Examples of a 3 Year Old Sleep Schedule
Having trouble with your child’s bedtime routine? Check out examples of a 3 year old sleep schedule and find one that works for you!
Three year olds and sleep don’t always mix. Naps are a hit or miss and starting to get phased out for good. Bedtime is supposed to be at 7pm, but your child isn’t asleep until 9pm, and even gets out of bed to come into your room. And of course, he’s still up at the same early hour the next day, no matter what.
You’re not alone, friend. One of my twins flat-out refused to take his afternoon nap. Some days he was okay without it, but usually, he didn’t get enough sleep. He’d also wake up early every day, no matter what time he’d go to bed (or whether he napped or not).
And forget about the double whammy: early wake-ups and no naps meant he didn’t get the sleep he needed.
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Finding a 3 year old sleep schedule that works for you
This is the age group when irregular sleep schedules are all too common because of changing sleep needs.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the National Sleep Foundation, preschoolers age 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours of total sleep (including naps) in a 24-hour period, compared to toddlers who need 11 to 14.
After three kids, I’ve learned that finding the right sleep schedule is all about trial and error. Sometimes you just need to see how other parents with kids the same age as yours schedule their days.
So, I asked and dug around to see how other families structure their sleep and nap schedules. Below are several samples of a 3 year old sleep schedule — both with and without naps. Hopefully, you can find a sleep pattern that works for you:
3 year old sleep schedule samples (with a nap)
Example 1:
- Wake up: 6am
- Nap: 12:30-1:30pm
- Bedtime: 7:30pm
Example 2:
- Wake up: 6am
- Nap: 1-3:30pm
- Bedtime: 8pm
Example 3:
- Wake up: 6:30am
- Nap: 12-2pm
- Bedtime: 8:30pm
Example 4:
- Wake up: 7am
- Nap: 12-2pm
- Bedtime: 7:30pm
Example 5:
- Wake up: 7am
- Nap: 1-4pm
- Bedtime: 8pm
Example 6:
- Wake up: 7am
- Nap: 1:30-3pm
- Bedtime: 8:30pm
Example 7:
- Wake up: 7am
- Nap: 1-4pm
- Bedtime: 8:30pm
Example 8:
- Wake up: 7:15am
- Nap: 1:30-3:30pm
- Bedtime: 8:15pm
Example 9:
- Wake up: 7:30am
- Nap: 2-3pm
- Bedtime: 7:30pm
Example 10:
- Wake up: 7:30am
- Nap: 2-3:30pm
- Bedtime: 8pm
Example 11:
- Wake up: 7:30am
- Nap: 2-4pm
- Bedtime: 8pm
Example 12:
- Wake up: 8am
- Nap: 12:30-2pm
- Bedtime: 8:30pm
Free resource: Do you struggle with getting your child to take a nap? Join my newsletter and grab The Five Habits That Will Make Your Child’s Naps Easier! Discover the five steps you need to do to finally get a break while she naps:
3 year old sleep schedule samples (without a nap)
Example 13:
- Wake up: 6:30am
- Bedtime: 7pm
Example 14:
- Wake up: 6:30am
- Bedtime: 7:30pm
Example 15:
- Wake up: 6:45am
- Bedtime: 7:30pm
Example 16:
- Wake up: 7am
- Bedtime: 7:15pm
Example 17:
- Wake up: 7am
- Bedtime: 8pm
Example 18:
- Wake up: 7:30am
- Bedtime: 8:30pm
Example 19:
- Wake up: 8am
- Bedtime: 7:30pm
Example 20:
- Wake up: 8am
- Bedtime: 8pm
Example 21:
- Wake up: 8:30am
- Bedtime: 8pm
Get more tips on how to create a 3 year old schedule.
Best practices for a 3 year old sleep schedule
- Avoid being overtired. Does your 3 year old wake up crying every night, even on days when she doesn’t nap? This is likely a sign that she’s overtired.
- Limit naps: If your child takes forever to fall asleep, try limiting her nap. Shorten the length or simply cut her off at a certain time, like at 3pm.
- Have quiet time. Do you still need time alone, but she doesn’t sleep during nap time? Turn it into “quiet time.” Agree that she doesn’t have to actually fall asleep, but that she should do quiet activities in her room. Reading, coloring, and playing with stuffed animals are good activities since they don’t need your attention.
Conclusion
Whatever sleep issues you’re currently in—late bedtimes, early wake-ups, no naps—rest assured that this isn’t forever. Your 3 year old is going through developmental changes, from disrupted sleep to phasing out naps.
By adjusting her schedule and nurturing healthy sleep habits, you can bring more consistency—and more sleep—into your days and nights again.
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