Toddler sleep training: Is it different from baby sleep training? Yes, and here’s why

One day, your baby liked being happily rocked to sleep. The next? You’re negotiating bedtime with a tiny human who can say “no,” ask for water five times, and suddenly remembers they love you most at 2 a.m.

If sleep has gone sideways since your baby turned into a toddler, you’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not doing anything wrong. Toddler sleep training is different from baby sleep training, and understanding why can make this phase feel far less overwhelming.

Let’s break it down gently.

Why toddler sleep training is different from baby sleep training

Toddlers don’t just need sleep, they have opinions, preferences, and big feelings about bedtime.

That growing independence is what makes toddler sleep training different from baby sleep training.

Baby sleep challenges are usually about skills: learning how to fall asleep independently. Toddler sleep challenges are about feelings. By this age, toddlers understand routines, remember past experiences, and feel separation more deeply. They also want independence, while still needing reassurance.

That’s why toddler sleep training isn’t about “fixing” sleep, it’s about helping your child feel safe enough to rest.

Can you sleep train 18 month olds?

Sleep training is still very possible at this age. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that consistent routines and predictable schedules support healthy sleep and emotional security in young children .What changes is the approach. Toddlers need:

• Clear routines
• Calm reassurance
• Consistent responses

Think of it less as “training” and more as teaching sleep confidence.

How long does it take to sleep train a toddler?

This is usually the first question parents ask, and understandably so. Unlike baby sleep training, which can show results in a few nights, toddler sleep training often takes 1–2 weeks, sometimes longer. Toddlers test boundaries, revisit old habits, and need time to trust new routines.

Progress may look like:

• A better bedtime, followed by a rough night
• Fewer night wakings, then a sudden protest

Your toddler is still learning, and that takes time.

Sleep training methods for 18 month old toddlers and older

Not every baby sleep training method translates well once your child has opinions, and strong ones.

Toddler-friendly approaches tend to be more gradual and responsive, such as:

• The chair method, where you slowly move farther from the bed each night
• Brief check-ins that reassure without restarting bedtime
• Bedtime fading, temporarily adjusting bedtime to reduce resistance
• Strong routine-based methods with clear sleep cues

At this age, long stretches of crying can be harder due to increased separation anxiety, so gentler approaches often work better.

Sleep training tips for 18 month olds and older toddlers

At this stage, small tweaks can make a big difference.

A few things that really help:

• Talk about sleep during the day (“After books, we sleep in our bed”)
• Keep bedtime routines short, predictable, and calm
• Offer limited choices (“Which pajamas?” instead of “Are you ready for bed?”)
• Respond overnight with consistency, not negotiation

The  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC), notes that predictable routines help toddlers feel safe and support emotional regulation, both of which directly affect sleep.

Can you sleep train 18 month olds and older for naps?

Naps can suddenly feel like the final boss of a toddler’s sleep. Daytime sleep comes with more stimulation, more separation anxiety, and less sleep pressure. If naps are a struggle, you’re not doing anything wrong. Many families find that once nighttime sleep improves, naps naturally fall into place.

Remember, if things feel rough, just try and focus on nights first.

Can you sleep train during the 18 month sleep regression?

Just when sleep starts improving, a regression can hit, and yes, that’s frustrating. You can continue sleep training during this phase, but flexibility helps. Sometimes holding steady with routines, rather than pushing for progress, is enough to get through it.

The 18-month regression often lines up with:

• Language explosions
• New fears
• Increased separation anxiety

What to do if sleep training my toddler is not working?

If you’ve been consistent and things still feel stuck, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

It can help to reassess:

• Is your toddler overtired or undertired?
• Has the routine slowly stretched too long?
• Are check-ins accidentally becoming playtime?

If sleep struggles are persistent, or paired with snoring, breathing issues, or frequent night wakings, the AAP recommends checking in with your pediatrician to rule out underlying concerns.

Conclusion

Toddler sleep training isn’t about withholding comfort. You didn’t miss your chance, this phase still has plenty of room for better sleep. Rest easy: there’s no missed window here, just a new stage.

It’s about building trust and security around sleep.Your toddler isn’t fighting bedtime to be difficult. They’re learning independence, and checking to see if sleep still feels safe. With patience, consistency, and age-appropriate expectations, better sleep is possible.

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Sources: 

1. Guidance on soothing separation anxiety in toddlers. HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics). 2025. “How to Ease Your Child’s Separation Anxiety.” 
2. Recommendations on healthy sleep durations for children. HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics).2025. “Healthy Sleep Habits: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need?.” 
3. Parenting guidance on structure and routines for toddlers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2025. “Tips for Building Structure | Essentials for Parenting Toddlers.” 
4. Study on toddler sleep outcomes related to sleeping in cribs vs beds. Sleep Medicine / PMC (National Institutes of Health). 2019. “Caregiver-perceived sleep outcomes in toddlers sleeping in cribs versus beds.”