Children’s Sleep Routines

A few weeks ago I talked about my sleep routines. I’ve gotten a little better and trying to create one, but it’s still hard since I like to do the majority of my work at night. Make sure to check out that post because there are some good tips on how to establish a good sleep routine for yourself.

Today we are talking all about sleep routines for children!

How much sleep does your child need?

Do you know how much sleep your child needs? I did a poll on Twitter and Moms of children ranging from 2 years old to 12 years old, all told me that they think children needed at least 10 hours of sleep and even up to 12 hours!

According to the National Sleep Foundation, that is correct!

Children between the ages of 1-3 need 12-14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period.

Children between the ages of 3-5 need 11-13 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period.

Children between the ages of 5-12 need 10-11 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period.

By the time your child is two years old, they have spent more time asleep than awake! Overall, a child will spend 40% of his or her childhood asleep. Sleep is so important for children because it directly impacts both mental and physical development.

A few Moms shared why their children need a good amount of sleep:

Lauren, from Crazy About My Baybah says: “For my little guy, he needs a good 10-11 hours of sleep.  Without it, he can be cranky, not eat as good as he usually does the entire day, and just not be himself.  He is a very active toddler, so he needs all of the sleep he can get to help him rejuvenate himself from all of the fun and excitement he had throughout the day.”

Emily, from Family and Life in Las Vegas says: “I can tell you that the days my son gets a full 11-12 at night and 2-3 at nap-time he is a much happier and fun child to be around.  I think even a few hours shaved off that time can have disastrous effects on my son’s personality.
When Squishy has missed a nap, or been interrupted through the night, reasoning with him is impossible.  He also always seemed to get sick after teething times (when he would lose sleep at night due to pain).  I definitely think not getting enough sleep lowers your immune system too.”

Hayden is 3 years old and it is recommended that he sleeps about 12-14 hours of sleep. This is exactly what Hayden gets. He will sleep about 10 hours at night and then a 2-3 hour nap. When he doesn’t get a nap, he is crabby and just not himself. He also will end up wanting to go to bed right after dinner, which means he will wake up early. Then it messes up his whole schedule. It’s so important to keep him on a sleep schedule!

Does your child have a sleep routine?

When Hayden doesn’t follow his sleep routine, it’s a very crabby day for both him and me. It’s so important for children to have a sleep routine and the National Sleep Foundation agrees.

The most important things for a child’s sleep routine is to:

– Maintain a regular and consistent sleep schedule

– Have a relaxing bedtime routine that winds them down and get ready for sleep

– Have a dark, cool and quiet room free of computers and televisions.

I asked some Moms what they do to keep a sleep routine with their child.

Carrie, from Carrie With Children says: I think it’s important to have a regular bedtime routine.  Whatever works best for your child to unwind from the day.  In our house, it’s reading books before bed.

Britney, from ex-pec-ta-tion says: Our bedtime routine starts around 7:30 each evening and begins with a bath and ends with a snack such as apples or grapes while we read a book.

Kathy, from House of Hills says: We start the routine at 7 or 7:15. She takes a shower, brushes her teeth, gets in her jammies. Then we have one of my favorite times of the day – family reading/cuddle time. We all pile in the big king bed and read together for awhile. By 7:50, she’s in her own bed, lights out, prayers being said. She’s usually asleep by 8 or a bit after.

Becky, from Johnson Jive says: We practice a consistent bedtime routine. Bath, a short kid show, books and singing.

Make sure to check out the National Sleep Foundation’s advice on how to create sleep routines for children of all ages!

Does your child have a consistent sleep routine? If they are having trouble sleeping, do you think it could be because they need a sleep routine?

Disclosure: I received the New Perfect Sleeper Mattress from Serta Mattresses for review purposes only. I am sharing information with you on behalf of Serta and the National Sleep Foundation but all opinions are my own.