Sleep is essential for both adults and children. Especially for children, sleep is an important factor for development. During the day, children discover and play, absorbing a lot of new information, which is processed in the brain during sleep at night. But what is the right time for your child to go to bed? And how much sleep do they need? We'll tell you more.
Babies and young children
The younger children are, the more sleep they need. Babies and young children initially don't have a set sleep schedule and sleep mostly when they need it. Over time, a rhythm and routine start to develop. You'll notice that your child mainly sleeps at night and may only need short naps during the day. Children often indicate themselves when they no longer need these afternoon naps. So, no worries, this can vary greatly from child to child and is completely normal.
Sleep routine during primary school
When children are four years old, they start primary school. Around this age and up to six years old, they usually go to bed around 6:30 PM or 7:00 PM. It's recommended that children of this age get about 11 to 12 hours of sleep. However, this can vary between children. Therefore, listen to your child's needs. If you notice that your child is often tired during the day or has trouble concentrating, going to bed earlier might help.
How much sleep does your child need per night?
The number of hours of sleep a child needs per night can vary, and it gradually decreases as they get older. In the Netherlands, here are the average hours of sleep a child needs:
- 4 years: 11.5 hours per night
- 5 years: 11 hours per night
- 6 years: 10 hours and 45 minutes
- 7 years: 10.5 hours
- 8 years: 10 hours and 15 minutes
- 9 years: 10 hours
- 10 years: 9 hours and 45 minutes
- 11 years: 9.5 hours
- 12 years: 9 hours and 15 minutes
Because sleep is so important for children's development, it's up to parents to pay attention to what their child needs. Sometimes it may be fewer hours, but often children need more sleep. Therefore, it's better to let go of the struggle for an extra hour of staying up. Below are the average bedtime for children by age:
4 to 6 years between 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM
7 to 8 years between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM
9 to 10 years between 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM
11 to 12 years between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM
Easing into a sleep routine with a kids' alarm clock
Want to make it easier for your child to establish a sleep routine? A kids' alarm clock can help. Kids' alarm clocks help children sleep longer. Especially young children who have just stopped taking afternoon naps can benefit from a kids' alarm clock. These are clocks that playfully show children when it's time to go to sleep or wake up. Curious about what such a kids' alarm clock can do? Then check out our webshop and kids' alarm clocks here.
