Toddler Sleep: Naps, Bedtime and the Big Bed

How much sleep

• 1 to 2 years: about 11 to 14 hours in 24 hours, including naps.
• 3 to 5 years: about 10 to 13 hours, including naps. Children vary. A toddler who wakes in a good mood and gets through the day without falling apart is probably getting enough.

Naps

• Most toddlers move from two naps to one between about 12 and 18 months. Signs: fighting the morning nap, or a long morning nap pushing the afternoon one away.
• During the switch, an earlier bedtime helps on short-nap days.
• Many children keep one nap until about 3, and most drop it between 3 and 5. Quiet time in their room can replace it.

A bedtime that works

• Same time and the same short routine every night: bath, pajamas, teeth, books, song, lights out.
• Screens off about an hour before bed, and not in the bedroom.
• Give small choices (which pajamas, which two books) so they feel some control, then hold the limit kindly.
• A comfort object, such as a small blanket or soft toy, is fine after 12 months.
• For stalling and call-backs, a calm, brief, boring check-in that's the same every time works better than long negotiations.

Common bumps

• Night waking often comes with new skills, teething, illness, separation anxiety or travel. Keep your response calm and the same, and go back to the usual routine as soon as you can.
• Early rising: check that the room is dark, and that bedtime isn't too late (overtired children often wake earlier). A toddler clock can help from about age 2 to 3.
• Nightmares become more common around 2 to 3: comfort and reassure. Night terrors (screaming, eyes open, not aware of you, no memory of it) usually happen early in the night; keep them safe and don't try to wake them.

Crib to bed

• There's no rush. Move when your child is climbing out of the crib, or is about 35 inches (89 cm) tall, or the rail is below chest height. Many move between 2 and 3.
• Avoid switching right around a new sibling's arrival if you can.
• Make the whole room safe, since they can now get up: anchor furniture, cover outlets, and use a gate at the bedroom door or the top of the stairs.

When to check in

Mention it at the next checkup if: - Your child snores loudly most nights, has pauses in breathing, gasps, or sleeps very restlessly: these can be signs of sleep apnea, which is treatable. - Your child is very sleepy during the day despite enough hours in bed. - Sleep problems leave the whole family exhausted for weeks; the doctor can help.