Toddler sleep: routines, naps and night waking

Toddler sleep is a moving target. Just when you think you have the routine sorted, your child learns to climb out of the cot, gives up the nap, or decides that 4.45 am is the correct time to start the day.

The good news is that the fundamentals are simple, even when the execution is not. Toddlers need enough sleep, a predictable wind-down and a consistent response at night. The rest is adjusting to a small person who is developing faster than your routine can keep up.

How much sleep does a toddler need?#

Australian guidance is 11–14 hours of sleep in every 24 hours for toddlers. That usually looks like:

• 10–12 hours overnight
• a 1–2 hour nap during the day

A common pattern is a 7 am wake-up, a nap around 1 pm for up to two hours, and bedtime between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm. But there is a wide range of normal. Some toddlers need 11 hours, some need 14. Some nap for 30 minutes, some for two hours.

The better question is not "is my toddler sleeping the textbook amount?" but "is my toddler mostly happy, able to learn and play, and coping with the day?" A toddler who is constantly melting down, falling asleep in the car at 9 am, or waking repeatedly at night may need more sleep or a different routine.

The toddler sleep rhythm#

Toddlers do best with predictability. That does not mean a military schedule. It means the same broad sequence most days, so your child knows what comes next.

A simple rhythm:

1. Wake and breakfast at roughly the same time.
2. Active play and outside time in the morning.
3. Lunch, then a nap or quiet time.
4. Afternoon play, ideally with some movement.
5. Dinner, bath, teeth, book, bed.

The wind-down should start 20–30 minutes before bed. Dim the lights, turn off screens, slow your voice and move through the same few steps. A toddler who is wrestling a sibling at 7.25 pm is not winding down.

Nap transitions#

Nap changes are one of the biggest reasons toddler sleep goes sideways. They are gradual, not a switch.

Two naps to one#

Most toddlers move to one nap between 12 and 18 months. Signs it might be time:

• the morning nap pushes the afternoon nap later and later
• bedtime is taking much longer
• your toddler is happy to skip the morning nap and still manage until lunch
• the second nap is consistently short or refused

Try a gradual shift: offer the nap slightly later each day, keep the morning quiet rather than stimulating, and move bedtime earlier if the nap is short. Keep the nap at least three hours before bedtime if you can.

One nap to no nap#

Most children stop napping somewhere between three and five years. Signs:

• the nap is pushing bedtime very late
• your child takes a long time to fall asleep at night
• your child is happy and functioning without the nap
• the nap is happening at 4 pm and bedtime is a battle

Do not drop the nap cold turkey. Replace it with quiet time — books, puzzles, drawing or a calm audio story in their room. This gives everyone a break and preserves the option of a nap on a big day. If bedtime becomes difficult, try shortening the nap before removing it.

Bedtime battles#

Toddlers resist bedtime for a reason: they do not want to miss out, they are testing limits, and they are old enough to have opinions but not old enough to regulate themselves. The answer is not a longer negotiation. It is a shorter, clearer routine.

What helps:

• Give a warning. "Two more minutes, then we brush teeth."
• Offer limited choices. "Which pyjamas: the stars or the dinosaurs?" Not "do you want to get ready?"
• Keep the routine short and repeatable. Bath, teeth, book, bed. Same order most nights.
• Put the child in bed awake. Drowsy but awake is easier for some children than others; the goal is that they practise falling asleep in their own bed.
• Use a bedtime pass. One free trip out of bed for a kiss, a drink or the toilet, then back to bed. This can reduce the endless parade of requests.
• Be boring. Return your child to bed calmly and quietly, with minimal conversation. The fifth return gets the same response as the first.
• Do not use bed as punishment. "Go to your room" teaches that sleep is a sentence. Use a calm-down space instead, then return to the routine.

If screens are part of your evening, stop them at least an hour before bed. Our guide to screen time for toddlers explains how to protect sleep without turning every evening into a battle.

Night waking#

Night waking is normal at every age. Toddlers cycle between deep and light sleep and may wake briefly, then need help settling back down. The goal is not to eliminate every waking. It is to make night-time boring and safe, and to give your child the chance to resettle.

Common reasons a toddler wakes:

• illness, teething or a wet nappy
• a room that is too hot, too cold or too light
• a late or long nap
• hunger or a growth spurt
• a new sibling, move, childcare change or travel
• bedtime fears or separation
• a dummy, bottle or feeding association
• screens or exciting play close to bedtime

What can help:

• keep the room dark, quiet and at a comfortable temperature
• use a dim night light if needed, not a bright screen
• respond calmly and briefly
• avoid turning on lights, playing or starting a long conversation
• offer water rather than milk or juice if your child is thirsty
• check whether a dummy or bottle habit is driving the waking, and change it gradually if you want to. Our dummy weaning guide has a two-week plan.
• keep the same response every night

If your toddler is waking because they are genuinely hungry, a small snack before bed may help. If they are waking out of habit and are happy to be fed back to sleep, you can choose to keep that habit or change it slowly. There is no moral prize for tough love.

Nightmares and night terrors#

These are different, and they need different responses.

Nightmares usually happen in the second half of the night, during REM sleep. A child may wake, remember a bad dream and need comfort. Go to them, reassure them, keep the lights low and help them settle back down.

Night terrors usually happen in the first part of the night, during deep sleep. A child may scream, thrash, sit up or stare with their eyes open, but they are not properly awake. They often do not remember it. Do not wake or restrain them. Keep them safe, stay nearby and let it pass. Most last a few minutes.

If night terrors are frequent, talk to your GP. They can check for triggers such as poor sleep, fever or stress, and rule out other causes.

Sleep and development#

Toddler sleep is affected by everything else that is happening. A child who is learning to walk, talk or climb may wake more. A child who has just started childcare may be exhausted and overstimulated. A child who is toilet training may wake to use the potty. A child who is moving from a cot to a bed may test the boundaries for weeks.

Try not to change everything at once. If your child is going through a big developmental change, keep the routine boring and consistent. Add comfort, not new rules.

For more on the behaviour that often comes with tiredness, read our toddler tantrums guide. If you are still working out naps and awake times, our baby wake windows guide explains the earlier stage.

Common mistakes#

• Putting a toddler to bed later to tire them out. Overtired toddlers often take longer to fall asleep and wake more at night.
• Letting the afternoon nap run too late. A nap that ends after 4 pm can push bedtime to 9 pm.
• Changing the routine every few nights. Consistency is the intervention.
• Giving a big reaction at every wake-up. Calm and boring is more effective than a lecture or a party.
• Using screens to settle. Screens can delay sleep and make the brain more alert.
• Ignoring breathing problems. Loud snoring, gasping or pauses in breathing need medical review.
• Treating normal night waking as a failure. Some waking is developmental. The goal is a family rhythm that works, not a perfect night.

When to get help#

See your GP, child and family health nurse or paediatrician if:

• your toddler snores loudly, gasps, pauses breathing or is very restless in sleep
• your toddler is excessively sleepy during the day, even after a good night
• sleep problems are affecting their growth, learning, behaviour or mood
• your toddler has frequent night terrors, sleepwalking or unusual movements
• your toddler is not meeting developmental milestones
• you are exhausted, anxious or depressed, or you feel unsafe caring for your child

If your child stops breathing, is unresponsive or has a seizure, call 000.

The bottom line#

Toddlers need 11–14 hours of sleep in 24 hours, a predictable wind-down and a calm, consistent response at night. Naps will shift, bedtime will be tested and night waking will happen. Keep the routine boring, protect the sleep environment and adjust gradually. If something feels medically wrong — breathing, growth, extreme daytime sleepiness — get it checked rather than trying another sleep hack.

For the safe sleep basics that still apply, see our safe sleep guide. If your toddler is fighting bedtime every night, the strategies in our tantrums guide can help you hold the boundary without turning bedtime into a battle.