Has your little one been fighting their nap lately? Are you wondering if maybe it is the end of naptime for them? HOLD that thought! I want to review a few things with you before you call it quits on naptime.
Sleep is essential for a child’s growth, development and well-being, so I always take the “end of naptime” slowly and rule any other factors out first!
When do most children drop their nap completely?
There is quite a range for when children drop their mid day nap. The majority of children will be ready to drop their nap somewhere between 3-5 years of age.
Keep in mind: Regressions in daytime sleep are REALLY common between 2-3 years of age, but most are not ready to drop their nap so early. I always recommend that families try to push through and continue to offer nap time even if your child goes through periods of refusing their nap.
Signs your child may be ready to drop the nap:
- They have a hard time falling asleep at nap time– you might notice they are playing or singing in bed.
- Their night time sleep is impacted– perhaps your child has started fighting bedtime or you have noticed prolonged wakings overnight.
- They have started to wake early in the morning– Early mornings tend to pop up when your child has reached their sleep capacity in 24 hours.
- Nap time has not happened in a few weeks
I’m noticing these signs, what now?
The first thing I always recommend is to reduce daytime sleep to see if this helps. Cap the daytime nap – if your child was sleeping 2 hours, reduce to 1.5 hours, then 1 hour, then 30-45 minutes. It is possible that your child still needs some rest during the day but not as much as they were having. Capping daytime sleep can often resolve fighting at bedtime, MOTN wakings and early mornings. If you have tried this and you are still not seeing improvement in your child’s overnight sleep then it may be time to cut the nap!
I am confident my child is ready to drop their nap, how do I do the transition?
When a child is ready to drop their daytime nap, they will still require some down time to rest their body and recharge partway through the day. Quiet time is a great thing to implement to avoid a super cranky and tired child at bedtime!
Implementing Quiet Time
1) Just like nap time, it should be in a specific location (like their bedroom)
2) Plan for a set specific amount of time. I always recommend starting small (so your child sees success!). For example, start with 10 minutes of quiet time, then work your way up by 5 minutes every few days until you reach your desired amount of time. Consider using a timer, this can be a helpful cue for your child to listen for and hear when quiet time is over.
3) Have special quiet toys that come out only at quiet time and get put away once quiet time is over. Foster independence by allowing your child to pick 1-2 toys for quiet time each day.
Ideas for quiet time: Reading, puzzles, colouring, blocks, cars.
What we do: Independent reading for the first 20 minutes, then quiet play for the next 20 minutes.
When a child no longer naps during the day, they may need extra hours overnight and bedtime will likely need to be shifted earlier for a period of time as your little one adjusts. Do not be afraid to pull bedtime up as early as 6PM!
If you are unsure whether or not your child is ready to drop their nap or you are struggling with their overnight sleep/sleep in general. Book a call with me so we can discuss your unique sleep situation and identify what might be missing in terms of a solution.
Rosalie Kassen (she/her)
Founder and Owner of Plume Sleep Solutions, Registered Nurse and Certified Paediatric Sleep Consultant