How much sleep does my child need?
A child needs 14 to 17 hours of sleep per 24 hours as a newborn, 11 to 14 hours at ages 1 to 2, 10 to 13 hours at ages 3 to 5, then 9 to 11 hours a night at school age. Select your child's age range to see their recommended range.
Between 14 and 17 hours per 24 hours, including naps and nighttime sleep.
Between 12 and 15 hours per 24 hours, including naps and nighttime sleep.
Between 11 and 14 hours per 24 hours, with naps still making up a good share of the total.
Between 10 and 13 hours per 24 hours, often without a nap after age 4-5.
Between 9 and 11 hours per night.
Between 8 and 10 hours per night — the range most often falling short.
Guidelines based on the National Sleep Foundation's sleep duration recommendations by age (Hirshkowitz et al., Sleep Health, 2015).
Related reading
Bedtime routine: building a calming ritual, from ages 2 to 10
A good bedtime routine is three or four steps, always in the same order and at about the same time each night: a quick wash, pajamas, a story, lights out. Consistency matters more than length, and a ten-minute routine kept every night beats a forty-minute one twice a week.
Screens before bedtime: what real effect on a child's sleep
Yes, evening screens are linked to worse sleep in children and teenagers: later bedtime, longer time to fall asleep or shorter sleep. A review of sixty-seven studies found this link in nine out of ten. It is an association, not proof of cause. A screen-free last hour is a realistic starting point.
What bedtime for a peaceful wake-up?
Bedtime is worked out backwards from wake-up time: subtract the recommended sleep for the child's age, then fifteen minutes to fall asleep. For a child aged 6 to 13 who gets up at 7am, lights go out between 7:45pm and 9:45pm. Enter your child's age and usual wake-up time.
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