Whether playing, sleeping or eating, babies and children are constantly growing and learning… and that’s a lot of hard work! Due to all of this physical and emotional development, children require a lot more sleep than adults. In fact, by the time children are two years old, they will ideally have spent 40 percent of their life asleep. 

Generally speaking, babies should be getting between 14 and 17 hours of sleep for every 24 hours for the first three months of their lives. Don’t worry if “sleeping time” is always changing -- a regular sleep cycle usually kicks in around three to six months of age, when 12 to15 hours of sleep per day becomes normal.

Toddlers (one to two years old) should be getting 11 to 14 hours per day while three to five year olds should get between 10 and 13 hours per day. This number decreases as we get older, with the minimum recommendation for adults being six hours of sleep. 

As adults, we tend to get drowsy and lethargic when we feel tired. In contrast, children tend to get more hyper and irritable and have more trouble controlling their emotions. If your child seems extremely energetic, this doesn’t mean that it’s okay to skip naptime or delay bedtime. It probably means the opposite! 

Make sure that a familiar bedtime routine is a priority. Start your routine (bath time, brushing teeth, reading books) early enough that it will be no surprise when it’s time to go to sleep. While a child may think that they are not tired, they can generally fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes of bedtime.

1. Gentle and Tough

2. Speak Wisely and Listen Well

3. The Music Recording Program

4. Tips to protect young children from the heat of summer

5. Pegged Puzzles& Three Cat Chefs

6. Little Doctor’s Set & The Child Who Flies a Kite