What sleep schedule works for a 2 year old?

Most children aged 2 to 3 nap once a day for 1–2 hours, and a useful rule of thumb is 5–6 hours awake before the nap and 5–6 hours after it. Counting naps, the AASM recommends 11–14 hours of sleep per 24 hours for ages 1–2 and 10–13 hours for ages 3–5, with bedtime typically landing between 7 and 8 p.m.

2 year old sleep schedule: naps, bedtime and total sleep

Typical sleep between ages 2 and 3

Measure	Typical range
Sleep across 24 hours	Ages 1–2 years: 11–14 hours; ages 3–5 years: 10–13 hours (AASM)
Findings from studies of healthy children	Average for 2–3 year olds was 12.0 hours (Galland 2012); children who still napped averaged roughly 1.9 hours of nap, and by age 3 about a third no longer nap (Staton 2020)
Overnight sleep (common practice range)	10.5–12 hours
Naps (common practice range)	1 nap of 1–2 hours
Wake windows (a rule of thumb, not a research result)	5–6 hours on each side of the nap
Night feeds	Not expected by this age; mention any night feeding that continues at your next visit. Your custom plan sets how night feeds are handled, based on your baby’s age.

Where a row says AASM, it reflects the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommendation, which the AAP endorses. Galland 2012 rows draw on a systematic review of observational studies. Everything else is a common practice range rather than a research finding. These figures describe an average baby, and plenty of healthy babies fall above or below each one.

By age 2, the schedule itself is seldom what’s wrong. Stalling, repeated trips out of bed and 5 a.m. wake-ups usually mean your child has figured out precisely how bedtime runs in your home. Actually Sleeping works with families from the newborn stage through the toddler years. Dr. Sam writes a plan for your particular child, we coach you bootcamp-style before the first night, and daily 1:1 check-ins follow.

Developmental changes at this age

This is the year of sentences, imagination and a strong sense of self. That new imagination brings the first genuine fears of the dark. Two year olds are also expert stallers: another book, some water, a different blanket. On top of that, many families tackle toilet learning, a new sibling or the switch from crib to bed during this year, and any of them can unsettle sleep.

Why a textbook 2-year schedule often falls short

Leaving the bed again and again: read toddler won’t stay in bed.
Refusing the nap: very common around 2. In a large review, fewer than 2.5% of children had given up napping before age 2, and most did so somewhere between 3 and 5.
Stalling at bedtime: every request seems minor, yet added up they push bedtime back by an hour.
Waking too early: read early morning waking.
Fears at night: genuine for your child, and quick to become a negotiation every night.

How each of these plays out hinges on your child’s temperament and on the way every caregiver responds. A plan written for one child accounts for that; a generic printed schedule can’t.

Safe sleep for 2 year olds

Switch from the crib to a bed once your child is 35 inches (89 cm) tall (AAP, MedlinePlus) or can climb out (AAP).
Once your child sleeps in a bed, the AAP suggests a gate at the top of the stairs and measures to stop dressers and other furniture tipping over.

Can you sleep train at this age?

You can, although sleep coaching is the more accurate term now: clear expectations, limits that stay put, and the same calm, repeatable response from every caregiver. Actually Sleeping has coached 700+ families, and we commit to the outcome in writing: We guarantee that your baby will sleep 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days of consistent, correct implementation of your sleep plan. Toddler parents tell their own stories in our 12 months and up reviews. Read about the best age to sleep train, then book a free consultation with Dr. Sam.

Ready to solve this for your own baby?

With Actually Sleeping you get 1:1 coaching: Dr. Sam writes a sleep plan for your specific baby, we coach you bootcamp-style before the first night, and we check in daily until it is working. We have coached 700+ families, collected 129 video reviews, and put our guarantee in writing: 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days, or a full refund.

Book your free consultation → See what families say

Common questions

Do 2 year olds still need a nap?

In nearly every case, yes. According to a large review, under 2.5% of children give up napping before 2, roughly a third have dropped it by 3, and around 94% have dropped it by 5. An Actually Sleeping plan keeps that nap doing its job instead of letting it drag bedtime later.

How many hours of sleep does a 2 year old need?

Including naps, the AASM recommends 11–14 hours in every 24 for children aged 1–2 years and 10–13 hours for those aged 3–5 years. Studies found 2 to 3 year olds averaged roughly 12 hours.

What is a good bedtime for a 2 year old?

A common rule of thumb puts it between 7 and 8 p.m. If bedtime keeps dragging on, stalling or nap timing is usually behind it, and Dr. Sam tackles both in your child’s plan.

When is it time to move a toddler from a crib to a bed?

Once the crib stops being safe: your child is able to climb out, or has hit 35 inches (89 cm), the height at which MedlinePlus says a crib should no longer be used. Short of that, there’s no medical reason to hurry the switch.