You survived the baby year. The newborn fog has lifted. But somewhere around your child's first birthday, you realise sleep did not magically sort itself out. Now you are dealing with a tiny person who can walk, talk, stall, and climb out of the cot. Welcome to toddler sleep.
This guide covers toddler sleep from 12 to 36 months: age-by-age schedules, every major regression, nap transitions, and gentle sleep training. All recommendations follow Red Nose Australia, Tresillian, Karitane, and Raising Children Network guidelines. If you are moving from the baby phase, see our Baby Sleep Schedule by Age guide.
← See our top baby sleep sack picks
Toddlers aged 1–3 years need 11–14 hours of total sleep in a 24-hour period (Raising Children Network): roughly 1–2 hours of daytime sleep and 10–12 hours overnight. Sleep cycles mature to the adult-like 60–90 minute pattern by 12 months, meaning your toddler surfaces into light sleep between cycles. If they rely on you to fall asleep, expect them to call for you every 60–90 minutes all night. Tresillian describes toddler sleep as a dance between biology (sleep pressure, circadian rhythm) and behaviour (independence, boundary testing).
Wake windows stretch to 3–4 hours. Most toddlers are still on two naps, though the 2-to-1 nap transition often begins here, wait for 2+ weeks of consistent morning nap refusal before dropping.
By 15–18 months most toddlers settle into one midday nap of 1.5–2.5 hours with roughly 5 hours of awake time on either side. Keep the nap at the same time daily to anchor the circadian rhythm.
Wake windows reach 6+ hours. Total sleep remains 11–14 hours, less daytime, more overnight. The nap may shorten to 45–60 minutes or disappear around 2.5–3.5 years. When it goes, introduce quiet time: 45–60 minutes after lunch with books or puzzles.
Toddler years pack in three major regressions, each with its own cause. Understanding why helps you respond the right way.
Driven by walking, first words, and separation anxiety. Signs: fighting the afternoon nap, overnight waking, clinginess, practising new skills in the cot instead of sleeping. Duration: 1–3 weeks. Give plenty of floor time during the day and keep your routine consistent, do not introduce new sleep associations.
The hardest toddler regression, a perfect storm of language explosion, intense separation anxiety, and teething (canine teeth, second molars). Signs: sudden night waking 2–4 times, fierce bedtime resistance, nap refusal, early waking before 5:30 AM. Duration: 2–6 weeks. Use responsive settling rather than cry-it-out. A white noise machine can help mask household sounds that trigger wake-ups.
Less about night waking, more about bedtime battles. Your 2-year-old has discovered opinions and is testing every boundary, combined with FOMO and a growing imagination, bedtime becomes a negotiation. Signs: elaborate delay tactics, getting out of bed repeatedly, strong protests. Duration: 2–4 weeks. The fix: a firm, warm routine, two stories, a cuddle, lights out, every single night. Calmly return your toddler to bed without engagement ("boring returns").
Tresillian tip for all toddler regressions: Do not introduce new sleep associations during a regression. The regression will pass in 2–6 weeks, but the new association (lying with your toddler, bringing them into your bed, feeding back to sleep) can last for months. Hold the routine. Tresillian Parent's Help Line: 1300 272 736. Karitane Care Line: 1300 227 464.
Most toddlers drop from two naps to one between 13–18 months. Genuine readiness signs (2+ weeks): consistent morning nap refusal, bedtime pushing past 8:30 PM, managing a 4.5–5 hour morning wake window. Push the morning nap 15 minutes later every 2–3 days until it lands around 11:30 AM–12:00 PM. Expect an earlier bedtime for 1–2 weeks. Do not switch back and forth.
Signs: taking 30+ minutes to fall asleep at nap time, naps shortening to 30–45 minutes, bedtime pushing past 8:30 PM. Replace with quiet time, 45–60 minutes after lunch with books or puzzles. A toddler clock gives a clear visual boundary.
Sleep training a toddler is different from a baby, they can stall, negotiate, and climb out. The Chair Method (Sleep Lady Shuffle): sit next to the cot, moving further away every 2–3 nights until you are outside the room. Bedtime fading: temporarily shift bedtime to when your toddler actually falls asleep, then wind it 15 minutes earlier every 2–3 nights. Positive bedtime routines: 3–4 calm activities that never change, 15–20 minutes for 1-year-olds, 25–30 minutes for 2–3-year-olds with a hard limit.
Most children sleep better in a cot until 2.5–3 years. Transition when they can climb out (legs over the rail), not before. Use a bed rail and keep the sleep space free of cords and heavy bedding. A toddler sleeping bag can discourage climbing.
For step-by-step responsive settling techniques, see our Responsive Settling Techniques guide.
Red Nose safe sleep reminder for toddlers: After 12 months, SIDS risk is very low. However, a clear, uncluttered sleep space is always safest, no cords, strings, or heavy bedding near the sleep area. If your toddler is still in a cot, the mattress should be at the lowest setting once they can stand. See our Safe Sleep & SIDS Prevention Guide.
Toddler sleep sacks and wearable blankets signal "sleep time," discourage climbing, and keep your child warm without loose blankets. We have tested the best options available in Australia.
See Our Best Baby Sleep Sacks →Probably not. Toddlers need 11–14 hours of total sleep in 24 hours (Raising Children Network). If your toddler is happy, alert, and feeding well, they are getting the right amount. Growth spurts or illness may cause extra sleep for a few days. Only check with your GP if excessive sleepiness interferes with feeding, play, or interaction.
Most 18-month-olds are on one nap per day (1–2.5 hours). The 2-to-1 transition happens between 13–18 months, so by 18 months most have settled into a single midday nap. If your child still takes two naps and sleeps well at night, there is no need to change anything.
Most children are ready between 2.5 and 3.5 years, but the real trigger is safety, if they can climb out (legs over the rail), it is time. If not, staying in the cot is safest. Use a bed rail and keep the sleep space clear of cords and heavy bedding.
Bedtime resistance at age 2 is driven by FOMO, boundary testing, a growing imagination, and a strong desire for independence. The "toddler stall", elaborate delay tactics, peaks between 2–3 years. The fix: a firm, warm routine with clear, consistent limits, two stories, a cuddle, lights out, every night.
← Back to Best Baby Sleep Sacks