How to Sleep Train an 18-Month-Old?

By the time your baby hits 18 months, they’re officially a toddler with opinions, strong preferences, and enough stamina to put up quite the bedtime protest. At this age, sleep challenges often revolve around boundaries, independence, and testing limits. But the right sleep training approach can help your child settle easily and sleep through the night.

As a certified sleep consultant in Singapore, I’ve helped many families successfully sleep train at this stage using responsive, toddler-appropriate methods. Here’s how you can do it too.

Sleep at 18 Months: What’s Happening?

At 18 months, your toddler is:

• Likely down to one nap per day
  
  
• Experiencing a surge in independence and emotions
  
  
• Possibly facing separation anxiety
  
  
• Learning new skills like climbing, running, and talking
  
  

These developmental shifts can lead to bedtime battles, nap resistance, or overnight wakeups. Sleep may have been going well and suddenly, everything feels upside down.

Is Sleep Training Still Possible?

Yes 18 months is still a great time to sleep train, even if it feels harder than when they were a baby. At this age, toddlers thrive on routine and clear expectations. When sleep training is done consistently and with empathy, results can be quick and long-lasting.

I often support families in baby sleep training  with toddlers between 15–24 months, and we get great results when the approach is tailored to this age.

The Best Sleep Training Method at 18 Months

At this stage, I almost always recommend the Chair Method.

Why the Chair Method works for 18-month-olds:

• Toddlers still need connection and presence
  
  
• It allows them to learn to fall asleep on their own without being left alone
  
  
• It gradually builds independence while maintaining a sense of safety
  
  

How it works:
You sit next to their crib or bed at bedtime, offering reassurance through your presence and calm voice but without picking them up. Each night, move the chair further away until your toddler falls asleep independently.

Leave and Check is not typically recommended after age 2, and even at 18 months, it can sometimes backfire as toddlers may find it overstimulating or upsetting. The Chair Method usually strikes the perfect balance.

Common Sleep Issues at This Age

• Refusing bedtime
  
  
• Needing a parent to lie down next to them
  
  
• Early morning wakings
  
  
• Short or skipped naps
  
  
• Climbing out of crib or resisting being placed in it
  
  

All of these can be addressed with a clear, consistent sleep routine and a responsive approach like the Chair Method.

Daytime Routine at 18 Months

• One nap of 1.5–2 hours (around 12:30 PM)
  
  
• Wake windows: 5–6 hours
  
  
• Bedtime: 7:00–7:30 PM
  
  
• Total sleep: 12–14 hours in 24 hours
  
  

Make sure you’re not putting your toddler to bed too early or too late, as overtiredness or under-tiredness can cause bedtime protests.

How to Make Sleep Training Easier

1. Use a visual bedtime routine chart so your toddler knows what to expect
   
   
2. Set firm but loving limits your child will test them
   
   
3. Avoid screen time 1 hour before bed
   
   
4. Offer a transitional object (like a soft toy) for comfort
   
   
5. Stay consistent for at least a week
   
   
   
   

What If They’re Climbing Out of the Crib?

If your toddler is starting to climb, here are two things to try before transitioning to a bed:

• Use a sleep sack to make climbing harder
  
  
• Drop the mattress to the lowest position
  
  

If climbing continues and becomes unsafe, then it may be time to move to a toddler bed. But don’t rush it unless necessary, as early transitions can sometimes worsen sleep issues.

My Experience with 18-Month Sleep Training

Toddlers at this age may take a few more days to adjust but they also learn quickly when given consistent boundaries. I’ve helped many families with 18-month-olds go from nightly meltdowns to peaceful bedtimes using exactly this approach.

And the results are transformative not just for the toddler, but for the whole family’s sleep and sanity.

Ready to Start?

If bedtime has become a nightly struggle and your toddler isn’t sleeping through the night, you’re not alone and you don’t have to figure it out yourself.

Explore my Baby Sleep Training Program for expert guidance tailored to your child’s temperament and your parenting style. No cry-it-out. No rigid rules. Just gentle, responsive toddler sleep help that works.

Because good sleep is possible even at 18 months.

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