What Does a 15-Month-Old Nap Schedule Look Like? (Adjusting as They Grow)

If you’ve landed here, chances are your toddler just turned 15 months and suddenly the naps that felt predictable last month are all over the place. Some days they fight the morning nap. Other days they’re exhausted by 10:00 a.m. You might be wondering: is this the start of the one-nap transition? Or should I keep hanging on to two naps?

The truth: every toddler is different, but there are evidence-based ranges and clear signs to watch for. Let’s break down what a 15-month-old nap schedule looks like, when most toddlers make the shift to one nap, and how to adjust smoothly.

How much sleep does a 15-month-old need?

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), toddlers ages 12 to 24 months need 11 to 14 hours of total sleep in a 24-hour period (including naps and nighttime) .

For many 15-month-olds, that typically looks like:

• 11–12 hours overnight

• 2–3 hours of daytime sleep split between one or two naps

Some toddlers hold onto two naps until 16–18 months, while others are fully ready for one nap closer to 13 months. Both are normal.

Signs your 15-month-old is ready to drop to one nap

While you may have followed our 14-month-old nap schedule guide, this is often when nap resistance starts to show. Common signs include:

• Consistently refusing the morning or afternoon nap

• Taking forever to fall asleep at naptime (but sleeping fine at night)

• Naps getting shorter or bedtime getting pushed too late

• Seeming wide awake for one nap, but overtired for the other

If this sounds familiar, you might be in the nap transition zone.

Sample 15-Month-Old Nap Schedules (Two Naps vs. One Nap)

Here’s where parents get stuck: Do I push to one nap right away or hang onto two?

Two-Nap Schedule (still common at 15 months)

• 7:00 a.m. — Wake

• 10:00–11:00 a.m. — Morning nap

• 2:30–3:30 p.m. — Afternoon nap

• 7:30 p.m. — Bedtime

This works best if your toddler still falls asleep easily for both naps and bedtime stays on track.

One-Nap Schedule (for toddlers showing transition signs)

• 7:00 a.m. — Wake

• 12:00–2:00 p.m. (or 12:30–2:30 p.m.) — One consolidated nap

• 7:00–7:30 p.m. — Bedtime

This works best if your toddler fights one nap consistently, but can handle 4.5–5 hours of awake time in the morning.

How to adjust your 15-month-old’s nap schedule gradually

Transitioning doesn’t have to be all or nothing. A few ways to make it easier:

1. Stretch the morning by 15 minutes at a time. Instead of jumping from 10:00 a.m. to noon, slowly push the nap later every few days.

2. Cap the morning nap. If you’re not ready to drop it entirely, shorten it to 20–30 minutes so your toddler is still sleepy enough for an afternoon nap.

3. Earlier bedtime on rough days. If your toddler skips a nap, move bedtime earlier to protect overnight sleep.

4. Offer quiet time. Even if sleep doesn’t happen, a consistent midday rest helps your toddler regulate. (We’ve got a full guide on transitioning to quiet time you can bookmark for later.)

Evidence-based perspective

Research shows that total 24-hour sleep time (not the number of naps) matters most for toddler development. A 2015 review in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that while nap patterns change widely in the second year, maintaining adequate total sleep supports memory, learning, and mood .

So whether your toddler is still rocking two naps or moving toward one, the goal is keeping enough total sleep over the day and night.

Real parent stories

You’re not the only one second-guessing nap schedules. Inside our Raising Happy Sleepers membership, parents say things like:

“I couldn’t figure out if my daughter needed one nap or two. Having someone help me map it out gave me confidence—and she’s now napping two hours straight at midday.”

“We survived the nap transition! With support, bedtime stayed consistent and the overtired meltdowns disappeared.”

Troubleshooting common 15-month nap problems

Bedtime battles after two naps

→ Try capping the afternoon nap or shifting bedtime later.

Early morning wakings

→ Check if bedtime is too early on one-nap days. Overtiredness or undertiredness can both cause 5:00 a.m. starts.

Short one-nap days

→ Use an earlier bedtime and know that it often takes a few weeks for the nap to stretch.

Key takeaways

• Most 15-month-olds sleep 11–12 hours overnight and 2–3 hours during the day

• Both one nap or two naps can be normal at this age

• Look for readiness signs before making the switch

• Focus on total sleep in 24 hours, not the exact number of naps

• Adjust slowly, offer quiet time, and keep bedtime consistent

Need more help with nap transitions?

This stage can feel confusing, and it’s easy to second-guess yourself. If you want clarity, structure, and step-by-step coaching, that’s exactly what we do inside Raising Happy Sleepers Membership. You’ll get immediate access to our nap transition resources plus real-time support from certified sleep consultants.

You don’t have to guess your way through the one-nap transition—we’ll walk you through it with confidence.