Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

Toddler nap and days out

23 replies

randombear · 21/09/2021 17:53

Random thought but how do you structure days out with your toddler once they switch from 2 naps to 1 nap please? We used to visit the grandparents (2ish hrs away) the zoo, other days out all a couple of hours away and we would time the journey there with the morning nap and the journey home with the afternoon nap.

Now DD has switched to one and I've got a grandparents visit coming up soon. She'll need to nap so should we take a travel cot just for one day? What do other parents of toddlers do fir things like this?

OP posts:

NerrSnerr · 21/09/2021 18:00

If the journey was a couple of hours away both of mine would have slept in the car on the way there and back and not needed a nap in the middle. If they did need a nap in the middle we usually took them round the block in the pushchair until they nodded off.

Original poster

randombear · 21/09/2021 18:08

Thank you. Oh wow they sound very convenient! I'm not sure my toddler would fall asleep earlier than her nap time!

OP posts:

waybill · 21/09/2021 18:10

Just get on with your day - she'll nap when she's ready, in the pushchair or whatever. If not, then she will crash out in the car on the way back.

Don't let nap times rule your life, that way lies madness

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Babies & sleep Children's sleep Families

HungryHippo11 · 21/09/2021 18:14

Nap in the car, pushchair etc.
Or yes, bring the travel cot along if she will only sleep at a certain time.

Lazypuppy · 21/09/2021 18:15

Just carry on with your day, they'll fall asleep in pushchair or car

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 21/09/2021 18:16

Just get on with it I suppose... They can sleep in the car if tired

orangejuicer · 21/09/2021 18:19

Nap in the car is the easiest thing to do.

bookish83 · 21/09/2021 18:39

We either do two smaller naps or set off somewhere really early and do one nap in the early afternoon

Works fine for now! Two naps were convenient for day trips tho!

edgeware · 21/09/2021 18:55

The car does lull them to sleep, my DS from about 18 months would wake up stupidly early, then fall asleep in the car at 9 for about an hour. Then same on way home at about 2.

Bunnycat101 · 21/09/2021 18:58

Depends on the age. We used to try and arrange visits around the lunchtime nap or bedtime so we’d get a higher chance of a quiet car ride. We’ve got into the pattern of going out for the day early having lunch and then heading home post lunch. If visiting grandparents I’d rather stay over than do 2 hours there and back in one way.

TicTacHoh · 21/09/2021 19:46

The car will usually still induce an earlier nap for my dc, if not, they’ll sleep in their pram once there

MangoM · 21/09/2021 19:52

We've found that if we're in a new place, DS (2yrs) will just refuse to nap and just ends up powering through the day. So we've stopped planning trips around his naps. He'll fall asleep on the car journey home if he really needs to.

bellsbuss · 21/09/2021 19:54

I always just carried on with my day when mine were still at the nap stage. They would either fall asleep in their pushchair or in the car.

Forevercurious · 21/09/2021 19:59

Nap in the car (there and back usually) or pram if it’s a very long day out and he hasn’t fallen asleep on the way.

We went out for the day at the weekend and DS slept on the way there for 30-40 mins around 9:45 and then fell asleep pretty much as soon as he got in the car at 4:15 until we got home at 5. At home he has one nap at 11. I do try and plan around his nap in the week but for days out and weekends it’s more flexible and I refuse to allow my life to be ruled by his nap anymore (has always been a rubbish sleeper!)

doadeer · 21/09/2021 20:02

I just planned my day around the nap. Leave at 9am back by 12/12.30. My son liked to nap in his cot and it meant I could work when he slept. In the afternoons we would play at home usually.

Thissucksmonkeynuts · 21/09/2021 20:19

My second dc would have happily napped.on the way there and way back, all cool, very chilled. First dc, I probably would have cancelled the whole thing, it was like inviting hell into your life to mess with her naps. It was so traumatic I can't even remember.

EagleOrIgel · 21/09/2021 20:21

Leave early.
Take something for them to sleep in.
Also child dependent. DD would always sleep in the car whatever time of day, DS rarely slept in the car on the way somewhere, but often did on the way back.
I wouldn't take a travel cot for a nap, only if sleeping over night. if they crash on the sofa, put a cushion on the floor and leave them to it.

Mindareno · 21/09/2021 20:24

For grandparents (also a couple of hours away) We travel during the lunchtime nap, and travel back at bedtime then transfer when we get back.

For day trips where getting ready for bed before coming back is less practical, we just accept they’ll sleep in the car on the way back so try to make sure it isn’t so late in the afternoon that it completely messed up bedtime!

8dpwoah · 21/09/2021 20:27

Nap on the way, nap on the way back, that way they are cheerful while you're there. Just need to figure out when to set off there and back so you get a good chunk of time in without the last nap destroying bedtime!

SMBH · 21/09/2021 20:31

If the journey is 45 mins - 1hr ish then my 17mo sleeps on the way there and again on the way back in the car.

If the journey is 1.5-2+ hrs then I do one journey at normal naptime and then leave at bedtime (in pyjamas) and transfer to bed when we get home.

Obviously activities don’t always work exactly like this in terms of timings but it’s what works best generally

Mine have always been transferable and tolerate a certain amount of flexibility. They wouldn’t fall asleep anywhere though - I do have to provide a sleep-inducing environment when I think they need it (so car, carrier, buggy, bed, travel cot etc), they wouldn’t just curl up in the corner like some babies. Mine have never fallen asleep in their food for example

sunflower198 · 21/09/2021 20:33

If we put and about, we just let him nap in the pushchair - we've found that he usually tells us now when he's tired and asks to lie back and nap.
If he doesn't nap, I just put him to bed abit earlier that evening.

Curlysusie · 21/09/2021 20:37

Day out nearby would come home straight after lunch. Further afield would take them for a walk in the pram/sling x

RavenclawsRoar · 21/09/2021 20:50

With my first we just cracked on because that child was a nightmare with naps and by the time he'd dropped to one we were sick of them! If he slept, he slept and if he didn't, well, not much we could do about it. Was glad when he dropped them.

With my now 2yo, he would stay awake for the drive to and from (he loves the car) and probably take a leisurely nap in the buggy the entire time we were out, perhaps waking for a bite to eat but perhaps not. And then need a lovely late bedtime after sleeping all day Neither of my children are particularly obliging it has to be said.

Flip