Safety and Personal Care

To Nap or Not to Nap, That Is the Question

Sleep is important for your toddler, who should be getting about 10-13 hours per day divided between nighttime sleep and daytime naps. Many parents wonder if their toddler still needs two naps, one nap, or no nap at all. It's important to take this on a case-by-case basis, and look to your child to figure out if he's ready to give up any or all of his naps. If he is showing signs of tiredness throughout the day, keep the naps in the schedule or try an earlier bedtime. Or, if he is really fighting naptime, try making "quiet time" part of his day. "Quiet time" can include activities such as looking at books, listening to music, and other quiet activities. And don't tell your toddler, but sometimes this is soothing enough to turn "quiet time" into "nap time"!

Has your toddler achieved the following Safety and Personal Care developmental milestones yet? If yes, check off all the skill(s) he has already mastered to date!