Tap Baby Care
12 Months · 13 min read
All about your 12 month old
First birthday, first words, cow's milk on the table — and two naps that still deserve to stay.
Read the guideAge Guide · 13 Months
All about your 13 month old
Thirteen months is a copycat season. Your toddler watches you clap, sip, hug, and say “mmm,” then tries the same move with their whole body. Two naps still fit most days, even when one of them starts looking optional. This month is less about a brand-new schedule and more about protecting the one you have while independence blooms.
Jump to a section
Sleep at 13 months
13 month old sleep schedule: two naps, longer windows, and nap resistance
Most 13 month olds still sleep best on two naps, even when one nap starts to wobble. A helpful target is about 13.25 hours across 24 hours: 11–12 hours at night and 2–3 hours of daytime sleep, with each nap lasting about 1–2 hours. Wake windows typically stretch to 3.25–4 hours — shortest before the morning nap and longest before bed.
Nap resistance is the headline this month, not a reason to drop to one nap overnight. Your toddler may sit up in the crib, babble through the usual nap time, or skip a nap altogether. That often means they need a little more awake time — try adding 15–30 minutes before the resisted nap — rather than that they can comfortably stay awake for five hours yet. Most children are not ready for a single midday nap until 14–18 months.
If a nap is skipped or very short, pull bedtime earlier that night so overtiredness does not steal night sleep. If the afternoon nap runs late, it is fine to slide bedtime later. Watch a full week of patterns before you change the whole schedule: one wobbly day is a blip, a week of consistent resistance is a signal to lengthen windows.
- Keep offering two naps even after a skipped one — most 13 month olds are not ready for one nap yet
- Lengthen a resisted nap’s wake window by 15–30 minutes before you drop a nap
- Protect night sleep with an earlier bedtime after a short or skipped nap
- A later afternoon nap can mean a later bedtime — usually better than a fight
- Look at a week of sleep, not a single hard day, before changing the schedule
What a day might look like at 13 months
Most 13 month olds are still on two naps, even when nap resistance shows up. This sample uses a 6:30 AM wake. Shift the whole day earlier or later to match your toddler’s natural morning.
- 6:30 AM
- Wake for the day · Breakfast
- 9:45 AM
- Nap 1 · about 1 hour (3.25-hour wake window)
- 10:45 AM
- Snack and play
- 12:30 PM
- Lunch
- 2:15 PM
- Nap 2 · about 1 hour (3.5-hour wake window)
- 3:15 PM
- Snack and play
- 5:00 PM
- Dinner
- 6:30 PM
- Bedtime routine
- 7:15 PM
- Asleep · 4-hour wake window
Sleep at 13 months, by the numbers
These are guidelines. What is normal and healthy can vary. Mood, energy, and a week of sleep matter more than hitting an exact hour count.
~13.25 hrs
Total sleep in 24 hours — typically 11–12 hours at night and 2–3 hours across two naps.
3.25–4 hrs
Wake windows, shortest before the morning nap and longest before bedtime.
2 naps
Most 13 month olds still need two daytime sleeps of about 1–2 hours each. Skipped naps usually mean longer windows, not a full drop to one nap.
Development at 13 months
Mimicking, affection, and a toddler who is watching everything
At 13 months, imitation is how learning looks from the outside. Your toddler may clap when you clap, try your “bye-bye” wave, or babble a version of a word they just heard. That mimicking is not just cute — it is how language, motor skills, and social rules get practiced. You will also see more deliberate affection: a head on your shoulder, a messy kiss, a toy pressed into your hand as a gift.
Motor skills are in a wide, normal range this month. Some toddlers take a few independent steps in the middle of the room. Others are still cruising furniture or crawling with purpose, and that is still on time — independent walking often lands anywhere from about 9 to 18 months. Stairs may become fascinating; expect a new need for gates and close spotting as they learn to crawl up.
Opinions arrive faster than words. A shake of the head, a pointed finger, or a very clear “no” can show up before a big vocabulary does. Frustration is common when they know what they want and cannot yet say it. Naming the feeling — “You wanted the cup” — and offering two acceptable choices gives them a little control without turning every moment into a negotiation.
- Copy their copycat games: clap, wave, and stack, then pause so they can take a turn
- Celebrate early steps and cruising equally — walking is a range, not a deadline
- Gate stairs and get down on the floor; new mobility needs new spotting
- Treat “no” and pointing as communication, then offer two yeses they can choose between
- Read simple books and name what they point to — understanding is racing ahead of speech
13-month milestones to watch for
Every toddler develops on their own timeline. Use this as a gentle guide, not a checklist to stress over. If many of these have not shown up, a skill seems lost, or something feels off, reach out to your pediatrician.
Motor
- May stand in the middle of the floor and take a few independent steps
- Cruises furniture with more confidence, or crawls with speed and purpose
- Starts to crawl up stairs — gates and spotting matter now
- Picks a toy up from the floor without holding on for support
- Tries a cup and a utensil, with plenty of spilling
- Can let go of an object to throw or drop it, then pick it up again
Communication
- Says one or two words besides names for caregivers
- Mimics words, sounds, and gestures you just used
- Uses word approximations like “ba” for ball and points to show you what they want
- Understands far more than they can say — often around 50 familiar words
Cognitive
- Fits a simple shape into a sorter or puzzle board
- Holds a crayon and may make a mark after watching you do it
- Turns a thick board-book page, sometimes more than one at a time
- Looks toward a familiar object when you name it
Social & Emotional
- Shows affection with hugs, kisses, and cuddles
- Claps when excited and may raise arms to be picked up
- Copies your everyday actions during play
- Begins to signal “no” with a head shake, a word, or a whole-body protest
Feeding at 13 months
Solids lead the day, with about 16 oz of milk alongside
By 13 months, family foods are the main nutrition source. Most toddlers do well with three meals and two snacks, spaced about 2–3 hours apart, plus water and about 16 oz of whole cow’s milk or a fortified non-dairy alternative. Breastfeeding can continue alongside this rhythm if it still works for both of you. Growth has already slowed from the first-year sprint, so portions that look “small” can still be enough.
Appetite will swing from meal to meal, and that is expected. One breakfast may disappear; lunch may be three peas and a crust. Look at the week, not the plate. Keep offering iron-rich foods — meat, beans, tofu, fortified cereal, leafy greens — because toddlers still need iron even when they suddenly have favorites. More than about 24 oz of milk can crowd out those solids, so treat milk as a drink with meals rather than a constant sip.
Self-feeding is the skill of the season. Soft finger foods they can pick up themselves build coordination and appetite better than a perfectly spoon-fed plate. Utensil practice will be messy and imprecise. Let them lead, sit with them, and keep the menu close to what the rest of the family is eating rather than cooking a separate toddler meal.
- Aim for 3 meals and 2 snacks, about 2–3 hours apart
- Offer about 16 oz of whole milk or fortified alternative a day — over 24 oz can crowd out food
- Keep iron on the menu even when favorites take over
- Let fingers lead; spoons are practice, not a requirement
- Match the family menu in toddler-safe textures instead of becoming a short-order cook
Feeding at 13 months, by the numbers
3 meals
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner — family foods are now the nutritional foundation.
2 snacks
Mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks bridge the gaps and keep energy steadier for naps.
~16 oz
Whole milk or fortified alternative per day. More than 24 oz can crowd out solid nutrition.
Track it this way.
Download Tap Baby Care free on Google Play — one-tap logging for sleep, feeds and diapers, with AI nap windows when you need them most.
FAQ
Quiet answers for loud questions.
Common questions parents ask at the 13 months stage.
How much should a 13-month-old sleep?
Most 13 month olds do well with about 13.25 hours across 24 hours: 11–12 hours at night and 2–3 hours of daytime sleep split between two naps. Wake windows of 3.25–4 hours are typical. Watch your toddler’s mood as closely as the clock — some children need a little more awake time to fall asleep easily.
Is nap resistance a sign to drop to one nap?
Usually not at 13 months. Nap resistance more often means wake windows are a bit short. Try adding 15–30 minutes of awake time before the resisted nap and keep offering two naps. Most toddlers are not ready for one nap until they can comfortably stay awake about 5 hours, which commonly happens between 14 and 18 months. If a nap is skipped, use an earlier bedtime that night.
Why is my 13-month-old copying everything I do?
Mimicking is a core 13-month skill. Copying claps, sounds, chores, and affection is how toddlers practice language and social behavior. Join the game, narrate what you are doing, and leave a pause so they can take a turn. It is also a good moment to notice what they are absorbing — they are watching more than it may seem.
How much milk should a 13-month-old drink?
About 16 oz of whole cow’s milk or a fortified non-dairy alternative per day is a solid target, offered with meals. Breastfeeding can continue. More than about 24 oz of milk can fill them up so solids — especially iron-rich foods — get crowded out. Water is the other everyday drink; juice is optional and, if offered, is best kept to a small amount in a cup.
Keep exploring
More from the age guides.
14 Months · 10 min read
All about your 14 month old
Walking practice, nap resistance, and sweet hugs and kisses — mobility is rewriting the day.
Read the guideWhat's coming up.
Next: All about your 14 month old — Walking practice, nap resistance, and sweet hugs and kisses — mobility is rewriting the day.
Read the next guide