The Perfect Toddler Daily Schedule With One Nap
If your toddler is ready for one nap, then check out this blog for the perfect toddler daily schedule to help your days go smoother, be more productive, and have a happy well-rested kiddo!
Has your toddler recently shifted to taking one nap a day? Since you came across this blog, I’m guessing he/she has! This typically happens anywhere between 12 and 18 months and it can totally mess with your toddler’s daily schedule. And yours, mama! I’m betting you’re here because you need to update your toddler’s schedule and you are definitely in the right place. As a mom of 3 and former childcare educator, I’m a routine queen! I know the importance of having them in your life and I want to help you get in to a great routine now that your baby is taking one nap.
Some people hate routines or think it’s difficult to switch them up. I’m here to tell you, routine shifts don’t have to be difficult. Read on to learn about the perfect toddler daily schedule when your child is ready for one daily nap!
This blog is for you if:
- You have a child between 12 and 18 months who recently stopped taking their morning nap
- You need to switch up your toddler’s nap routine
- You’re trying to figure out how to drop your toddler to one daily nap
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Is your toddler ready for one nap?
First things first: How do you know your toddler is ready for one nap a day? Well, all babies are different, but typically a baby will show you they are ready for one nap by dropping their morning nap. They either stop sleeping completely or it might take them a really long time to fall asleep. Either way, there will be some warning signs that a one nap schedule is in the future.
As a stay-at-home-mom, I know it can be a little overwhelming for your baby to drop a nap. Nap time is such a great time to rest, get things done around the house, and spend time with your older children. One nap a day can make life a lot easier though! There is less planning around nap times, the start time of one nap can fluctuate a bit, and overall you can just do more things out of the house! It ends up being pretty great, I think. Plus instead of 2 short naps, it’s one long nap! Which makes getting things done around the house a bit easier.
So now that you know the age for a nap drop and the signs they might be ready for one nap, what does a toddler daily schedule look like? When should nap start? How long should they sleep for? Should lunch be given before or after the nap? So many questions. I’m going to answer them for you in this blog and you’ll get a downloadable toddler daily schedule that you can either print out and keep on the fridge or save to your fave Pinterest board for later!
Toddler Daily Schedule To Keep The Sanity
When choosing what time nap should start, I go by what time my toddler woke up in the morning. Generally, she will get a nap 4 or 5 hours after morning wake up. So if she wakes up at 7:30 AM, she goes down for nap around 12:00.
When your baby first drops to one nap, they might be a bit cranky by mid morning. You might want to start nap around 11:00 until they are use to it. Then you can shift nap time a bit later to work better for you. My toddler wakes up closer to 8 AM most most mornings so she doesn’t typically go down for a nap until 12:30 or 1:00 PM. Which makes doing things in the morning much easier for us!
As for lunch time, I always gave my toddlers lunch before nap. I thought going to bed with a full belly was best and would help them nap better. I offered lunch around 11:00. Of course, if your toddler is going down for a nap at 11:00, it might feel too early to give her lunch before nap. So maybe a later lunch after would work better for you. That’s the great thing about routines – you can make them work for you!
How Long Should My Toddler Nap?
This is completely up to you (or your toddler.) And it depends on what time you want said toddler to go to bed. My daughter goes to bed at 7:00 PM. She is so use to her daily schedule that she basically asks to go to bed at that time. I typically wake her up by 3:30 PM, if she hasn’t woken up naturally. So she sleeps about 2.5 to 3 hours each day. Some toddlers can nap for 3 hours and still go to bed around 7, some might only need a 2 hour naps. If bedtime isn’t until 8:00 in your home, they might be able to nap a bit later! Do what works for your family.
Here is what your Toddler Daily Schedule might look like:
Keep in mind, this is just a guideline. Routines and schedules are all about making them work for YOU. And they are totally changeable. If a certain schedule isn’t working anymore, you can re-do it! If you need a bedtime routine for inspiration, grab my checklist below by subscribing to my email list. It’s completely free and you’ll get updates on new blogs, activity packs, play ideas, and more!
If your baby isn’t quite ready for one nap, check out these blogs instead:
Check out some other related blogs here:
- Drama-Free Bedtime
- Dot Marker Activities
- Every Mom Needs These Items Postpartum
- Day In The Life of A Stay At Home Mom: How To Create A Great Schedule
- How To Find Joy As A SAHM: Best Practices For Happiness
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