When should you give up your toddler’s nap? Read a sleep consultant’s insights and signs your toddler is ready to stop napping.
When my textbook sleeper began taking longer and longer and longer to fall asleep at nap time, I persisted with iron-clad determination.
She would sleep.
I had worked so hard to get my then 18-month-old and two-and-a-half-year-old to nap at the same time.
This reprieve in my day was my refuel time.
I could get some things done, eat lunch uninterrupted, or nap with them. My son was a terrible sleeper and so I needed all the downtime my day could afford.
Moreover, I was pretty sure kids were supposed to nap until, like, five anyways. There’s no way my toddler was ready to give up her nap! Okay, yes, I knew I hadn’t been napping when I went off to preschool. Yet, I remained hopeful that maybe there was a research to suggest that kids needed to nap until at least grade school, if not longer…
After way too long of desperately trying to get her to sleep, and after a few missed naps and a grouchy girl, I messaged one of my good friends, a Certified Sleep Sense Consultant, and asked what on earth to do. I will admit, I hoped for a few insightful tips to get her naps back. What I got back was that it was very clear at a few months shy of three, she was ready to give them up. I had to ask Chelsea, ‘If she’s ready, why is she so temperamental without one?’ Chelsea assured me this was normal, and to facilitate quiet down time with a carb-rich snack such as fruit or bread to give her energy.
So, When Should Your Toddler Stop Napping? A Sleep Consultant Weighs In
It’s a question I am asked often, ‘Is my toddler ready to stop napping?‘ I know they want to hear a ‘No’ from me. Many parents, myself included, enjoy the 2-hour break when their toddler snoozes away. They can get things done. But we can’t deny the signs that our toddler is ready to stop napping. – Chelsea, the sleep consultant
There are two signs to look for when decided your child is ready to stop napping.
13 thoughts on “When Should a Toddler Stop Napping”
It’s really hard when kids drop their nap. Both my kids dropped theirs before three but it was good because otherwise they would stay up way too late. This is great advice.
It is hard! It’s a part of parenting I would have been happier holding on to for about a decade or so 😛 Same thing happened with my daughter, she would nap but hen go to bed at 9:30!!! It’s a better balance now. Thanks for sharing your own experience, Melissa!
We are in your same boat with the nap time situation. I don’t want to let it go. But the boy is starting to fight back. If he does nap during the day, it is harder and harder to put him down at night time, and he’s approaching the two and a half age. I’m so glad and thankful to read this. We kinda have been struggling with what to do.
My kids never napped. When my son was younger they would put him in the age above his during nap time since he would wake up all the other kids trying to ‘whisper’ talk to the teachers. hahaha
I’m so glad I read this! To be honest, I really didn’t want to because I am not ready for my oldest to drop her nap. When I first started reading, I was able to come around. Maybe it would be cool to have some extra one on one time with my girl again. But by the end, I think it’s clear, she is not ready to give them up yet (phew!!). But she might be ready in a few months, and when she is, I’ll embrace it. 🙂
NEVER! haha My son will be two in August. I know the time will eventually come when he needs to drop his nap, but I’m not ready for it. Thanks for sharing these signs to look for though.
What about preschool? Some preschools give them naps if they stay in the afternoon. Mine took naps until they were 4 or 5. It depended on the child.
Thanks so much for writing and commenting. These are markers to indicate a child is ready to give up their nap. The markers are meant for 2.5 on but it doesn’t mean at 2.5 they’re done, it just means when they hit 2.5 and beyond and start to show these signs they’re done. My daughter’s school facilitates naps but it’s just meant as quiet restful time as the majority at age four have outgrown theirs. For the ones who haven’t, they can sleep.
My girl is not 20months old yet, but her sleep schedule is 9,5 hours per night and ~2h per day. She doesn`t want to go to sleep during the naptime lately. But she falls asleep within 10 minutes. Her nighttime sleep seems really short. Is it possible, that it really would be better at this age to take away her nap time, so she gets 12 hours of consolidated sleep even before she is two years old? (+we`ll have a baby boy by the time she is two… I bet he`ll wake her up, even if she tries to nap, cause her sleep is not that tight during the day time)
Thanks! This was a great insightful. My son is almost 18 months ( I hope I have a little time)!
Wow my son is 4 1/2 and still naps u m trying to stop the naps but he end up falling a sleep by himself in the couch or the carpet!!! I m trying this I hope it works!
Of course, every child is different. But I hope this helps!
Here is where I am stuck. My son is 3 and just wont nap. I get that at this age they can give it up, but there is no room in our day to adjust for an earlier bed time or a later wake up. He is so cranky in the morning, and there has been a very negative change in his behavior. Im just stuck!