How do you really know when your preschooler is ready to eliminate naps? It’s the first question we have to answer as we head down this path.
While some parents feel their preschooler is ready to go without daytime sleep before the age of three, they’re just not ready before three. Sure, there may be an occasional day when “life” gets in the way and they seem to manage without a nap, but don’t let that fool you into believing they can go nap-less on a regular basis. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 50% of kids are still napping at age four and many still at five.
Three Questions Before Eliminating Naps
- Is your child getting 11 – 12 hours of night sleep but taking 45 minutes to fall asleep at naptime?
- Is your child taking a great nap but then taking 30 minutes or more to fall asleep at bedtime?
- On those days when your child does miss a nap, does he or she make it until bedtime without a dinnertime meltdown?
Working Toward Eliminating Naps
It’s always best to preserve a nap as long as it’s working. Before you cut out that afternoon nap altogether, gradually reduce the length of the nap until you’re down to 45 – 60 minutes. If you’ve reduced the length to less than an hour and you’re still struggling with one of these scenarios, it could be time to transition to a nap-less day.
These transitions can take weeks or months. It’s best to ease into eliminating a nap. Don’t wake up one day and say, that’s it, “We’re done with naps.” Depending on your child’s activity level, behavior and temperament, there are some days where it’s very appropriate to offer a nap and other days where there’s no need. It’s perfectly fine to alternate days during the transition to no naps.
Fully Eliminating Daytime Sleep
When you decide it really is time to eliminate that last remaining nap, don’t assume that your kiddo can handle non-stop activity from morning until night. Kids still need downtime- like all of us! Insist on at least an hour of quiet time. Create a “quiet” basket with stickers, paper, books or anything else that’s quiet and harmless to use during that quiet/rest hour.
When you eliminate a nap, make sure to adjust bedtime to compensate for the nap. Typically, preschoolers need 11-13 hours of total sleep, whether that includes a nap or not. So, you may need to bump bedtime earlier to help your little one get every hour they need.
Always be cognizant of your child’s behavior and temperament during the late afternoon hours. If your kiddo is cranky, uncooperative or has a meltdown, a super early bedtime is not only okay, we highly recommend it!