Toddler Sleep Schedules — Your Thirteen to Eighteen-Month-Old

At this age toddlers need an average of 11.25 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night and 2.25 to 2.5 hours of naps during the day. Children at the younger end of this age bracket take two naps, in the morning and afternoon, but by eighteen months most consolidate to one midday or afternoon nap. Toddler sleep schedules for these ages have to work in that nap transition. Here’s what makes sleep difficult at these ages:

• Young toddlers are prone to behavioral sleep problems
• Increased mobility (walking)
• Peak separation anxiety
• Emotional attachment to objects like bottles and pacifiers

Transition from Two Naps to One

At around fifteen to eighteen months, toddler sleep schedules change. This is when most toddlers transition from two naps to one. That’s a tricky stage because there is usually a point when one nap is not enough and two naps are too many. The result is an overtired child who doesn’t sleep well at night.

Want to know more about dropping the nap?
Read: Drop to One Nap — Is My Toddler Ready for a Single Nap?

The Temper Tantrum Emerges

As if nap schedules changing isn’t enough, temper tantrums often emerge at this age, and toddlers start testing their parents. Bedtime is a common battleground for toddlers flexing emerging willpower muscles. A soothing bedtime routine is extremely important for children this age, and adhering consistently to routines and setting clear rules is essential—because the next stage is only tougher.

Need more information about bedtime routines?
Read: Bedtime Routine For Toddlers — Soothing And Predictable

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety hits a peak right around the first birthday. Saying “night-night” to parents can be tough. That nice, long transition to bedtime, good focused time with one or both parents, helps ease the fears. Although one year-olds can’t say much, they understand an awful lot, so give plenty of verbal assurances that you are nearby.

Having a “Lovey” helps with separation anxiety.
Read: The Lovey — Your Child’s First Best Friend

Sample Toddler Sleep Schedules, 13 to 18-Months-Old

(Shift earlier if your child wakes between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m.)
7:00–7:30 a.m. Wake-up and breakfast.
9:00–9:30 a.m. Start of one-hour morning nap if she’s still taking one. She’ll
probably want a snack right after the nap.
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Lunch (depending on morning-nap timing).
12:30–1:30 p.m. Start of afternoon nap. About an hour and a half if it’s a second
nap, about two to two and a half hours if it’s the only nap of the
day. Snack after nap.
5:00–5:30 p.m. Dinner.
6:00–6:30 p.m. Start bath/bedtime routine.
7:00–8:00 p.m. Asleep.

We have sleep schedules for everyone!
Read: Sample Schedules: Sleep and Naps From 6 Months to Preschool

Balancing Toddler Sleep Schedules with Flexibility

Children need regular naptimes, regular bedtimes, and three recognizable mealtimes. Their bodies need the routine to regulate day and night hormone cycles, and to keep them in sync with their internal clocks. Their little hearts and minds need certainty and predictability to feel secure. But I also believe in some flexibility. The sample schedule is a good starting point, but you can adjust it.

You may also have to play with the schedule a bit to accommodate the needs of your other children. Sleep times are averages. Some kids sleep more, some sleep less, but the variations are a lot less than many parents think. If your child is napping and sleeping poorly, chances are you are underestimating how much sleep she needs.

Look at Daytime Behavior

Watch her daytime behavior. If she’s easy and content, she’s probably on a pretty good schedule. When she’s fussy and demanding, she may need longer naps, an earlier bedtime, a later wake-up time—or all of the above. If you have to skip a nap because of a doctor’s appointment or some other essential interruption, most toddlers fare better missing the morning nap than the afternoon one. You can temporarily move the afternoon nap up a bit to compensate for a missed morning one.

Is your toddler resisting sleep?

We can tell you why and how to fix it in Gentle Sleep Solutions - an online sleep training e-Course!

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Additional Resources

If you’re looking for some help gently coaching your child to sleep at any age, we have many resources available. Our Certified Gentle Sleep coaches are located worldwide, and speak many languages. You can look for a coach in your area OR remotely, here.

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