March 10, 2026, 9:00 a.m.
Sleep is imperative to your child’s development. Kendra Krietsch, PhD, WashU Medicine Pediatric specialist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, provides age-specific sleep guidelines that are essential to your child’s growth.
Children of different ages need different amounts of sleep. Best practices include the following:
- Babies need 12–15 hours per day, including naps
- Toddlers need 11–14 hours per day, including naps
- Preschoolers need 10–13 hours per day, including naps
- School-aged kids need 9–11 hours per night, no naps
- Teens need 8–10 hours per night, no naps
It’s important for families to set clear rules around bedtimes and rise times, and stick with them. Bedtimes can vary but following these recommended guidelines offer a consistent foundation.
- Babies and toddlers: Bed by 6:30–7:30 p.m.
- Preschoolers: Bed by 7:30–8:30 p.m.
- School-aged kids: Bed by 8–9 p.m.
- Teens: Bed by 9–10 p.m.
Additionally, routine bedtimes and rise times on the weekends are important. To maintain a healthy sleep cycle, avoid shifting bed and rise times by more than 60 minutes to keep routines stable.
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