# Toddler Sleep: Naps, Bedtime and the Big Bed

> How much toddlers sleep, dropping to one nap, bedtime battles, and moving to a big bed.

Stage: toddler - Topic: Sleep - Page: https://www.askcladle.com/guides/toddler/toddler-sleep

Grounded in: AASM sleep-duration recommendations (endorsed by the AAP), AAP HealthyChildren guidance on toddler sleep, bedtime routines and moving to a bed.

## TLDR

- Toddlers need about 11-14 hours in 24 hours (1-2 years), including naps; most move to one nap between 12 and 18 months.
- Same short routine and bedtime every night, screens off about an hour before.
- Move to a big bed when they climb out or reach about 35 inches. Loud snoring with pauses is worth a checkup.

## 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.