ToddlerGuide
A wooden house-shaped nightlight with star cutouts glows beside a stack of botanical picture books, folded cream and teal blankets, and star-patterned pillows on a rug.

Pillar

Sleep

Tired toddlers do not become reasonable. They become louder. The useful number is hours in a full day, including the nap, not a fantasy of 12 silent nights.

Hours AAP stands behind

AAP endorsed the American Academy of Sleep Medicine duration ranges. For children 1 to 2 years, that is 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours, including naps. For children 3 to 5 years, that is 10 to 13 hours, including naps. CDC's family pages use 11 to 14 hours for the toddler years.

A bedtime that can be repeated

CDC's wording is almost the same on every toddler checklist: make a calm, quiet bedtime. Pajamas, teeth, one or two books. Keep sleep times as steady as the household can manage.

From the blog

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A toddler in a sage hoodie crouches on backyard grass arranging wooden blocks and felt balls while an adult in a cream sweater watches from behind.
Care

First daycare drop-off

A short goodbye. Tears at the door are common.
A tablet lies face-down on a wood table beside a hardcover book and a bowl of apple slices. In the background, an adult and toddler stand at a kitchen sink.
Media

Screen time limits ages 2-3

About an hour of high-quality media, with you in the room.
A wooden house-shaped nightlight with star cutouts glows beside a stack of botanical picture books, folded cream and teal blankets, and star-patterned pillows on a rug.
Sleep

18-month sleep regressions

Keep the day total and a boring wind-down.
Cream toddler Velcro shoes and a sage sippy cup sit on a woven rug in a sunlit entryway beside a wooden bench, a plant, and a basket of textiles.
Behavior

Tantrums in public

Safety, a nearby adult, the same limit as at home.
A wooden house-shaped nightlight with star cutouts glows beside a stack of botanical picture books, folded cream and teal blankets, and star-patterned pillows on a rug.
Sleep

Moving from two naps to one

Keep the day total. Put the second nap back if nights fall apart.
A wooden house-shaped nightlight with star cutouts glows beside a stack of botanical picture books, folded cream and teal blankets, and star-patterned pillows on a rug.
Sleep

Early morning waking

Five a.m. is still night. Protect the last stretch of sleep.