How much sleep does your toddler need?

Toddlers need 11-14 hours sleep every 24 hours. Usually this is a:

• sleep of 10-12 hours in the night
• nap of 1-2 hours during the day.

Sleep is important for your toddler’s health, growth, development and learning. When your toddler gets enough good-quality sleep, they’ll be more settled and happy during the day. Getting enough sleep also strengthens your toddler’s immune system and reduces their risk of infection and illness.

Sleep schedule for toddlers

A common daily sleep schedule for toddlers might look like this:

• 7 am – wake up.
• 1 pm – have a nap of no more than 2 hours.
• 3 pm – wake up.
• 7.30 pm – get into bed and say goodnight.

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

Keep an eye out for your toddler’s signs of tiredness. When you see the signs, you can get your child into bed and settled for sleep before grumpiness sets in.

Bedtime routine for toddlers

A positive bedtime routine helps toddlers feel ready for sleep and settle more easily when they wake at night.

Toddlers are often ready for bed between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm, although this depends on what time they wake in the morning. It’s important to keep the routine consistent on weekends as well as during the week.

A bedtime routine might look something like this:

• 7 pm – brush teeth and change nappy.
• 7.15 pm – have quiet time (read a book or tell a story).
• 7.30 pm – get into bed and say goodnight.

Common sleep problems and concerns in toddlers

Sleep problems and concerns are common in toddlers.

For example, you might find that you have challenges with:

• getting your toddler into bed
• settling your toddler for sleep
• getting your toddler to sleep through the night.

This kind of behaviour is a natural part of toddler development. It happens because toddlers are:

• developing physically
• learning new skills
• testing boundaries
• building independence
• wanting emotional reassurance.

You can help your toddler get the sleep they need by understanding their sleep schedule and tired signs and establishing good sleep habits like positive bedtime routines.

Our FAQs below might also help. They answer some of the most common questions about toddler sleep problems and concerns.

Many toddlers have settling and sleep problems. But problems with going to sleep and staying asleep can be more severe in autistic children. You can manage and overcome many sleep problems in autistic children using common behaviour strategies.

Toddler sleep FAQs

Should my toddler still have bottles of milk in bed or overnight?

Taking a bottle of milk to bed isn’t recommended, because it can cause tooth decay. It’s better for your child to finish their milk at least 30 minutes before going to bed.

If your toddler asks for a bottle overnight, this might be because they’re used to having a bottle of milk to fall asleep. When your child wakes and can’t get back to sleep during the night, they call for another bottle.

If your child uses a bottle only at night and is weaned from daytime feeds, check out our article on night-weaning.

If your child still has a bottle during the day, check out our article on weaning off the bottle.

Should my toddler still have a dummy in bed?

At this age it’s probably OK for your toddler to use a dummy in bed if they’re attached to it and it helps them settle for sleep. But if it’s starting to cause problems, our article on letting go of the dummy can help you work out what to do.

How can I get my toddler to go to bed earlier?

To help your toddler feel ready for bed earlier, make sure:

• their nap isn’t too late
• they have a positive, consistent bedtime routine at night
• try a gradual approach called bedtime fading.

In bedtime fading you start with your child’s current bedtime, and then do your child’s bedtime routine 15 minutes earlier every few days.

How can I get my toddler to wake up later?

Some toddlers like to wake at 5.30 or 6 am. There isn’t much you can do about this, other than adjust the times you go to bed and get up too.

Putting your toddler to bed later at night in the hope that they’ll wake later the next morning doesn’t tend to work. Your toddler might still wake up early and then be grumpy from too little sleep.

When will my toddler sleep through the night?

Toddlers learn to ‘sleep through the night’ at different ages. Getting your toddler to sleep through the night is often about helping them learn to self-settle when they wake during the night. Read about a responsive settling technique to help your toddler learn to self-settle.

All children and adults wake and then go back to sleep in the night, usually in between sleep cycles.

When do toddlers drop their naps?

At 12 months, your toddler might be having 2 naps a day. By 3 years, they’re likely to have just 1 nap or to have dropped their nap altogether. You might find the first nap gets longer and later in the day as the second nap gradually stops.

When your toddler drops their nap, you could try giving them a rest at the same time of day.

You can encourage your toddler to nap by having a quiet, consistent pre-nap routine. For example, you could sing a gentle song, have a cuddle or read a story, and then put your toddler into the cot or bed for their nap.

Why does my toddler wake up grumpy after a nap?

This might be for several reasons. For example, your child might not be getting enough sleep, or they might be waking up with sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is the groggy feeling people sometimes feel when they wake up, especially from deep sleep.

Why does my toddler bang their head or rock in bed?

Toddlers often bang their head or rock and roll around in bed as a way of settling themselves to sleep. This kind of rhythmic movement might be soothing for your toddler.

This behaviour is common in kids aged 6 months to 5 years. They usually grow out of it, but talk to your GP or child and family health nurse if you’re concerned.

Read more about head-banging and rocking in bed.

How do I stop my toddler from calling out and getting out of bed at night?

Tips like these can help:

• Avoid boisterous play before bedtime.
• Turn off the TV, computers and tablets an hour before bedtime.
• Set up a consistent, calming bedtime routine.
• Check that your toddler has everything they need and their sleeping environment is safe.
• Remind your toddler that it’s time to stay quietly in bed.

It’s also important to think about why your toddler is behaving like this. Our article on calling out or getting out of bed explains and also has more tips for you to try.

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. If you’re firm and consistent, your toddler will quickly get the message that bedtime is for sleeping.

How can I get my toddler to sleep in their own bed?

If your toddler likes to sleep somewhere other than their own bed and you want to change this, try these tips:

• Set up a regular bedtime routine that includes calm, quiet activities in your toddler’s bedroom.
• Check that your toddler’s bedroom is dimly lit and quiet.
• Encourage your toddler to play in their bedroom during the day so they feel comfortable in that room.
• Try to be consistent. Calmly return your toddler to their bed as many times as it takes for them to stay in bed.
• Praise your toddler when they stay in their own bed. You could also try a reward chart.

When should I move my toddler to a ‘big bed’?

Most children move to a big bed when they’re around 2-3 years old. But there’s no hurry. You might think about moving your toddler if they’ve started climbing out of the cot or need to use the potty at night. Or you might need the cot for a new baby.

Read more about moving from a cot to a bed.

Why does my toddler suddenly wake up very distressed?

It might be a night terror. Night terrors are when children suddenly get very agitated while deeply asleep.

Stay calm and avoid waking or touching your toddler unless they’re at risk of hurting themselves. Night terrors don’t harm your toddler, and your toddler won’t remember them in the morning.

Night terrors are most common in children aged 2-4 years.

Read more about night terrors.

Should I be worried about my toddler’s teeth-grinding?

You probably don’t need to worry. Many toddlers grind their teeth. It might help to know that it probably won’t wake your toddler or cause damage to their teeth.

Read more about teeth-grinding.

Help for toddler sleep concerns

Sleep medicines aren’t usually the solution to children’s sleep problems. There are better ways to deal with these difficulties. If you have concerns, see your GP or paediatrician.

Children’s sleep problems are one of the most common reasons that parents seek help from professionals. Your child’s sleep problems will be much easier to manage with the support of a trusted child health professional.