When Will My Child Stop Needing A Nap? - BabyCentre UK

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Sleep

When will my child stop needing a nap?

Medically reviewed by Harriet Gibbs, Health visitor Lorna Marsh

Written by Lorna Marsh Child sleeping on parent's lap

Photo credit: iStock.com / SolStockThe age at which your child drops their last nap depends on their activities, past napping habits, and how long they sleep at night. Having said that, most children give up daytime napping between the ages of four and five years old. So don’t worry if your child is soon starting school and still napping. Most four-year-olds still have one nap but will have stopped by the time they start school.

When do children stop napping?

By the age of three, most children still have one nap a day, which usually lasts around one hour (Horvath and Plunkett 2018, Sleep Foundation 2022a). This can continue for another year, with up to six in 10 four-year-olds still enjoying an afternoon snooze (Sleep Foundation 2022a). However, by the time your little one is five, it’s likely they will have given up their daytime nap, just in time for starting school (Sleep Foundation 2022a).

Does my preschooler still need their nap?

It depends on how much sleep they get at night. Sleep is important for your child’s physical and emotional health, as well as helping them learn and develop (Sleep Foundation 2022a). While there are no set guidelines for sleep, experts suggest that toddlers need around 11-14 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, while children aged three to five years need around 10-13 hours of sleep (Sleep Foundation 2022b). So if your preschooler goes to bed at 8pm and sleeps until 8am, they may get their full quota of rest all at once. Find out more on how much sleep children need at different ages. VIDEO

How will I know when my child no longer needs a nap?

As your little one grows, they will no longer need an afternoon nap to keep them going through a busy day. You may notice the signs that they’re ready to give up their nap before this happens though. Signs your child may be ready to give up their nap include:

difficulty falling asleep at nap time or at night-time
waking up earlier in the morning
not showing signs of sleepiness or crankiness on days without naps (Sleep Foundation 2022b)

Advertisement | page continues below If you notice that your child becomes irritable in the evenings, or seems overtired, chances are they’re not ready to drop their nap quite yet.

Should I help my child give up their nap?

If you think your child may be ready to drop their nap you can try to ease the transition for them a little. Instead of nap time, introduce an hour or so of quiet time in your child’s bedroom (Kids Health 2020, Sleep Foundation 2022b). Offer solitary, quiet activities such as reading, puzzles or colouring in. This will help them recharge their batteries for the rest of the day. Although they won't feel as rejuvenated as they would if they slept, a break from their usual busyness will help shore up their energies – and yours. Don’t be surprised if your child goes back to taking a nap weeks, or even months, after stopping. This is more likely to happen if there's a change in their routine or they’re more active during the day as a result of school or other activities.

More sleep advice:

Dealing with night terrors
Why is my child waking in the night?
Is over-stimulation affecting my toddler’s sleep?

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Sources

BabyCentre's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organisations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

Horvath K, and Plunkett K. 2018. Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Nat Sci Sleep. 10:97-104. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.govOpens a new window [Accessed April 2022] KidsHealth. 2020. Naps. KidsHealth from Nemours. www.kidshealth.orgOpens a new window [Accessed April 2022] Sleep Foundation. 2022a. When Should Kids Stop Napping?. Sleep Foundation. www.sleepfoundation.orgOpens a new window [Accessed April 2022] Sleep Foundation. 2022b. How Much Sleep Do Babies and Kids Need?. Sleep Foundation. www.sleepfoundation.orgOpens a new window [Accessed April 2022] Lorna Marsh

Lorna MarshLorna Marsh is freelance editor at BabyCentre. She has more than 20 years’ journalism and editing experience, including working for the NHS. Opens a new window Opens a new window Opens a new window