Do most 2yo need naps?

[jchang]

Just out of curiosity, do most 2 year olds need a nap?  Many moms I've talked to say their 2yos don't need naps.  I'm wondering if this is really the case or if it's because the moms don't have their tots on a nap schedule.  My LO has been on a BW routine since 8mo so (I think) she's so used to naps that she welcomes it.  Just something I've always wondered about...

[Layla]

It is very rare that a 2yo won't nap. Mine is 2 months short of being 2 and I know she needs her nap. You'll find many taking a nap up until 3, which is when it starts phasing out... but then again there are some that nap still at 4yo.

[Deb_in_oz]

amongst family and friends the age range for dropping the nap goes wide from 18 mo - 5 years.  I think the most common time is between 2 and 3 years for those who are not big nappers and more like between 3 and 4 for big sleepers.

My almost 2 yr old often only has 1hr 30 nap, but my 3 1/2 yr old still naps and often (just yesterday even) does a 2 1/2 - 3hr nap and can wake up at 4:30pm and still go down for sleep at 7:30-8pm with no dramas (she takes after my older sister who napped til almost 5 yrs old 

[imsmum]

I agree with pp.  My older dd who was always a super sleeper--well, we had to stop her nap at 5!  But with 2 year olds you usually encounter some nap resistance, and napping can become trickier, because if the timing is off--you put them down at the wrong time or they've slept in in the morning--they won't nap.   I think then people assume that there lo is "dropping the nap"  but they're not really, you just have to work at it a bit.

[Deb_in_oz]

  I think then people assume that there lo is "dropping the nap"  but they're not really, you just have to work at it a bit.

exactly! i was just reading my journal from when alex was 2 - 2 1/2 and i speculated that she was dropping her nap at one stage when we had a tricky week or 2. ha!!! she is so not dropping her nap anytime soon and she is 3 1/2 now. we just insisted on rest time every day and some days she fell asleep very late but did fall asleep and nap eventually while listening to music.