How Much Sleep Does Your Preschooler Need?

The amount of sleep children need in a 24-hour period starts to vary more significantly during the preschool years. Children between 2.5 and 5 years old need 10.5 – 13 hours of sleep each day. That’s a wide range! For young children, missing out on just 30 – 60 minutes of needed sleep on any given day can really have an impact on their mood and behavior. 

So how do you hone in on the optimal number of hours of sleep YOUR child needs each day? 

First, let me break the numbers down a bit more. 

2.5 – 3.5 year olds: 12 – 13 hours per day

• Most children under 3.5 years old will benefit from a daily nap. The research shows that preschool age children who nap have better emotional regulation and retain more of what they learn each day.
• A child who is taking a 1 – 2 hour nap should be sleeping 10.5 – 11.5 hours each night.
• A child not napping should be sleeping 11.5+ hours each night. 

3.5 – 5 years old: 10.5 – 13 hours per day

• Many children under the age of 4 years old still do best if they nap most days. Some, but not all, 4 year olds will do best with a nap most days. Most children have dropped their nap by 5 years old.
• A 3.5 – 5 year old who takes a 1 – 1.5 hour nap should be sleeping 10.5 – 11.5 hours at night.
• A 3.5 – 5 year old who no longer naps should be sleeping 10.5 – 12+ hours at night. 

If your child is in these ranges, that’s great. If they aren’t or are on the lower side and you’re not sure they are getting enough, they will give you some clues.

Indicators your child could benefit from more sleep:

• They are irritable or being more impulsive than usual, particularly in the afternoon / evening
• They fall asleep easily in the car at a time they wouldn’t typically sleep at home
• You need to wake them in the morning to go to school / daycare
• They consistently wake up in the morning or from their nap very unhappy

If you think your child is lacking sleep, the fastest and easiest way to help them get more sleep is with an earlier bedtime. Most preschoolers will do best with a 7pm bedtime and even earlier if they are overtired or need to catch up on some missed sleep.