Infants and toddlers need an average of 11 hours sleep each night. They may be ready for bed between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., and will wake between 5:00 and 7:00 a.m.

Children may resist bedtime, or have difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep. This may be for one of several reasons: they are afraid of the dark, afraid their parents will leave them once they have gone to bed, they may not want to end their daytime play or they may have nightmares. Stressful events that disrupt sleep include: illness, hospitalization, divorce, death of a family member, moving to a new house and going on vacation.

Children from two to five years old need an average of 9-11 hours of sleep each night. They may go to bed between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., and wake between 6:30 and 8:00 a.m. Reasons for resisting bedtime or having difficulty falling asleep are the same as for infants and toddlers. Fear of wetting the bed and getting out of bed and wandering during the night are common among preschool-aged children.

Bedtime Routines — Transition
Establishing consistent bedtime routines will help your child make the transition to bedtime more pleasant. A good bedtime routine can teach your child to go to bed, get to sleep, get back to sleep if he/she awakes and stay in bed during the night.

Your child’s bedroom should be a positive place. Let your child help decorate the room by choosing the bedding, color of paint or wallpaper and the pictures or toys to put in it. Avoid a child’s room as a place for time out or punishment. You child may learn to associate the room with being punished or being bad.

Tips for Establishing a Positive Bedtime Routine
The routine you design should be the same every night. Parents, family members and caregivers should try to follow the same routine.

• Set a bedtime for your child.
• Allow your child to have at least an hour of quiet play before starting the bedtime routine.
• Devote 20 to 30 minutes for your child’s bedtime routine, including: brushing teeth, bath time and toileting. Allow your child to pick out their own pajamas.
• Do the fun part of the routine in the bedroom. Allow your child to choose the stories, songs or board games to play. Let your child pick out a favorite doll or stuffed animal for cuddling.

When the bedtime routine has ended, say your good nights, give out hugs and kisses and tell your child it is time to go to sleep.

Getting Your Child to Stay in Bed
Here are some suggestions to help teach your child to stay in bed and to learn to go back to sleep.

• Develop a “Bedtime Survival Kit.” A kit for a preschool-aged child might include a flashlight for looking at books or using to see the way to the bathroom, books, a CD player and music, a water bottle (in case your child gets thirsty) or a favorite quiet toy or stuffed animal. All of these things can be near the bed so your child can stay in bed while getting ready to sleep.
• Every time your child gets out of bed, quietly and calmly escort him back. Once your child is back in bed, firmly restate the rule that it is time to go to sleep and that he must stay in his bed.

The information was developed by The Family Conservancy from a varietyof professional resources. This is not a standardized measurement tool.