Activities
Family Activities
Kids Sports
Dance
Football
Gymnastics
Swimming
Tennis
Trampolining
Kids Classes
Arts & Crafts
Cooking & Baking
Languages
Messy Play
Music
Performing Arts
Sensory Movement & Development Classes
Birthdays
Birthday Cakes
Party Entertainment
Party Hire
Party Planners
Party Supplies
Party Venues
Kids Gear
Accessories
Bed & Bath Time
Educational
Feeding Time
Furniture & Decor
General Babies & Kids Gear
Nappies & Toilet Training
Out & About
Clothing
Accessories
Babies & Kids Clothing
Rainwear & Waterproof Clothing
Shoes
Eating
Cooking & Baking
Feeding Time
Food & Drinks
Kids Friendly Cafes & Restaurants
Gifts
Health
Accessories
General Health & Wellbeing
Natural Health Products
Skin & Hair Products
Services
Baby & Toddler Sleep Consultants
Child Development & Therapy Services
Childcare
Childcare Centres
Home Based Childcare
Nannies, Babysitters & Au Pairs
Kids Hairdressers
Health & Wellbeing Services
Parent Services
Photography
Subscription Boxes
Toys & Books
Toys
Outdoor Toys & Play Equipment
Toy Hire
Toy Libraries
Books
Hot Topics
Activities
Seasonal Activities
Sports
Things to make
Things to do
Travel
Birthday Parties
Babies & Kids Gear
Bed & Bath Time
Feeding Time
General Babies & Kids Gear
Health & Wellbeing
Nappies & Toilet Training
Out & About
Child Development
Clothes & Shoes
Food & Eating
Recipes
Kids Friendly Cafes & Restaurants
General Topics
Health & Wellbeing
Babies
Toddlers
Preschoolers
Parenting
Services For Kids
Toys Books Play
Benefits of play
Foam activities
Homemade play dough
Homemade slime
Homemade toys
Kids gift ideas
Messy play
... more in Toys Books Play
Home
> Refer a friend
Shop
Activities
Family Activities
Kids Sports
Dance
Football
Gymnastics
Swimming
Tennis
Trampolining
Kids Classes
Arts & Crafts
Cooking & Baking
Languages
Messy Play
Music
Performing Arts
Sensory Movement & Development Classes
Babies & Kids Gear
Accessories
Bed & Bath Time
Educational
Feeding Time
Furniture & Decor
General Babies & Kids Gear
Nappies & Toilet Training
Out & About
Birthday Parties
Birthday Cakes
Party Entertainment
Party Hire
Party Planners
Party Supplies
Party Venues
Eating & Drinking
Cooking & Baking
Feeding Time
Food & Drinks
Kids Friendly Cafes & Restaurants
Clothes & Shoes
Accessories
Babies & Kids Clothing
Rainwear & Waterproof Clothing
Shoes
Gifts & Keepsakes
Health & Wellbeing
Accessories
General Health & Wellbeing
Natural Health Products
Skin & Hair Products
Services
Baby & Toddler Sleep Consultants
Child Development & Therapy Services
Childcare
Childcare Centres
Home Based Childcare
Nannies, Babysitters & Au Pairs
Kids Hairdressers
Health & Wellbeing Services
Parent Services
Photography
Subscription Boxes
Toys & Books
Toys
Outdoor Toys & Play Equipment
Toy Hire
Toy Libraries
Books
Hot Topics
Activities
Seasonal Activities
Autumn
Christmas
Easter
Halloween
Spring
Summer
Valentine's Day
Winter
Sports
Things to make
Things to do
Travel
Birthday Parties
Babies & Kids Gear
Bed & Bath Time
Feeding Time
General Babies & Kids Gear
Health & Wellbeing
Nappies & Toilet Training
Out & About
Child Development
Clothes & Shoes
Food & Eating
Recipes
Kids Friendly Cafes & Restaurants
General Topics
Health & Wellbeing
Babies
Toddlers
Preschoolers
Parenting
Services For Kids
Toys Books Play
Benefits of play
Foam activities
Homemade play dough
Homemade slime
Homemade toys
Kids gift ideas
Messy play
Paints & painting
Play ideas
Reading & writing
Sensory play
Songs & music
Water play
Share this article
Like the article you've just been reading? Email it to friends and family to read too.
Share this article
Friend's email address
Your email address
Your name
The Message.
Hi, You're receiving this email because {name} thinks the How much sleep do babies & young kids need? article would interest you. As parents we know that young children need their sleep to grow and develop, but many of us are unsure as to how much sleep babies, toddlers and pre-school kids actually need to reach their full potential.
Unfortunately when it comes to sleep patterns, there’s no such thing as an ‘average’ child, but our sleep guide will give you an idea of what you can expect for newborns to 5 year olds, from day time naps to sleeping through the night.
How much sleep do babies & young kids need?
Have a read through our sleep guide to find out what sleep patterns are common for your little one's age and stage.
Newborn - 2 months old
Every baby has their own sleep pattern and they often don’t have a regular pattern until they are a little older.
Generally newborns sleep in 2 to 4 hour intervals, waking up to eat.
They aren't born knowing how to soothe themselves to sleep, so you may need to help with tricks like
swaddling
, rocking, breastfeeding and/or using a dummy.
2 - 4 months old
Babies this age may sleep for 6 hour stretches at night and settle into more of a set nap schedule.
Start getting your baby into a good sleep routine by exposing them to sunlight during the day and avoid over-stimulating them at night.
Now’s also a good time to start introducing a pre-bedtime routine such as feeding time, bath time, story time, bed.
4 - 6 months old
Babies this age usually start to stop their middle of the
night feeds
and are ready to sleep through the night, anywhere from 6 to 12 hour stretches.
They will continue to wake up sometimes during the night, but those who ‘sleep through’ have generally learned how to go back to sleep on their own.
6 - 12 months old
By now your baby may have settled into a regular sleep pattern during the day and night, although this may change when they are teething or are unwell.
However some babies stop sleeping through the night around this age because of
separation anxiety
.
If this happens, go in and check on your child, keep visits short and try not to pick them up and feed them.
Try rubbing your little one’s back to help soothe them and leave after a few minutes and allow them to self-soothe. Repeat if need be.
1 - 2 year olds
At this age it’s good to
have a bedtime routine
established.
Children tend to feel comforted by routine, especially at bedtime as it helps them to relax.
Active toddlers can have trouble relaxing and winding down at night often causing bedtime battles.
Try to keep things as calm as possible in the evenings after dinner and the lead up to bedtime.
2 - 5 year olds
Sleep problems for toddlers and preschoolers include procrastinating and resisting bedtime, getting out of their big-kid beds when they wake up at night and developing night terrors.
Stick to a bedtime routine and sleep schedule as much as you can, making sure your kids understand the rules and you are consistent about enforcing them.
Using a night light can comfort kids who tend to be
afraid of the dark
or have nightmares.
You’ll find their daytime naps usually stop by age 4 and have stopped completely by the age of 5 when they start school.
Daily sleep guide for newborns to 5 year olds
Check out our sleep guide by age to see how much sleep your baby, toddler or pre-schooler is likely to need each day.
Age
Total sleep
Night sleep
Day naps
0-2 months
16-18 hours
8-9 hours
7-9 hours (3-5 naps)
2-4 months
14-16 hours
9-10 hours
4-5 hours (3 naps)
4-6 months
14-15 hours
10 hours
4-5 hours (2-3 naps)
6-9 months
14 hours
10-11 hours
3-4 hours (2 naps)
9-12 months
14 hours
10-12 hours
2-3 hours (2 naps)
12-18 months
13-14 hours
11-12 hours
2-3 hours (1-2 naps)
18-24 months
13-14 hours
11 hours
2 hours (1 nap)
2-3 years
12-14 hours
10-11 hours
1-2 hours (1 nap)
3-5 years
11-13 hours
10-11 hours
0-1 hours
Bracketed text e.g {name} indicates details that will be completed by the system when you click the submit button.
In order to assist us in reducing spam, please type the characters you see: