How active is your girl toddler? (and naps)

[MiaSparrow]

Just interested to know because DD's at that age (2.4) when there's a marked difference between most boys and most girls at playgroups etc, where the boys are now going MENTAL, throwing themselves around and jumping around like mad things and little girls like DD are so much more dainty and careful in everything they do.

I know there are always exceptions and it can be the other way round, but these k-razy boys must wear themselves out and nap in the day. (One mum confirmed it to me - oh yes he sleeps for two hours solid in the afternoon ).

DD is the worst nap-refuser and I'm wondering if she were a little bit more active she might be more likely to need a nap? We are at that real crossover stage when we're walking more and leaving the buggy behind, so I suppose that might change her habits a bit. Any thoughts?
xx

I've got two boys and now a DD 2.5. DD is far less active than her brothers are or were at her age. She sleeps more than they do now or did then. They're all just different.

I find plenty of fresh air helps with naps and a mix of activities. But essentially we all just need different amounts of sleep so its very unlikely to be something you're doing/ not doing.

DS2 was an awful sleeper and very active. I needed his nap time to get anything done. He didn't need a nap, except he would be ratty if he didn't have one. We established after lunch quiet time. Big bowl of chopped fruit, blanket snuggled up on sofa, DVD on with curtains drawn. Initially I sat with him to establish the routine. It gave me about 1.5 hours to do those things like go to the toilet on my own, drink a hot drink and the boring ones of washing/ ironing etc.

He's 7 now and sometimes still asks for a snuggly blanket and DVD after lunch. Very unPC allowing your DC to watch TV but for me it created a little window of sanity and my DC aren't in front of it all day every day so I don't regret it.

Hah, I've got a 22 month old girl who is as mental as any boy (I've also got boys and she's busier!) and she doesn't nap and doesn't go to bed till really late either :-O

I have 20 mo b/g twins who are totally opposite to what you say - dd is totally hyper compared to her brother, constantly on the move, running, climbing - she sits down to eat but that's it. DS will happily sit and colour or play with a single toy for 15-20 mins at a time when he does toddke around he is very cautious and rarely climbs anything. Thankfully they both sleep 2 hours after lunch though, and 12 hours a night.

DD is 2 and she doesn't stop. Not in a manic way though, she's always very purposeful! She climbs and runs and jumps and bounces and carries things around and pushes her buggy up and down all the steps in the garden. I am exhausted just watching her. She does have a good nap (1.5-2 hrs) every afternoon but struggles to switch off and go to sleep at night.

Yes, DD was equally mental at around 20-24 months, but now at 28/29 there is a very obvious difference in the sexes between her and her peers.

I should add, I'm not saying she's NOT active, because she is, it's just that the boys seem to have gone up 10 notches!

My dd is 2.5yrs and very active, running, jumping, climbing, scootering etc and has just dropped her daytime nap :(

She often scooters theway home on school run so can easily cover 3-4mikes a day just scootering.

My ds1 was and still is very placid and not active. My other three boys are all very active. They are all different. Out of the four boys only one of them ever had a proper nap.

DD is 2.1 she's very active running about etc. and tends to either nap for 0 / 45mins or 90 mins a day (and is awake from before 8am until after 9pm) She goes to sleep well when she's ready to sleep, but can't be convinced to go down if she's not.

There's also not a lot of relationship between the amount of running around she does and if she naps. Today up at 7:30am, went out with me just on her scooter to the park and shops and a long walk back via a café. Scooted 3 miles and ran around the park (although she was moaning about being tired by the end and was carried for a bit) However she didn't go down for a nap after that, just played still running around playing football etc.

I don't think it would hurt to encourage your DD to be more active though, physical fitness is a great predictor of just about everything! And it might help her nap more?

I know what you mean OP, at dd's nursery the boys who are in dd's room are often bouncing about encouraging each other, whereas dd and the other couple of girls in there are definitely more 'reserved'. It's odd as I wouldn't have thought there would be obvious gender differences at a young age (dd is 2.5) but so far, there are.

dd still has a nap for about and hour and a half a day, bedtime is around half 7 but she is a pest and wont sleep until about 9
We try to get her to do lots of walking but she will want to be carried, she isn't too keen on pushchair though.

dd is also a nap refuser (at the weekend when shes at home with me and dp, not at nursery!) but if she doesn't has one she'll crash out about 5pm then be a nightmare to put to bed.

Anyway hope that's useful OP, am looking forward to seeing other responses! :)

DD is 2.8 and whilst not mental is always on the go. Most of our friends with DCs the same age have boys and she totally keeps up if not out actives them. She's not used a buggy since before she was 2 as she likes to walk everywhere. & she has not rapped reliably in the afternoon for months

I've got a dd who is 3.4 and a ds who is 5.8 and dd is definitely a lot less active. Ds runs, jumps, climbs at every opportunity whereas dd gives up after a few minutes. She has a motor mouth though and never stops talking!

Oh and no naps. She tries sometimes but I don't let her otherwise she doesn't go to sleep at bedtime. She usually goes to bed between 6.30 and 7, and ds between 7 and 7.30

I have a 2.5 yr old -- she is much calmer/less naturally active than her big sister, who was one of the mental crew when the same age, outpacing the boys.

DD1 did nap well (2 hrs a day) but DD2 has now dropped her nap. To be honest, at 2.4 I don't think there's much you can do to get a long nap happening if she's not already in the habit. I don't want to be the voice of doom, but probably you need to resign yourself to the end of naptime...

We did/do similar when the naps started dropping off and there was refusal - Quiet Time (for my sanity) was established. You have to stay in your room until the story CD finishes (get a couple of long ones e.g. 30 mins with books that accompany them so they can flick through the pictures at the same time) and after that you may come downstairs, where you may lie QUIETLY on the sofa and watch some CBeebies/a film. Mummy is not available for questioning/conversation/any interaction at these times!

DD is 2 and tends to be very active - climbing/running bouncing/dancing almost non-stop. We usually leave pram at home as she prefers to walk/charge along the pavement.
On quieter days (e.g. yesterday where she was in pram/trolley a lot) she naps for a shorter time and takes ages to get to sleep at night.

Sorry to sound like a sanctimonious arsehole but your boys vs girls description makes me cringe. They are just tiny people. If the girls are "dainty and careful" and the boys "k-razy" that's a mixture of personaility and socialisation and f-all to do with their gender at this age. Science agrees with me on that!

Hmmm I agree with ifindoutnamechange on this. A lot of people expect boys to be 'k-razy' and therefore are more likely to play fight, wrestle/ encourage them to be more active and allow them to go 'MENTAL'. Really has nothing to do with gender at all at this age. My DS1 was/ is a very careful, gentle, calm little boy. He also napped for 2 hours a day until he turned 4. My friend's DS has also always been calm and careful.

My DS2 is an absolute nutter though but I don't think that's anything to do with the fact that he has a penis. He's just a lot more feisty and hard work spirited than my DS1. I know plenty of K-razy little girls!