When Do Little Ones Switch to Just an Afternoon Nap?

Yes, I agree--I think it does depend on the idividual.. My kids had two naps a day until they were 18 months then stopped all naps about two years old, which did not bother me because they slept better at night that way.

My son is almost 16 months and takes an hour and half in the morning and afternoon. He also goes to bed at 7:30pm and wakes up about 7am. I'm sure that by the time he is two he will not be taking morning naps. It depends on how active your child is I guess, and how long they sleep at night. All kids still need naps or quiet time, even in Kindergarten. My six year old is in First Grade and they still do a quiet time.

E. - The daycare kids I have had for over three years all seemed to switch at about 10 - 12 months so you are probably seeing that change right now! Sounds like your little one is right on track with the ones I've had over the years! K.

My son (who is 6 now) stopped taking a morning nap at 5. My daughter (who is 2 now) stopped taking a morning nap 6 months ago. Children need a lot more sleep than they are getting, on average. However, if a 4 year old is still taking 2 naps a day and your MD tells you "It's OK. All kids are different." Get a second opinion. My son had/has heavy metal toxicity and if I had got it taken care of sooner he wouldn't be struggling in school right now. (one sign of that is sleeping more than normal)

My daughter is almost 14 months old now. She still takes 2 naps most of the time although I'm finding that the days when she only needs 1 are becoming more and more common. I would say it's just a matter of a few weeks before they are down to 1 most of the time.

Hi E. - For my daughter, who is now 4, I honestly don't remember, but my son who is 22 months gave up his second nap at right around 13 or 14 months. It probably would have been sooner, but I fought it all the way...LOL...I really enjoyed that quiet time! Anyway I knew it was time not because of his age, but because his morning naps got shorter and then he'd either take an even shorter nap in the afternoon or no nap at all. He'd just fuss until I'd finally give up and get him out of the crib. Which didn't work either because he would then be REALLY cranky in the evening. So that was when we switched him to one nap a day and it turned it to be exactly what he needed. Now we just have to be careful because he naps anywhere from 11a to 2p...just depends on our day...however if I lay him down closer to 2p bed time becomes a disaster!

Well, hope something in their helped!
M.

My son is 2 now, but he gave up his morning nap right around 1 year. He did the same thing, started gradually shortening the nap and then eventually he would not sleep at all when I put him down. I stopped putting him down then and gradually moved his afternoon nap earlier. Good luck, I know it's hard to give up that quiet time!

Hi E.- My son is almost 16 months old and needs 2 naps/day still. Once in a while, if we let him take too long a morning nap, he doesn't actually sleep during the afternoon nap, he just lays in his crib and quietly talks to himself or takes a short 30 min nap. I take a lot of my guidance on naps from a book called Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy child. According to the studies done by that author:
At 12 months: 82% take 2 naps, 17% take a single afternoon nap.
At 15 months: 43% take 2 naps, 56% take a single afternoon nap.
At 18 months: 77% take a single afternoon nap
At 21 months: 88% take a single afternoon nap
At 24 months: 95% take a single afternoon nap
So, everyone is different. But I think those numbers help give a general idea.

Around 1 is when all 7 of mine quit taking 2 naps, and around 2 is when I quit giving naps altogather, I find they sleep better at night that way. Five girls? You are brave :), I have 3 girls and 4 boys and I must admit my girls drive me crazy, my boys are a lot more easy going..... good luck, they grow so fast!

Hi E.

I really do think it depends on your child. My kids started to take the one nap after she turned one.

So I think you are very close.

T.

Hi E., I agree with Aimee R, my son just turned 1 Nov. 15th and he still takes a morning nap and a afternoon nap they range from an hour to 2 hours always different. All kids are different age wont tell you anything, one person will tell you mine was 1, mine was 2, mine was this and that but your own child will let you know when she is ready there is no age put on that. Mine has never been a very good sleeper from day one of his life and frankly hes not ready for just one nap a day if he only gets one nap which does happen then hes grumpy in the evenings so it depends on the child. Maybe by shortening her morning nap she might be ready soon.
But ALL children do need some time to rest its important for their development and if mine gets tired he doesnt just sleep anywhere, he has always fought it some what so dont give up on those naps cause when they are tired they need rest. Good luck to you! L.

It really varies. I would just follow the cues your child gives you. My litte girl is 16 months and still takes two naps. Her morning one is the longest. My son did the same thing until he was almost 2. So just put her to bed when she seems a little bit tired and let her get up when she wakes, and as long as she seems happy and not cranky all the time she's getting enough sleep. But it sounds like she might be getting ready for one nap a day. Just move her morning nap time up a little everyday, and soon you'll have her taking a nice long afternoon nap.

Hi E.,
Every child is different but with both of my boys it was around 1. If it takes her awile to go to sleep in the morning nap I would try eliminating it. I would make her afternoon a little early to start out. Good luck.
Chris

My kids all dropped their morning naps at about one year old.

You're right. Soon her morning nap will stop on it's own. As a result she'll be more tired than before in the afternoon. Hopefully then, she'll sleep longer.

As for what I did. My oldest never slept longer than an hour or an hour and a half. He's ADHD and sleeping good has been a reoccuring problem with him.

My youngest switched because of day care. They would have a formalized pre-school in the morning and that kept him from sleeping in the morning.

They all napped in the afternoon. When I stopped using that daycare, he was too old for the long nap and usually only slept an hour.

I went from that to having them just stay quietly in their rooms for an hour and my kids have always gone to bed early. They go in their rooms to read at seven and lights out is at 8 pm. It works well for me. They get up by six.