How to manage the transition from one nap to zero naps

It’s bittersweet but true: One day your child will stop napping. If this fact is a little (or very) intimidating, we get it! Families rely heavily on naps - whether it’s to recharge or to get other things done. Find out what you can expect when your child is ready to drop their last nap, and how to make the transition go as smoothly as possible.

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Age when children drop naps completely

Most children continue to need naps (at least some of the time) until 3 to 5 years of age. As with all nap transitions, there are some kids who will transition earlier than the average age, and some who will reach this milestone later. While there are plenty of 2 year olds who drop the nap, the early transition often results in other sleep issues - such as early waking and increased night waking. 

Signs that your child is ready to give up naps

Wondering whether your child is outgrowing their daily nap? You’ll know that your child is getting closer to being ready for the transition when they’re at least 2.5 - 3 years of age, and you see some (or all) of the following signs:

• Frequently skipping naps

• Difficulty falling asleep at usual sleep times

• Nap and bedtime are getting pushed late, resulting in less than 10 hours of night sleep

• Consistently staying awake for more than 6 hours before bedtime

• Early waking and or split nights (when your child stays awake for long periods at night) on 1-nap days

In order for a 1-nap schedule to work well, a child needs wake windows of 5 - 6 hours on either side of the nap.  As toddlers become preschoolers, their optimal wake windows lengthen and they start needing longer periods of wakefulness in order to become tired enough to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is why we see children start having difficulty falling asleep at their typical nap and bedtimes: they start needing longer than 6 hours of wake time before they’re physically ready to sleep.

You can be confident your child is ready to drop the nap completely when they’re able to comfortably (and consistently) stay awake for at least 12 hours a day. Although some toddlers are capable of doing this on a short-term basis, it’s rare to see a child younger than three years old who can stay awake that long on a regular basis. Two year olds often need a schedule adjustment rather than a nap transition.

Ways to postpone this transition

Not in any hurry to say goodbye to daytime sleep? Parents, we hear you! We encourage holding onto the last nap as long as you can. (Before you know it, you'll be dealing with a !)

can lead to chronic overtiredness, which is a common cause of increased irritability, daytime sleepiness, night waking, and early waking. 

If you’re starting to see signs that your child is ready to transition away from the nap, there’s no need to panic. There are some strategies you can use to preserve naps as long as possible. Before ditching the nap completely, you have some options:

Limit the nap

First, try shortening the duration of the nap. This can help lengthen the awake time before sleep periods, and increase sleep pressure, allowing you to maintain the nap for longer.  

For example, if your child is showing signs of readiness to transition, but naps for 2 or more hours when they do sleep, you can try shortening the nap to 1.5 hours and aiming for a wake time of about 6 hours before bedtime. You may find that this helps regulate naps.

Sample 1-nap schedule with 90 minute nap

Note: Sleep needs vary by child and this chart should be viewed as an example.

If that’s not successful, you can try limiting the nap to one hour in order to increase the sleep pressure before each sleep period, which can make it easier for your child to fall asleep. Here’s what that might look like:

Sample 1-nap schedule with 60 minute nap

Note: Sleep needs vary by child and this chart should be viewed as an example.

Offer daily naps, but manage expectations

If you’re starting to see nap resistance, and other signs of transition readiness, we encourage you to continue offering opportunities for day time sleep. However, expect that many naps will be skipped. It’s common for children to alternate between no nap and 1-nap days. 

If your child is content in their sleep space, go ahead and let them have some downtime for 60 - 90 minutes. If they don’t fall asleep, be sure to offer an earlier bedtime to limit overtiredness. Many children are able to sleep for 12 hours when they don’t nap during the day. For example, if your child wakes at 7:00 AM, and skips their nap, go ahead and target a 7:00 PM bedtime. 

This irregular pattern can be understandably challenging for parents, but the back and forth is temporary. Allowing the opportunity for naps can help young children adjust to staying awake for longer periods. Some families who need more predictability find it helpful to offer naps once a week, or on weekends only, until their child is ready to drop the last nap completely.

Strategies and tips to make this transition easier (for both of you!)

Prevent hunger-induced early waking

Since hunger can cause shortened sleep, we’ll want to adjust meals and snacks on zero-nap days to ensure that your child doesn’t wake up too early the next morning. Ideally, your child’s night sleep will be longer on the days that they don’t nap. They’ll still need about the same amount of sleep in a 24-hour period, it will just be distributed differently: one longer stretch at night, instead of a split between day and night sleep.

This change in night sleep means that your child may have to go longer in between meals, and it may take some time for them to adjust to lasting 12 or more hours in between dinner and breakfast. Consider whether you can move dinner later, or add in another snack during the day, in order to prevent early morning hunger pangs.

Offer a daily rest time

Initially, it can be challenging for families to adjust to life without naptime. It’s not only rest and recharge time for the child - the caregivers need that time too! 

Once your child stops napping for the most part, you can build a scheduled “quiet hour” into your daily routine. The idea is that your child will spend some alone time in their sleep space doing calm activities, giving them (and you) a chance to relax. In some cases, they may surprise you and end up napping after all.

Before leaving your child with some quiet activities (such as picture books, puzzles, or coloring) try to spend 10 - 15 minutes giving them your undivided attention in their bedroom. Some parents like to continue to use their pre-nap routine for that together time, which can help ensure that your child stays content once you leave.

Move bedtime earlier when the nap is skipped

Whether your child skips naps occasionally or has completely stopped taking naps, it will be important to move bedtime earlier on those no-nap days. This will help minimize overtiredness (which can contribute to sleep issues) and ensure they get enough sleep overall. Try aiming for about 12 hours of sleep on days your child doesn’t nap.

What about daycare or preschool?

In some cases, children will continue to nap at daycare or preschool but would sleep better overall if they transitioned away from that day sleep. This can be stressful for parents who notice that their child has trouble falling asleep (or doesn’t sleep well during the night) on days they nap. 

First, we recommend talking to your childcare provider. There may be room for flexibility. Discuss options such as moving the nap earlier, limiting the nap to an hour, or offering a non-sleeping quiet time instead.

Some childcare providers must continue to offer naps due to state law or private regulations. In those cases, consider whether you can move bedtime later so that there are 6 hours of awake time before bed.  Follow a zero nap schedule on the weekends to help balance out the naps on the days they are at school.