at what age do most toddlers stop napping?

Question

my son will be 3 in a month and i am having a hard time getting him down for a nap. I feel as if its a constant battle to get him to nap when in the past it used to be very easy.

Answer 1

Most kids at this age need about 14 hrs of sleep. If he isn’t taking an afternoon nap, then you should find way to get him to rest. When they rest is when they grow. So you could make the morning filled with lots of actives that burn energy. Like get up at 7 am breakfast being healthy. Then follow the day by not sitting down save TV time for later if you need that time hour before lunch take him to the park or your yard. One thing I do with my son is get his help even at that age to clean. It builds skills that many kids don’t have today to care for themselves. When I need to wash cloths we make a game to get all the cloths I’m one pile. If I need to sweep he uses the small dustpan broom to get the corners (even if I have to do it over again). I give him spoons and napkins and plastic plates to set the table for lunch. He gets the pillows off the bed so we can make it which ends with about a 30 min of tickle time and not making the bed. When I work out he does some of the exercise that I do like running in place. At nap time he is well to go off and sleep for a good 2 hrs even 3 if we worked hard. These aren’t things that are hard you just have to have time and the understanding that it will take getting used to that you might have to redo the job over again but the knowledge that he will learn will carry in to being a teen and an adult. I tell you this from being a mother of 3. Just know your sons skills and work on them make things fun for you and him and this will make your bond as a parent and child. If all else falls then tell him its Quiet time and give him a book and put him in his room tell him he doesn’t have to sleep but he has to lay on the bed a rest. Find things that only meant at this time and he can have at other time. Like book, stuff animals and anything that is Quiet. Read the link it has a guide

Answer 2

Most kids stop napping by the age of 5. Some kids seem to need naps up to much older ages. I have 3 much younger siblings and 2 kids of my own and none of them stopped napping at the same age as any of the others. I am having the same problem with my 2 1/2 year old. Though if she does not nap she becomes very irritable in the evening and sometimes passes out before dinner then wakes up wanting to play till midnight. I work now, so this is not allowable.
If your son will not take naps then try to encourage some quiet time laying down. If he understands that he does not HAVE to sleep, just rest he might lay down without a fuss and then fall asleep without realizing. I know part of this is wishful thinking but it sometimes works with my daughter.

Answer 3

Last year my then 4 year old napped at least 3 times a week, my 3 year old this year naps most days. I was talking to a friend today who started watching a 4 year old last month and this girl started napping again 2-3 days a week. We are VERY busy, every morning we are on the go to playgroup, park, dance class, zoo, etc. It seems that the busier we are the more likely that there will be a nap in the afternoon.

Answer 4

Usually around 2 1/2 - 3 you'll start to see them giving up naps. Sometimes even earlier. My daughter is 3 and will occassionally take a nap. But I agree, I find she sleeps much better when she doesn't. As long as your son is getting enough sleep at night around 11 - 12 hours he's probably not going to nap during the day anymore.

Answer 5

I teach preschool (mostly three year olds) and I would say about 90% of them still need their afternoon nap. The class ahead of them (4 and 5's) a LOT of them still take their naps too. I think a lot of it has to do with what they are doing during the day. If they are getting up when they wake up, instead of being woke up early....or they just kind of sit around instead of getting rigorous play, than they don't need the nap like others do.

Answer 6

I think my daughter was almost 4. Every child is different. If he is getting 11 hours of sleep at night and still functioning fine, he may not need a nap anymore. If he is getting 11 hours and still seems tired and cranky, then he still needs that nap.

I'm 38 and I'd LOVE to have nap time! ha ha

Answer 7

My 3 year olds still nap but I don't call it nap anymore they don't like the word so I call it relax time, they can't play or talk or watch tv they have to lay in bed and rest. Most of the time they fall asleep.

Answer 8

I'm 14 and I still haven't. Haha. Well.. we didn't necessarily have a nap time in kindergarten, we just put our heads down and listened to a story.

He may not be tired. You could wear him out, or set his nap time later on in the day. What I would reccommend is though is try to go a whole day without any naps.. if he gets tired and takes one, you know he's not ready to go without them.

Answer 9

My 4 year old doesnt take naps on the weekends, but he does during the week because he's in daycare. He only sleeps about an hour in daycare though.

Answer 10

trust me a 3 yr old does better with out a nap if you want them to go bed at a decent time.if my daughter sneaks in a nap she wont go to bed after 11pm or after.with out a nap shes in bed by 11pm and up by 9am.my daughter hates naps cause shes afraid that she will miss something really important to her(like play time...lol).its just part of them growing up and getting ready preschool and grade school.yeah its hard to get used to no nap time(no extra free time for you) but its worht it in the long run so you dont have to cut it out when they get in school.but thats my opionion though....lol