Month-by-month sleep guide
20-Month-Old Sleep Schedule
- ⏰ Wake window: 5.5–6.5 hours
- 🍼 Naps per day: 1
- 🌙 Bedtime: 8:30 PM
- 😴 Total sleep: 11–13 hours
Reviewed by the BabyNapCalc Editorial Team — our content is reviewed for accuracy against pediatric sleep guidance (AAP/NSF). This is general information, not medical advice.
Climbing everything and starting two-word phrases — the 20-month-old sleep schedule, with wake windows, nap timing, and crib-safety notes.
20-month-old sleep at a glance
Typical ranges for 20 months — every toddler is different, so treat these as a starting point.
5.5–6.5 h
Between sleep periods
Typical at 20 months
1
1 nap
Rest of sleep at night
11–13 h
Naps + night combined
Typical for this age
Sample 20-month-old schedule
An example day with a 7:00 AM wake, built from this month’s wake windows. Use the mini calculator above with your real wake time.
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Nap 1
About 90 minutes
8:30 PM
Bedtime
End of the day
Sleep at 20 months
Twenty months brings a toddler who is climbing everything and combining words — “more milk,” “up please,” “no bed!” Sleep runs 11–13 hours per day on one midday nap, with wake windows stretching to 5.5–6.5 hours. The climbing obsession has one important sleep implication: crib safety moves to the top of the checklist this month.
Wake windows: 5.5–6.5 hours
A typical day: wake at 7 AM, nap around 1 PM, bedtime around 8 PM. The morning window is now genuinely long — six hours of happy play before the nap is normal. If bedtime starts pushing past 8:30 PM regularly, the nap may be starting too late; shift the whole day 30 minutes earlier rather than trimming the nap, which your toddler still needs. On days with big outings or extra stimulation, watch for tired signs a little earlier — busy days can shorten what a toddler can comfortably handle.
Climbing and crib safety
If your 20-month-old is attempting crib escapes, act now: mattress at the lowest setting, sleep sack instead of blankets (it discourages leg-lifting), and the crib moved away from furniture that could serve as a launch pad. Most families don't need a toddler bed yet — the crib remains the safest sleep space until closer to age 3, or until climbing out becomes unstoppable despite these measures. Our baby sleep calculator still covers this age for bedtime planning.
Two-word phrases and busy brains
“Two-word phrases” month means language is consolidating fast, and busy brains sometimes mean busier nights — brief chatter-filled wakings that resolve on their own. Keep nights boring and the schedule consistent. A dependable bedtime routine is your best tool at 20 months: the same 20–30 minutes of bath, books, and lights-out in the same order signals to a busy brain that the day is truly done. The 21-month schedule continues the one-nap rhythm with 6-hour wake windows.
20-month-old sleep questions, answered
Quick answers to the questions parents ask most about sleep at 20 months.
My 20-month-old is climbing out of the crib. What should I do?
Lower the mattress fully, switch to a sleep sack, and move the crib away from furniture. If escapes continue despite this, talk to your pediatrician about timing a move to a toddler bed — but most 20-month-olds are safer in the crib a while longer.
How long can a 20-month-old stay awake?
Wake windows of 5.5–6.5 hours are typical — about 6 hours before the nap and a similar stretch before bed.
What time should a 20-month-old nap?
Around 1 PM for a 7 AM wake (about 6 hours after waking), for 1.5–2.5 hours. Starting much later than 1:30 PM pushes bedtime late.
Is 8 PM too late a bedtime for a 20-month-old?
Not necessarily — with 6-hour wake windows and a 7 AM wake, 7:30–8 PM is the natural landing zone. What matters is the total: 11–13 hours across nap and night. If your family wakes earlier, shift the whole day earlier rather than trimming sleep.
This page is a planning guide based on general pediatric sleep guidance, not medical advice. Every toddler is different — talk to your pediatrician with concerns about your child’s sleep.