Wondering how many hours of sleep your child needs by age? Here is the short answer: between 1 and 3, most children need about 11 to 14 hours a day, naps included. Between 3 and 5, more like 10 to 13 hours. From 6 to 9, around 9 to 12 hours. And from 10 to 14, about 9 to 11 hours. These are ranges, not rules set in stone.
You have probably noticed that the older a child gets, the less they sleep. That is normal. A toddler spends a big part of the day asleep. A preteen gets through the whole day on a single night. Between the two, everything shifts little by little, often without anyone noticing.
In this guide you get a simple chart by age bracket, covering night and nap. We also explain why your child can fall outside the range without it being a problem, how long naps stay useful, how to spot that they are short on sleep, and what to do to help them get back to their quota. We finish with the cases where it is better to talk to a doctor.
The sleep-hours chart by age
Here are the markers most children's sleep specialists give. The total includes the night and any naps. Take them as a compass, not a stopwatch.
You will see the range is wide. That is deliberate: two children of the same age can have very different needs, and both are doing fine.
- Ages 1 to 3: about 11 to 14 hours a day. Roughly a 10 to 12 hour night, plus 1 to 2 hours of afternoon nap.
- Ages 3 to 5: about 10 to 13 hours a day. Roughly a 10 to 12 hour night; the nap gets shorter and then disappears for many children.
- Ages 6 to 9: about 9 to 12 hours a day, almost all of it at night. The nap is mostly gone, except after a tiring day.
- Ages 10 to 14: about 9 to 11 hours a day, overnight. At this age, getting enough sleep becomes a real challenge with school and screens.
Why these hours are only markers
These numbers are averages. Your child is unique, and their sleep need is their own. Some children are short sleepers: they sleep a little under the range and still wake up in great shape. Others are long sleepers: they need a good extra hour compared to their friends to feel right.
The best judge is not the chart, it is your child. If they fall asleep without a fight, sleep through or close to it, and wake up in a good mood and ready for the day, they are getting what they need, even if the total is a little below or above average.
Conversely, a child who sleeps right in the range but is cranky, hard to get up and drags all morning may be short on sleep, or short on good-quality sleep. What you see in the morning tells you more than the number of hours.
Naps: until when?
A nap is real sleep and counts toward the day's total. For toddlers it is precious: it prevents the overtiredness that often makes falling asleep at night harder.
Generally, the single afternoon nap holds until around age 3. After that, many children drop it between 3 and 5, each at their own pace. There is no official age: some let go of the nap early, others still need it in pre-K.
A good clue that the nap is getting too long or too late: your child is not sleepy in the evening and bedtime goes off the rails. In that case, shorten the nap a little, or move it earlier in the afternoon, rather than cutting it out all at once.
- Nap set early. If evening bedtime is getting hard, try ending the nap before 3 p.m. Often that alone is enough to get a gentler wind-down.
Signs they are short on sleep
Sleep deprivation in children does not always look like tiredness. A tired child may instead get wound up, turn cranky or struggle to settle. It can be misleading.
Look at the day as a whole instead. Several of these signs coming up often are worth a small sleep adjustment.
- They are very hard to wake in the morning and take a long time to get going.
- They are cranky, cry over nothing or get angry quickly during the day.
- They have trouble concentrating, at school or during quiet play.
- They fall asleep at odd moments: in the car, at the table, in front of a cartoon.
- They move a lot at night, wake often, or wake well before time and cannot get back to sleep.
How to help them get their quota
Good news: you can help a child sleep better with a few simple habits. Nothing complicated, just consistency and a reassuring framework.
The idea is not to add rules, but to make sleep easier for their body. Here is what works for most families.
- Regular hours. Bedtime and wake-up at roughly the same time, even on weekends. The body likes markers. A steady rhythm makes falling asleep faster.
- A small evening ritual. Always the same steps in the same order: bath, pajamas, story, hug, soft light. That little routine tells the body night is coming.
- A quiet, cool room. A dark, silent, not-too-warm room helps them fall asleep and stay asleep. A small night light is enough if your child needs a bit of light.
- Screens away from bedtime. Turn off the tablet and TV at least an hour before bed. Screen light and the excitement of play delay falling asleep.
- A good bed setup. A comfortable bed and a pillow at the right height for their neck matter too. Often it is not the child sleeping badly, nor their bed, it is their adult pillow, too big and too soft for a small head.
Choosing the right pillow height by age
One detail many parents forget: pillow height should follow the child's age. A 4-year-old's neck does not have the same needs as a 12-year-old's. A pillow that is too big breaks the alignment of the neck and gets in the way at night.
At EVERNEL, the pillow comes in three sizes by age, so the head is always well supported, neither too high nor too low.
Important: before age 1, a baby sleeps flat, on their back, with no pillow or cushion. Nothing gets added to the crib. For a very young child, talk to your pediatrician first.
- Ages 1 to 3: loft 0.8 to 1.6 in, format 19.7 × 11.8 in.
- Ages 3 to 8: loft 1.6 to 2.4 in, format 19.7 × 11.8 in.
- Ages 8 to 14: loft 2.4 to 3.5 in, format 21.3 × 12.6 in.
When to worry, or see a doctor
Most small sleep troubles sort themselves out with time, a good rhythm and a little patience. But some signs deserve a doctor's or pediatrician's opinion, without dramatizing.
Talk to a health professional if your child snores loudly and all the time, if they seem to stop breathing for a moment during sleep, if they complain of real pain, or if a serious sleep problem sets in and lasts despite your efforts.
Likewise, if your child seems permanently exhausted during the day even though they sleep enough, medical advice can help you see clearly. You know your child better than anyone: if something really worries you, your doctor is the right person to ask.
Key takeaways
- Ages 1 to 3: about 11 to 14 hours a day; 3 to 5: 10 to 13; 6 to 9: 9 to 12; 10 to 14: 9 to 11, naps included.
- The older the child, the less they sleep, and the nap usually disappears between 3 and 5.
- The ranges are markers: a child in good shape at wake-up is getting enough, even a little outside them.
- A child who is hard to wake, cranky or unfocused may be short on sleep.
- Regular rhythm, evening ritual, quiet room and a good bed setup help a lot; for loud constant snoring or pauses in breathing, see a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of sleep for a 3-year-old?
Around age 3, most children need about 11 to 13 hours a day, naps included. The afternoon nap often starts getting shorter at this age. The best marker is still how your child looks at wake-up.
How many hours of sleep for a child aged 6 to 9?
Between 6 and 9, count on about 9 to 12 hours of sleep a day, almost all of it at night. The nap is generally gone. If your child is cranky and hard to wake, they may be a little short on sleep.
At what age do children stop napping?
There is no fixed age. Many children stop napping between 3 and 5, each at their own pace. If the nap keeps your child from falling asleep at night, shorten it or move it earlier rather than cutting it out all at once.
How do I know if my child sleeps enough?
Look mainly at the morning and the day. A child who wakes up in a good mood, in good shape, without dragging or falling asleep anywhere, is getting enough. Conversely, a child who is hard to wake, cranky and unfocused is probably short on sleep.
Does a baby under one need a pillow?
No. Before age 1, a baby sleeps flat, on their back, with no pillow or cushion in the crib. A suitable pillow comes only later, as the child grows. For a very young child, ask your pediatrician first.
Want a calmer night for your child?
A pillow at the right height for their age holds their head well all night. Three sizes by age, and 30 nights to try it at home. See the pillow and its three sizes.