Sleep
Key information this page includes:
How much sleep does my toddler need?
Toddlers normally need around 11-14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, this normally made up of around 10 hours of sleep at night and the rest with naps through the day.
As toddlers are developing very quickly, the way they interact with sleeping will change, you may see changes in behaviour that may look like sleep problems. This might include it being difficult to get them into bed, settling them down, and getting them to sleep through the night. This is a normal part of a toddler’s development, it is them testing boundaries and showing the first signs of independence.
Signs of tiredness
If you are able to start spotting when your child is becoming tired, you will have an easier time getting them to settle down before they start becoming grumpy and difficult.
Some of these signs include:
- Clumsiness
- Clinginess
- Crying
- Making more demands for attention
- Being bored by their toys
- Fussy with food
- Sudden increase in their physical activity
It’s a good idea to try and figure out if they are tired or just hungry. If they’ve eaten in the last couple of hours and are showing these signs they might be tired, but offering a feed can help you understand how tired they are, if they are actually hungry they will eat/drink but if they are tired they will only have a very small amount and continue showing these signs.
Reducing stimulation
When you spot the signs of tiredness in your child you should reduce the amount of stimulation they are getting quickly so that they can get ready for bed more easily. You can reduce stimulation by:
- Taking them to where they normally go to sleep
- Putting their toys away
- Turning off electronic devices
- Talk to them with a quiet, smoothing voice
- Lower the light in the room
- Play quiet, soft music
When will my child be ready for sleep?
It is difficult to know when your child is ready for a sleep as there is no exact age to start sleep routines. However, spending one to one time with your baby before bedtime is an easier way to get your baby into a sleep routine.
Sleep schedule
Toddlers sleep at night and nap in the day. Every child is different, and families will all develop their own routines. An example of what their day could look like is:
- 7am – wake up
- 1pm – nap for no longer than 2 hours
- 3pm wake up
- 7:30/8pm – go to bed and say goodnight
If they have a nap too late into the day or for too long, they might not be ready bed until later into the night.
Sometimes toddlers will wake up earlier into the morning and there isn’t anything that you can do for this, its just what happens. Putting them to bed later at night in hopes that they will wake up later in the morning doesn’t work. Your toddler will still wake up early and then be grumpy from a lack of sleep.
Night time routine
Having a good bedtime routine will help your toddler feel ready for sleep and help them settle down again more easily when they wake up during the night.
Most toddlers will be ready for bed between 6:30-7:30 pm, and will sleep the deepest between 8pm and midnight. It’s important to keep the routine consistent on weekends as well as during the week.
A bedtime routine could look something like this:
- 7pm – brush teeth and put on a fresh nappy
- 7:15pm – have some quiet time with them, read a book or tell a story
- 7:30pm – get into bed and say goodnight
Before you leave them, make sure to have a quick look around just to make sure that everything is safe for the night.
Getting up after bedtime
Your toddler might go through a phase of getting up or calling for you after you’ve said goodnight. Its best for them to stay in bed so here’s a few tips for keeping them asleep:
- Avoid high energy play before bedtime, this makes it harder for them to settle down
- Turn the TV or other electric devices off about an hour before bedtime and avoid letting them watch anything too exciting or scary before it’s turned off
- Keep your bedtime routine consistent every day
- Make sure your child has everything they need before leaving them alone
- If your child actually needs something, for example if they need to go to the toilet, help them quietly with as little talking as possible. Make sure they know that bedtime is for sleeping
What if my child won’t go to bed?
If your child is consistently resisting going to bed, you might need to rethink their bedtime routine, this could include:
- Changing their bedtime slightly
- Set a limit on how much time you spend with them before they go to sleep
- Give them their favourite toy
- Leave on a nightlight if they’re scared of the dark
- If they keep getting up, take them back to bed with as little fuss as possible
- Be consistent with how you manage their night time routine