showing signs of overtiredness, we want to try to keep the nap. Is your toddler or preschooler overtired? Is your toddler or preschooler going through any developmental progressions that could be affecting their nap and/or night sleep? If the answer is “yes” to these questions, it may be time to consider dropping your toddler or preschooler’s nap. Has your toddler been doing this for at least 5 days in a row? calmly talking or singing to themselves in their crib or bed)? Is your toddler content during the time they should be sleeping (e.g. ![]() Is your little one waking in the night and struggling to fall back to sleep? Is your toddler having early morning wakings? Ask yourself:ĭoes your toddler or preschooler take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at bedtime?Īre they taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at nap or refusing to nap? If you’re finding that keeping a nap is negatively affecting night sleep for your little one, it may be time to drop your toddler’s nap from their sleep schedule. Current research shows that “less than 2.5% of toddlers will cease napping prior to age 2, while 94% cease napping by age 5.” I find most toddlers do best with maintaining that nap until they’re about 4 years old. Most toddlers will stop napping between 3 and 4 years old. Let me show you some sample toddler sleep schedules and answer common questions parents ask about naps for toddlers, preschoolers, and young children. For most toddlers and preschoolers, this includes an afternoon nap. As your baby grows into a toddler, sleep is still a huge priority.
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