Toddler sleep: in a nutshell

Once asleep, most toddlers sleep through most nights without waking mum or dad. But at this age, getting them to bed in the first place can be a challenge. Toddlers love to test their independence. A firm and consistent bedtime routine will win them over.

Toddler sleep schedule

A common daily sleep schedule looks like this:

If your toddler’s day nap is too long or too late in the day, your child might not be ready for bed until late at night.

Some toddlers like to wake up with the birds at 5.30 am or 6 am. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about it. Putting your toddler to bed later at night in the hope of later starts in the morning doesn’t tend to work. Your toddler might still wake up early and be grouchy from too little sleep.

Bedtime routine

A consistent bedtime routine helps prepare a child for sleep. Most toddlers are ready for bed between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm. This is a good time, because they sleep deepest between 8 pm and midnight.

A routine might look something like this:

• 6.30 pm: brush teeth and change nappy
• 6.45 pm: quiet time (read a book or tell a story)
• 7 pm: into bed and kiss goodnight.

If your child takes a dummy to bed, you might consider saying goodbye to it at around three years old. For tips on how to do this, read our article on letting go of the dummy.

Getting up after bedtime

Your toddler might go through a stage of calling out from bed or getting up after you have said goodnight. Try these tips:

• Avoid boisterous play before bedtime. This can make it harder for your child to settle.
• Establish a consistent, calming bedtime routine.
• Before leaving the room, check that your child has everything needed. Remind your child to stay quietly in bed.
• Try not to respond to your child’s calls after you have turned the light out, no matter how loud the protests. If you respond, your child will try the same thing again next bedtime.
• If your child gets out of bed, you can:
  • return your child to bed firmly and quietly over and over until there’s no more getting up
  • return your child to bed once. If your child gets up again, close the bedroom door and ignore all further protests. 

It’s important to find the strategy that works for you and stick with it.

If your toddler shares a bedroom with a brother or sister, you might need to delay your other child’s bedtime by half an hour until your toddler is settled and asleep. With luck, your toddler will very quickly get the message that bedtime is for sleeping, and the disruption to all will be minimal.

In calling out, your child might actually need something. If your child has done a poo, change the nappy with the lights dim and no talking. If your child is scared of a monster under the bed, a quick check by you (with the light off) can confirm the room is monster-free. Your toddler might settle after that. If your child is scared of the dark, think about using a night-light.

Moving to a ‘big bed’

Most children move from a cot to a bed somewhere between two and three-and-a-half years old. But there’s no hurry, particularly as some young toddlers become trickier to manage in a bed. Of course, you might need to move your child if your child has started climbing out of the cot or needs to use the potty at night, or if you need the cot for a new baby.

For more tips on making a successful move, read our article on moving to a ‘big bed’.

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  Newsletter snippet: Toddler sleep: in a nutshell
  

   

  By Raising Children Network 

  Your toddler needs 10-12 hours sleep a night, and perhaps 1-2 hours in the middle of the day.
  
  Your child might be sleeping through the night now, but getting a toddler to bed can be a challenge. Having a consistent bedtime routine should help.
  
  Common sleep schedule

  • Wake at 7 am.
  • Afternoon nap 1-3 pm.
  • Bedtime at 7 pm.

  Bedtime tips

  • Avoid boisterous play before bedtime.
  • Check that your child has everything needed before you say goodnight.
  • If your toddler gets out of bed, pack your child back to bed firmly and quietly over and over. Or return your child to bed just once, close the door and ignore all further protests. Stick with the strategy that works for you.
  • If your child is scared of the dark, try a night light.

  This article is an extract only. For more information, visit raisingchildren.net.au/sleep/toddlers_sleep.html.

  Sourced from the Raising Children Network’s comprehensive and quality-assured Australian parenting website www.raisingchildren.net.au.