Toddler Nap Schedule Hacks For Parents

Putting rowdy toddlers or babies to sleep is a challenge many tired parents face. If they’re not resisting, they’re demanding or bartering so they can cuddle up with you or play some more. Indeed, it can be hard to resist when they make those puppy dog eyes.

So, if you often find yourself at the mercy of your kiddo’s sleep-delaying tactics, here are some hacks to help facilitate the sometimes-elusive naptime for babies and toddlers.

First Things First: How Much Sleep Does a Child Need?

According to the Sleep Foundation, toddlers aged 1–2 years old need 11–14 hours of sleep, including at least two naps a day. Infants aged 4–12 months need even more sleep at 12–16 hours daily, with nap times ranging from 2-4 a day.

Achieving the recommended hours of sleep time and naptime allows the brain to develop, which, in turn, facilitates learning, thinking, and behavior. It also promotes physical growth and motor development.

6 Baby and Toddler Nap Schedule Hacks

Here’s how to make sure your child gets the recommended naptime:

1. Know When to Put Them Down

It’s best to start naptime for babies or toddlers when they’re tired, not overtired. Pay attention to signs, such as:

Yawning
Rubbing eyes
Fussiness
Crying
Clinginess
Ear-pulling

As kids are creatures of habit, taking note of their patterns of tiredness (such as after eating lunch, for example) will surely help. You don’t want them to nap when they’re overtired, or it may be harder to settle them down.

2. Get Them Tired

Babies and toddlers can sometimes be so full of energy that they resist naps. So, like adults, they need to be tired (not overtired, as mentioned above) in order to nap.

So, before your toddler’s nap schedule, take them to a playground so they can run off some energy – or go for a walk around the neighborhood to help them wind down.

By the time they’re done, they’ll be more than ready to get those forty winks.

3. Feed Them Beforehand

Like adults, naptime for babies or toddlers is better when they’re full. So if it’s almost time for your toddler’s morning nap schedule, be sure to feed them beforehand with breastmilk, formula milk, or their favorite snack.

4. Set a Napping Routine

Routines do more than just provide a “cue” for babies and toddlers to fall asleep. These can also help them achieve a sufficient nap, so they don’t end up exhausted (as evidenced by irritability or clinginess) when they wake up.

A toddler nap schedule routine is similar to their bedtime routine – just shorter. It could include dimming the lights and dressing them in their favorite bamboo pajama set before reading a bedtime story, singing a song, or cuddling with them.

5. Timing is Key

Depending on your baby or toddler’s age, you’d need to set a schedule that allows them to get the recommended number of naps. Here’s what Cara Dumaplin, a pediatric sleep consultant, recommends:

	5-7 months	7-10 months	11-14 months	14-24 months
Average Number of Naps	3	2	2	1
Naptime Goal	3-4 hours	2.5-3.5 hours	2.5-3 hours	2-3 hours
Wake Windows	2-3 hours	2.5-3.5 hours	3-4 hours	4-6 hours
Nap Schedule	Nap 1: 2 hours after waking up Nap 2: 2.5 hours after nap 1 Nap 3: 2.5 hours after nap 2	Nap 1: 2.5-3 hours after waking up Nap 2: 3 hours after nap 1	Nap 1: 3 hours after waking up Nap 2: 3-3.5 hours after nap 1	5-6 hours after waking up
Ideal Bedtime	2.5-3 hours after nap 3	3-3.5 hours after nap 2	3.5-4 hours after nap 2	4-5 hours after nap
Things to consider	Drop nap 3 around 6.5-8 months of age, or when: They can’t stay asleep during naptime The nap interferes with their sleep schedule They wake up early in the morning	Bedtime may be pushed earlier depending on the toddler’s nap 2 schedule	May consider transitioning to one naptime for babies if: They don’t seem tired during nap time They are ages 13-18 months The nap interferes with their sleep schedule They wake up early or in the middle of the night

6. Keep it Consistent

Routines and timing naps are important because they build consistency. If your baby or toddler’s nap schedule is always at the same time, their brain and body will learn to expect it.

Additionally, be sure to let them nap in the crib or bed where they go to sleep at night (while wearing their favorite bamboo two-piece pajamas, of course). Deviating from their usual ‘sleeping area’ may cause difficulties at bedtime.

It’s also good to let your baby or toddler stay in their room for the duration of their nap. Even if they are not napping, lying down allows them the opportunity to sleep if they are tired. Sometimes, falling asleep takes a little longer. Sleep regression is common during growth spurts, especially if they are working on learning something new. Being patient can make the difference between a well-rested toddler and “I guess it’s time to drop naps.”

While you may want to lay down with your kid during his nap, try to resist the urge to do so. It’s best to let your child nap on their own. If they get used to you falling asleep beside them, the naptimes for your baby or toddler will be much harder to maintain.

Little girl holding fluffy pillow in bamboo pajamas

Your baby or toddler’s nap schedule need not be a struggle that you often lose. With these tips, you can help your kid achieve the recommended nap goals for their age.