Running, climbing and exploring with abandon — busy toddlers seem to be on the go all the time. And along with a healthy diet, the right amount of sleep fuels their action-packed days. But settling on a solid nighttime and nap schedule for your toddler may take some trial and error.
The reason? Every child is different, which means some will do fine with shorter naps or fewer Zzzs at night, while others need more shut-eye for optimal energy and a happier mood.
To help you land on the optimal amount of sleep for your little one, learn more about the range of sleep toddlers need by age, plus how to spot signs that your tot isn’t getting enough.
How much sleep does a toddler need?
The amount of sleep a typical toddler needs between the ages of 1 and 3 years old usually falls into a range based on your child’s age. Here’s a breakdown of how much sleep toddlers need over a 24-hour period, including at night and during naps:
12 months. 11 to 14 hours
- 15 months. 11 to 14 hours
18 months. 11 to 14 hours
2 years. 11 to 14 hours
3 years. 10 to 13 hours
Keep in mind that at age 1, your newly minted toddler is probably still taking two naps a day, a short morning snooze and then a longer one in the afternoon. Older toddlers eventually shed the morning nap, settling into a single longer one after lunch.
By the preschool years, some children are still napping at least a few days a week or more, but daytime rest goes away for good for most kids between the ages of 3 and 4.
More About Toddler Sleep
Can a toddler sleep too much?
While it’s possible for a toddler to sleep too much, there are actually few parents who lament that their toddlers love to languish in bed.
Unlike during infancy, when some babies need to be roused to feed in the early weeks, it’s the rare toddler who heads to bed early or sleeps late in the morning. Instead, most tots this age are known to rise with birds and protest when it's bedtime or naptime.
Still, disruptions in a toddler’s sleep schedule are rather common, including sleep regressions due to developmental leaps and bounds, the dropped nap, switching from a crib to a bed, potty training, nightmares or significant life changes (a new sibling or the start of preschool, for instance). As a result, your toddler’s sleep could be impacted, both at night and during naps.
Signs your toddler is overtired or sleep-deprived
Since approximately 25 percent of young kids have sleep issues or are overly tired during the day, it’s a good idea to be alert to the signs that your tot is overtired or sleep-deprived. Here's what to look for:
Tantrums. Feet stomping, sippy cup throwing and screaming out loud are part of the terrible twos but may also be a sign of a sleep-deprived tot.
Clinginess. Separation anxiety due to fatigue can equal a very clingy toddler.
Trips and tumbles. Too little sleep could make your child dizzy and prone to falls.
Hyperactivity or impulsiveness. Hyperactive behavior or fidgeting may seem like your child has energy to burn, but it could also mean he’s on his last fumes and about to collapse.
Snoozing in the car. Conking out at preschool or on the short ride home is another sign your toddler may be overtired.
Trouble getting up. Missed naps or transitioning from two naps to one can leave your tot sleepy and unable to rise when he usually does in the morning.
Difficulty settling down at night. Sleep begets good sleep, or so the saying goes. If your child can’t relax at night or keeps popping awake in bed, he could be sleep-deprived.
Sample sleep schedule for toddlers
It’s fine to experiment with your child’s bedtime and nap schedule, but once you hit upon what works for your tot, stick to the routine as closely as you can.
Remember, your child may need a different arrangement from the one listed here, and if your older toddler is ready to drop his morning nap, just skip over that part, below. Here’s a sample sleep schedule to consider:
6:30 a.m. Wake up
10:30 a.m. Short one-hour nap
1:30 p.m. Two-hour afternoon nap
7:00 p.m. Bedtime
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