Daily Routines + Samples: 10-18 Months
When children are inching out of the baby phase and into toddlerhood, evaluating your daily routine to make sure it’s fitting for their needs—for both awake time and sleep—is necessary and helpful to keep the wheels turning smoothly. (You can read more about awake time and sleep needs in “What Is a Wake Window? + More.”)
To help you find a predictable routine that works for your family, we want to consider three things:
Your child’s age
The recommended amount of feeds, awake time, and sleep your child needs at their age/stage
Your family’s rhythm and needs
Below you’ll find recommendations and sample schedules for ages 10-18 months that can be tailored for your unique child and family.
Daily Routines + Samples: 0-9 Months | Daily Routines + Samples: 19 Months - 4 Years
Ages 10-14 Months
At this age, most children are taking 2 naps, eating solids at every meal, and will begin to transition away from breastmilk or formula around the 12-month mark. Some babies begin to become more mobile, which can potentially cause a regression in sleep.
Particularly around the 12-month mark, when significant developmental leaps can occur and separation anxiety spikes, families will experience significant bumps in the road with sleep. Parents will often wonder if their child needs to drop to one nap, but I don’t recommend making this transition any earlier than 13 months and only if multiple signs are present for the majority of at least two consecutive weeks (basically, hold off as long as possible!). Make sure to know the signs (see my blog post about this), wait it out as long as you can, and go in with a game plan (which I can help you with!).
Because a child’s development slows a bit during this stretch, most children do well on the same routine for a few months. See below for a recommended routine for 10-14 months.
Note: These samples are not meant to serve as cookie-cutter schedules for each age and must be tailored to your individual child’s needs.
Ages 15-18 Months
At this age, many babies are ready to transition to a 1-nap routine, some closer to 15 months and some at 18 months, or perhaps later. It’s best to wait until they’re showing clear signs of needing more awake time (see my blog post to learn about them), as this can make the transition go much more smoothly. This can be the most challenging of the nap transitions, especially if the child isn’t quite ready, so it helps to hold off until the signs are unmistakable.
If a 2-nap routine is still working for your child, that’s great! Stay there as long as possible.
Here are sample routines for 15-18 month olds. I no longer include suggested feeding times as babies are no longer relying on breastmilk or formula as their main source of nutrition after around the 12-month mark, and most will be eating 3 solid meals plus snacks each day.
Note: These samples are not meant to serve as cookie-cutter schedules for each age and must be tailored to your individual child’s needs.
A Final Note
Remember that these are simply examples, not meant to be followed to the letter. No child will ever follow a schedule to the minute (or even the hour!). The more you can allow for a balance of flexibility and consistency, the better your child will adapt to any routine.
If sleep seems like the impossible mountain you cannot climb, and you need an experienced guide to help, please know that I am here to help you. If you need help with nap transitions and more, consider an Ask Me Anything session with me any time, or reach out to find out what service will best meet your needs.
Please note that I am not a medical professional, and this blog post is not meant to serve as medical advice, a diagnosis, or any form of treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with your child’s pediatrician.
