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Sleep & Preschoolers

Sleep helps kids grow strong and healthy. Preschoolers typically sleep about 10 to 12 hours during each 24-hour period, but there’s no reason to be rigid about which 10 to 12 hours these are. At this stage, the important thing is to help your child develop good habits for getting to sleep.

Establishing a Bedtime Routine

A bedtime routine is a great way to ensure that your preschooler gets enough sleep. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re setting up that routine:

1. Include a winding-down period during the half hour before bedtime.

2. Stick to a bedtime, alerting your child both half an hour and 10 minutes beforehand.

3. Keep consistent playtimes and mealtimes.

4. Avoid stimulants, such as caffeine, near bedtime.

5. Make the bedroom quiet, cozy, and conducive to sleeping.

6. Limit food and drink before bedtime.

A Note on Naps

Most preschoolers do still need naps during the day. They tend to be very active—running around, playing, going to school, and exploring their surroundings—so it’s a good idea to give them a special opportunity to slow down. Even if your child can’t fall asleep, try to set aside some quiet time during the day for relaxing (You’ll probably benefit from a break too).

Sleeping Problems

Your preschooler may have nightmares or night terrors, so there may be many nights when he or she has trouble falling asleep.

It may help if you create a “nighttime kit” to keep near your child’s bed for when he or she has trouble sleeping. That kit might include a flashlight, a favorite book, and a cassette or CD to play. Use the kit with your child, then put it in a special place where your child can get to it in the middle of the night. Objects like stuffed animals and blankets also may also help.

Some parents get into the habit of lying down next to their young kids until they fall asleep. While this may do the trick temporarily, it won’t help sleeping patterns in the long term. It’s important to provide comfort and reassurance but kids need to fall asleep independently for when parents aren’t around. If you establish a routine where you have to be there for your child to go to sleep, then it will be difficult for both of you—and unfair to your child—if you start leaving beforehand.

This information was provided by KidsHealth, one of the largest resources online for medically reviewed health information written for parents, kids, and teens. For more articles like this one, visit KidsHealth.org or TeensHealth.org.