When do babies stop napping during the day

And what can you do to help ease the transition? There are no hard or fast rules regarding when a child drops their nap. Each kid is different. The National Sleep Foundation NSF estimates that only about 50 percent of children still nap by age 4, and only 30 percent still nap by age 5. For the most part, toddlers need about 12 hours of sleep a day. One difference between napping and non-napping toddlers is that the latter group gets most of their sleep at night.

Most toddlers transition from two naps to one nap a day by 18 months. Naps then gradually taper off over the next couple of years. By age 5, most children no longer take a regular nap. When some toddlers hit a certain age, daytime naps become the enemy.

Even if they resist, naps may still be necessary if:. A telltale sign that your child is ready to drop naps is the ability to skip a nap without signs of crankiness or exhaustion. Dropping naps is a gradual process that starts with your toddler going from two naps to one nap, and then, sometimes years after the shift from two to one nap, slowly decreasing the length of their one nap.

Children who no longer need a nap typically fall asleep faster at night and sleep through the night, making the bedtime routine a little easier on you. But although some kids eventually wean themselves off naps, you can give your child a small nudge. You can also try drop one nap a week to get their body used to less daytime sleep.

Your child will slowly adjust to less sleep. But keep in mind that less sleep during the day means they may need more sleep earlier at night. They likely will fall asleep earlier or may sleep later in the morning if allowed. So be prepared to move up the bedtime routine or adjust the morning schedule. You can also help your child drop naps by avoiding afternoon activities that could cause drowsiness — at least until they break the habit. This includes long car rides and long periods of inactivity.

Keeping your toddler moving can keep them stimulated and awake. Be mindful that heavy lunches might also make your child lethargic and sleepy. Track my baby. You might also like. Most popular in Preschooler. See all in Community. See all in Getting Pregnant.

See all in Pregnancy. See all in Preschooler. See all in Life as a Parent. See all in Video. Get the BabyCentre app. Read on to learn more about the signs a child is ready to stop napping, along with strategies to make the transition easier. All children reach developmental milestones at different times, and napping is no exception. For nearly all young children, naps are a normal part of a daily routine. According to an older observational study of children, most babies aged 9—12 months tended to take two naps per day.

When they were ready, this changed to just one nap. The shift to one nap occurred at 15—24 months. By ages 3 and 4, the rates of napping decreased, and nearly all children stopped by the age of 7.

Demographic factors might play a role also. A observational study of families in Mississippi found that many white children stopped napping before their black counterparts. At the age of 8 years, Therefore, people should note that a large amount of variation in stopping naps is common, and certain cultures treat naps differently. Toddlers may stop napping on their own when they have enough energy to get through the day without feeling sleepy.

Signs that a toddler may no longer need a nap include the below. As children get older, they will delay naps and sleep for shorter amounts of time. If they have trouble falling asleep at naptime and appear restless or fidgety , they may be ready to stop napping.

Caregivers can help children keep napping until they are ready to stop. Introducing a nap time routine, such as reading a story or closing the curtains, are good cues to signal nap time. Waking up too early may be a sign that a child may be ready to stop naps. The daytime nap can prevent them from feeling tired at bedtime, which means they sleep less and wake up earlier. Caregivers can try bringing naptime forward a few hours, creating a larger gap between nap time and bedtime.

One study found this technique particularly useful in toddlers between 12—18 months old. The earlier the toddlers napped in the afternoon, the longer they slept at night.

As a rule of thumb, children need to be up for at least 4 hours before they are able to fall asleep again. Children may no longer need naps if they are too energetic at bedtime and have trouble falling asleep. This can lead to them falling asleep later at night.

One study observed that preschoolers who took naps fell asleep 30 minutes later at bedtime than those who did not. However, it is important to note that this was a small study that did not have a diverse sample of participants.

If a toddler is taking fewer naps and not feeling grumpy , they probably do not need to nap as often. Caregivers can help children reduce or eliminate naps in several ways.