2-5 Years

Total Sleep Hours: 11-14
Night time Hours: 10-12
Daytime Hours: 1-2 (typically 1 nap per day until around 3-4yrs)

• If your child begins climbing out of the crib before or around her second birthday, think twice before moving her to a big girl bed right away. There are many ways to deal with an escape artist without making it easier for her to get out of bed! Children this age are too young to truly understand sleep rules, and the new-found freedom of a bed only makes bedtime problems worse!  The best time to move to a bed is around the 3^rd birthday.
• Establish bedtime rules well in advance of introducing the big kid bed.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of outside time to engage in gross motor exercise as often as possible throughout the day.
• If your toddler seems tired, don’t be afraid to put him down as early as 5:30 pm some nights.
• Be sure not to engage in power struggles at bedtime or through the night if your toddler won’t remain in bed. Stick to your sleep rules and calmly place her back in her bed without extra attention every time she gets out.  Check out www.SleepBuddy.com to learn about the sleep system that helps kids learn when to stay in bed.
• Television, video games and other forms of technology do not assist in the bedtime process. They actually suppress melatonin levels and make it difficult for kids (and adults) to fall asleep.