How Much Sleep Does a Child Need? Hours by Age Chart

The short answer: Children 1 to 2 years old need 11 to 14 hours of sleep in every 24 hours, children 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours, and children 6 to 12 need 9 to 12 hours. These are the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's recommendations, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and for kids up to 5 the hours include naps ^[1].

How much sleep does a child need by age?

The numbers below come from a 2016 consensus statement by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) endorsed it ^[1] and still points parents to it ^[2]. Each number is total sleep in 24 hours, so a nap counts ^[2].

Age	Sleep per 24 hours	Naps included?
1 year	11 to 14 hours	Yes
2 years	11 to 14 hours	Yes
3 years	10 to 13 hours	Yes
4 years	10 to 13 hours	Yes
5 years	10 to 13 hours	Yes
6 years	9 to 12 hours	Most kids no longer nap
7 years	9 to 12 hours	Most kids no longer nap
8 years	9 to 12 hours	Most kids no longer nap
9 years	9 to 12 hours	Most kids no longer nap
10 years	9 to 12 hours	Most kids no longer nap
11 years	9 to 12 hours	Most kids no longer nap
12 years	9 to 12 hours	Most kids no longer nap

These are ranges, not one magic number. Sleep needs vary from child to child ^[2]. If your child lands inside the range most nights and does well during the day, you are in good shape.

How much sleep does a 3, 4, 5 or 6 year old need?

3 year old: 10 to 13 hours in 24 hours, naps included ^[1]. About a third of children have stopped napping by age 3 ^[3].
4 year old: 10 to 13 hours ^[1]. More than half of children have stopped napping by age 4, so most of that sleep now happens at night ^[3].
5 year old: 10 to 13 hours ^[1]. About 80% of children stop napping by the time they turn 5 ^[3], so plan for 10 to 13 hours overnight.
6 year old: 9 to 12 hours ^[1]. The range drops by an hour, and naps are usually gone ^[3], so all of it comes at night.

How long should naps be, and when do kids stop?

A 2020 review pooled studies of children's napping from around the world ^[3]. On average:

Age	Average nap (kids who still nap)	Share who have stopped napping
1 to 2	2.3 hours	Fewer than 2.5% (before age 2)
2 to 3	1.9 hours	About 33% (by age 3)
3 to 4	1.7 hours	About 57%
4 to 5	1.5 hours	About 80%
Over 5	1.1 hours	About 94%

The authors found wide variation between studies, especially from 3 to 5 ^[3]. So a 4 year old who still naps, or a 3 year old who has quit, is not unusual. What matters is the 24-hour total.

What time should my child go to bed?

Work back from the time your child has to be up. Pick a nighttime sleep target, subtract it from wake-up time, and that is when your child should be asleep. Keep wake-up time the same on weekends too ^[2].

The table uses the middle of the AASM range for each age ^[1], minus the average nap for children that age who still nap ^[3].

Age	Night sleep to aim for	Asleep by, if up at 6:00 a.m.	If up at 6:30 a.m.	If up at 7:00 a.m.
2, napping about 2 hours	10.5 hours	7:30 p.m.	8:00 p.m.	8:30 p.m.
3 or 4, still napping	10 hours	8:00 p.m.	8:30 p.m.	9:00 p.m.
3, 4 or 5, no nap	11.5 hours	6:30 p.m.	7:00 p.m.	7:30 p.m.
6, 7 or 8	10.5 hours	7:30 p.m.	8:00 p.m.	8:30 p.m.

How to use it:

Find your child's row and wake-up time. That is the asleep-by time.
Aim for lights out a little before it.
Start a 20 to 30 minute routine before lights out. Our bedtime routine guide has a timed plan.
Different nap? Adjust by the difference. A 2 year old who naps 1 hour instead of 2 needs about an hour more at night.

So what time should a 5 year old go to bed? If your 5 year old no longer naps and wakes at 6:30 a.m., aim for asleep by about 7:00 p.m. If they wake at 7:00, aim for about 7:30.

If your child is still cranky or sleepy during the day, try moving bedtime earlier. The AAP notes that putting a child to bed even 15 to 20 minutes earlier can make a big difference, and that by the time your child is rubbing their eyes or yawning, it's probably too late ^[4].

What are the signs a child isn't getting enough sleep?

The AAP reports that 44% of children don't get enough sleep for their age ^[5], so if this sounds familiar, you have plenty of company. Signs to watch for:

Irritability, or getting upset over small things ^{[2, 5]}
Trouble concentrating or "zoning out" in class ^[2]
Falling asleep at school or child care ^[2]
Headaches ^[2]
A harder time handling feelings, even after just a few short nights ^[5]
Catching more colds, since tired bodies fight off germs less well ^[5]
Over time, attention, behavior and learning problems, and more accidents and injuries ^[1]

Ask your child's teacher to tell you if your child seems sleepy in class ^[2].

How do I help my child get more sleep?

Same wake-up time every day, weekends included ^[2].
A short routine, such as brush, book, bed ^[4].
Screens off at least an hour before bed, and kept out of the bedroom ^[2].
Dim the lights before bed ^[2]. In a study of 3 and 4 year olds, an hour of light before bed lowered melatonin, a sleep hormone, at every brightness tested, down to dim light of 5 lux ^[6].
Daytime activity and bright morning light ^[2].

Where DaddyDuty fits

Once you know the bedtime, the work is in the last half hour. DaddyDuty makes that stretch the easy part: a warm picture book with their name in it, then Lights Out, and the story carries on in the dark until the minute you picked. Get DaddyDuty free

When to talk to your pediatrician

Talk to your pediatrician if your child has any of these:

Frequent snoring, or loud or heavy breathing during sleep ^{[2, 7]}
Problems breathing at night ^[7]
Sleepiness during the day, trouble paying attention, or behavior problems ^[7]
Trouble falling asleep, frequent night waking, or nightly stalling and resisting bed that doesn't ease with a steady routine ^[2]
Itchy skin or restless legs that keep them up ^[5]

Ask before giving melatonin or any sleep supplement ^[5]. The AAP notes that most sleep problems are easy to manage once you raise them ^[2]. Call 911 right away if your child stops breathing or their skin turns pale, bluish or gray ^[7].

FAQ

Do naps count toward my child's total sleep?

Yes. For children 1 to 5, the AASM hours include naps ^[1]. A long nap means your child needs a little less sleep at night.

Can a child sleep too much?

Regularly sleeping more than the recommended range may be linked to health problems, according to the AASM ^[1]. If your child sleeps far more than the chart and still seems tired, mention it to your pediatrician.

What time should a 6 year old go to bed?

A 6 year old needs 9 to 12 hours ^[1]. For a 6:30 a.m. wake-up, asleep by about 8:00 p.m. is a middle-of-the-range target. Go earlier if mornings are hard.

Should bedtime be the same on weekends?

Mostly, yes. The AAP recommends the same wake-up time on weekdays and weekends ^[2], which keeps bedtime steady too.

Sources

Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2016. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4877308/
American Academy of Pediatrics. Healthy Sleep Habits: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need? HealthyChildren.org, 2026. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/healthy-sleep-habits-how-many-hours-does-your-child-need.aspx
Staton S, Rankin PS, Harding M, et al. Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0-12 years. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2020. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9704850/
American Academy of Pediatrics. Brush, Book, Bed: How to Structure Your Child's Nighttime Routine. HealthyChildren.org, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/oral-health/Pages/Brush-Book-Bed.aspx
Loy M, AAP Section on Integrative Medicine. Sleep and Health: Why Rest Matters for Your Child and Your Whole Family. HealthyChildren.org, 2026. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/Sleep-and-Mental-Health.aspx
Hartstein LE, Behn CD, Akacem LD, et al. High sensitivity of melatonin suppression response to evening light in preschool-aged children. Journal of Pineal Research, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34997782/
American Academy of Pediatrics. Sleep Apnea in Children: Detection and Treatment. HealthyChildren.org, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/Sleep-Apnea-Detection.aspx