Help! My 2 Year Old Stopped Napping! Now What?

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What to do when your toddler stops napping.

So your 2 year old stopped napping too huh!? Trust me! I know. I know the difficulty. After all, those naps were more for you then they were for the baby/toddler. Time to sit down, relax, drink coffee, eat a meal slowly, take a hot shower, watch your favorite show on Netflix, or even just getting a few things done for work or around the house. Trust me when I say, I know the pain and I understand the great need for that precious naptime.

That is why when my toddler stopped napping, I decided to follow the advice of a friend who had also experienced the struggle of losing that precious time. She advised me to start giving my son quiet times. At the time, I didn’t really have any clue what that would mean or look like for us, but I committed the idea to memory so I could recall it later, at the right time. Recently, that time came up, and with a little trial and growth, we came up with a pretty workable solution for successfully implementing the quiet time.

Find out how I did it below!

Quiet Time for Them = Quiet Time for You!

Whether you are a stay at home parent with babies and toddlers, or whether due to present circumstances, you are currently at home working and managing your children, successful toddler quiet times are necessary for both toddlers and parents, especially if you want everyone to keep their sanity. Honestly, my own sanity is the primary reason I started them with my son once he stopped napping. But I quickly realized how much they were benefiting him too. He has always been imaginative. However, seeing his imagination grow, and combining that with specific toys that help develop fine motor skills, facilitate make believe. Also, fostering his own personal interests and hobbies is something that cannot be ignored. After doing toddler quiet times for several months now, my son absolutely loves them.

If your 2 year old has stopped napping (or any toddler at any age), there are a variety of ways to implement a quiet time for each of your kids. I will share how I have done it with my toddler.

And speaking of your day, how are you doing? Need help with providing structure or planning out each day? I have some ideas for you. Want some fun, simple, and creative ideas on sensory activities for toddlers and preschoolers, check out Seven Creative Activities for Toddlers.

1. Rotating Bins of Toys:

I have two different colored bins in my rotation. I fill these bins with very specific toys I-not child-have chosen. The toys are quiet toys. By quiet, I mean they are things such as coloring books, sticker books, puzzles, building blocks, Lego blocks, transformers and other manipulates, small stuffed animals, finger puppets, and books. Occasionally I will put a non-quiet toy in there such as a musical instrument toy (my son loves making music and singing).

2. Set a Time Limit:

We start with an hour and a half. I add an extra fifteen minutes if his time is interrupted because he needs to sit on the toilet for twenty minutes to do his business.

Updated Note: As my son has gotten older and more mature in his play, his quiet time has actually gotten shorter. It is now forty-five minutes long. However, he is content to play on his own for longer periods whether outside or in other areas of the house. If I feel like I need or want more time for myself (after the forty-five minutes is over), I simply tell him I am still working on some things, but that he is free to play outside of his room. There are times he chooses to stay in his room, and other times he goes outside to play in the back. Extending the forty-five minutes is something I only do occasionally and is not common place.

3. Establish the Rules:

We only have two rules and they are: (1) Closet toys are off limits. He can ONLY play with his bin toys or read his books, (2) He MUST stay in his room during quiet time. Do not get discouraged if the rules are broken in the first couple of days or weeks. If you have never done this before, it will be a learning curve for you and your children. Be patient and loving toward them. You may not know what your rules need to be until you try it out for 2-3 day first. After a couple days, the rules will become obvious to you.

4. Create a Nest:

I bought some throw pillows and a couple blankets and used a corner of his room to create a comfortable nesting spot for him to rest. Believe it or not, after a time of play, he will often go hang out in his nest. Many times he reads there. Occasionally he will fall asleep.

5. Enjoy Your Own Quiet Time:

Now that you have successfully implemented toddler quiet times, you can treat yourself to your own quiet time. So, go eat your own hot lunch, slowly. Take your own nap, have a long, hot shower, paint your nails, do a chore if you want. Work on your projects, watch your favorite show, etc. Comment below with how you plan to use this time for yourself.