How to Help Your Toddler Drop the Last Nap
All good things must come to an end, and that goes for naps too. 😢
It’s a bitter-sweet time in every parent’s life. At some point, it’ll be time to say goodbye to that sweet, sweet hour(ish) where you could relax and kick your feet up… or more realistically, tick off a few items from the ever-growing to-do list.
And if that last nap has become a struggle-fest, it just might be that time. It’s helpful to know when it’s way too early to drop your little’s final nap, when you can preserve it a little longer, and when it’s time to throw in the towel and finally drop it (and how to do it smoothly). Here’s everything you need to know.
How do you know your little is ready to drop their last nap?
Little ones will typically drop their nap around 3 years old. But it’s not unheard of for some kiddos to drop their nap a little earlier and or even keep up their nap until they start kindergarten! (My son napped until he was 4… but my daughter dropped her nap at 3!)
So how do you know if your little is ready?
Is your little between 3 and 5 years old?
Do they refuse to sleep for 1 hour after you put them down?
Are they already meeting their sleep needs just with nighttime sleep? (About 11-14 hours for toddlers)
Are they skipping their nap at least 8-10 days out of a 2 week period?
Is their night sleep being affected?
If you’re answering yes to these questions, then your little one is likely ready. But you shouldn’t rush to drop your little’s nap though, so before you decide it’s time, try this trick: Give them a little more awake time before you put them down for that last nap. But keep in mind that you may have to cap the length of their nap so it doesn’t push back bedtime. If they’re still not taking the bait, then it just might be time.
How to drop the final nap
You’re going to want to try and hold onto that nap for as long as possible, but if you know it’s time to say goodbye, here are a few tips to help them adjust without it turning into a nightmare.
Keep in mind, it can take 3 to 4 weeks to fully make the transition. And during that time, it’s perfectly normal for kiddos to sometimes take a nap and sometimes not. Don’t stress it too much.
Switch nap time for quiet time.
Your child might be overtired as they adjust to no more naptime, and if that’s the case, offer quiet time instead (and don’t stress the need to sleep or nap).
Make bedtime earlier
Just because your little is ready to drop their nap, doesn’t mean they’ll make it to bedtime without falling asleep. You want to make sure they’re still getting the sleep they need – again, 11 to 14 hours for toddlers – and for this to happen, you definitely will need to make bedtime a bit earlier without a nap.
Learn to deal with overtired emotions
Coping with overtired emotions can be challenging. Being overtired is dysregulating to the central nervous system. Your child may be too tired to process emotions, so have a lot of patience while they’re transitioning out of naptime.
Be flexible
If your toddler does happen to fall asleep during quiet time, make sure they’re up by 2pm… and know that bedtime will be on the later side (e.g., 8pm). Even if the nap is only 30 minutes that can be enough time to take the edge off of sleep. So, if you try to put your toddler down too early for bed with a little nap, you’ll likely get a little more push back because they aren’t as tired.
If you’re still not quite sure your little should be dropping their nap or want a bit more support helping them drop it, we’re here to help! Schedule a FREE 15-minute phone consultation with us now! (Or drop us your questions on Instagram – @healthylittlesleepers!)