While your child will often wake up cheerier than ever, ready to jump out of bed and take on the day, come lunchtime, they’re moody and irritable, the slightest thing setting them off moaning and crying. Could it be that they’re hungry? They gobble up their lunch but they're still a little off, still sulking on the sofa. So, what’s wrong?

They’re most likely tired, experiencing the natural dip in energy that so often hits come midday. Many of us will brew a mug of strong coffee or tea to give us a little boost of energy, but what your preschooler needs is a nap. That wonderful, all-important sleep that will get them through till bedtime.

But why exactly are naps so important for young kids?

Why are daily naps so important?

Both children and adults experience a natural dip in energy around lunchtime, typically after having eaten lunch. Despite what some may say, this is down to the body clock and not because we’ve eaten a big lunch. A nap that coincides with this dip will fulfil your child’s biological need for rest.

Children are typically happier after an afternoon nap and have much longer attention spans.

Napping allows your little one to catch up on any sleep they may have lost the previous night and it’s really important for their brain development that they get this sleep back. Research actually suggests that daily naps help us to retain information and improve memory.

A midday nap will also release hormones that help your child’s body and mind to cope with any stress or tension.

Surprisingly, it can often take us longer to fall asleep when we are overly tired. So it’s very important they get that extra nap in during the day to ensure they sleep soundly come night.

And lastly, and maybe best of all, when they’re napping, you get a bit of quiet time to relax or get on with things without a little person ‘helping’!

But when should they nap and for how long?

We already know that there’s a natural phase of sleepiness that occurs around midday, a period where the body is physiologically ready for sleep. When this bout of tiredness hits, your child’s body does its best to let them know that it’s time for a nap. But children of this age rarely know what their body needs, so we have to keep an eye out and watch for any signs of tiredness.

Some sleepy signs are obvious: from yawning and rubbing or closing eyes to actually lying down. Other signs, such as whining, losing focus, throwing tantrums, and becoming hyperactive, are not so easily related to tiredness.

So, with this in mind, we’ll probably be looking for signs of tiredness around the 12:30-1pm mark, roughly half an hour after lunch. If we miss this stint of midday sleepiness and the nap takes place too late, we risk negatively affecting nighttime sleep as your child won’t be tired enough come bedtime.

Generally, most children show signs of readiness to drop their nap around 3 years old, although some still need it. As for how long the nap should be, 3-year-olds will typically nap for an hour or two, while 4 – 5-year-olds who still need a nap generally won’t need more than an hour maximum – a brief power nap of no more than 20 - 30 minutes is often all they need. Based on this information, choose a nap time that makes sense for you and your little one.

Now that we’ve established when to nap and for how long, is there anything else you need to know about napping?

Are there any nap needs I should know about?

Tomorrow, once they show signs of being tired, take your child quickly but calmly to their bed and do the following:

Make sure your little one is wearing comfortable clothing that won’t agitate them as they sleep. You don’t need to go so far as to put their pyjamas on, but you don’t want them to be in jeans or a thick woolly jumper.

Keep the bedroom as dark as possible – closing any blinds and curtains – as this helps to increase the release of melatonin (the body’s natural sleep hormone).

Pop on some soothing music, a fan, or a white noise machine to drown out any daytime noise. Or you might play a comforting audiobook to send them off to sleep.

If your child is a light sleeper, often waking after very little time has passed, try sitting outside their bedroom while they nap with a book to keep you entertained. If you hear them stir, go in and coax them back to sleep – rubbing their back, or speaking softly, whichever method works for them. Do this for a couple of weeks and soon enough they should sleep through without your help.

Once you’ve found a routine that works for you both, stick to it.

Lots of children struggle to go to sleep during the day, determined not to miss a single minute of potential playtime. So, let’s have a quick look at how best to encourage your preschooler to nap in the afternoon.

How do I deal with a reluctant napper?

If your child is a reluctant napper, you might try the following 5 strategies:

First of all, avoid letting them get involved in any fun or exciting activities after lunch that they won’t be prepared to put aside for a nap.

Instead of referring to the daily doze as ‘nap time’, come up with a subtle substitute, such as ‘quiet time’.

Where possible, let your child make decisions leading up to their nap. Let them choose which toy they would like to sleep with, which bed to nap in and which clothes they’ll sleep in. Children want to feel that their voice is important and heard, so are much more compliant if they feel they’ve had a say.

Let your child know that once the nap is up, there’ll be something to look forward to – perhaps a walk or a round of their favourite game.

If you’ve tried to coax your little one to sleep for a good 15 to 20 minutes and they’re still wide awake, they’re simply not tired enough. Let them get on with something else for a while, and if they show signs of sleepiness later, initiate another nap. But remember, we don’t want them to nap too late! If they have been resisting naps in this way for a few weeks, it could be time to drop the nap. Instead, replace it with some quiet time, which could include reading a book, doing a jigsaw or quietly colouring or drawing.

What should I know about my preschooler’s naps?

Unii shares what you need to know about your child’s nap time.