Nap and Bedtime Help Needed

Make sure, that in the mornings... she gets lots of runaround time... physical stuff.
Kids this age, need that.
Then, have lunch, keeping things low key, calm etc.
Plan things so that lunch and after is not a 'rushing' around type thing.
After lunch, have her wind-down... keep things quiet/calm/turn things off.
Then verbally cue her, "nap time soon...." then do your pre-nap routine.....
SAME routine, everyday.
It cues them.

My son is now 4 and naps everyday. If he does not, like your child, he turns into a TROLL and does not last all day without a nap. He still sleeps fine at night, by 8:30pm for bed. His naps are 2 hours, at least. He naps well.

Since she is now 3... they need runaround time. Getting their physicality out.

all the best,
Susan

try putting a baby gate in her room and if she wants to play she can but has to quitely and dont keep the lights on and shut the curtains. if after an hr or so she is still awake then just keep her up and do an earlier bedtime

My daughter (3.5) has not napped well since she was 2 years old. She did still need naps but now is okay with just having rest time. Maybe your daughter is just ready for rest time but does not require naptime anymore. Just a different perspective.

Maybe on the days when she is wide awake just don't do nap time. If it takes 90 minutes to 2 hours to get her to go to sleep she is just not sleepy. You many have to adjust nap time on those days. As they get older, naps get shorter and then just go away.

our rule is that she can play quietly in her bed, but she has to stay in bed and has to be laying down. So on the days when she gets very little nap, at least she was kind of resting.

Put up a baby gate, or shut the door and walk out. Let her yell, she will put herself to sleep. The more you go in for punishments, etc., the more she is winning.

is her room dark? I use black felt doubled up and attach it to the top of the window frame with the scratchy side of velcro.

is there music playing on continuous play? a gentle lullaby tape works wonders

are you going too long before nap/night? If the child wakes before 7, they should be asleep again before noon (5 hours later at the most). Nap should come IMMEDIATELY after eating lunch, perhaps a story in between but no activity. This helps as activity/play makes them get a second wind, reading is a calming thing. And digesting food takes energy which helps a person be tired. Night time again should be 5 hours at most after nap is done. So if you put her down at noon, she sleeps 2 to 3 hours, then you put her back down to bed either 7 or 8.

When children get over tired they get hyper. You miss their window. Trust me that if you push her sleep times EARLIER you will have more solid sleep and easier bedtimes.